Pickled vegetables are considered one of the most flavorful additions to all kinds of dishes. They are more harmoniously combined with meat, vegetables and other products than sterilized ones. Eggplants are considered the most exotic of these pickles, but not many decide to make them. In this article you will get acquainted with the most popular recipes for pickled eggplant, and also learn how to ferment them correctly.

Selection and preparation of ingredients

To purchase eggplant suitable for fermentation, you should:

• choose slightly unripe fruits, a ripe and overripe copy may contain solanine (a dangerous and unhealthy toxin);
• to acquire fruits no more than 15 cm long and weighing about 500 g; large eggplants are more rigid, which worsens the process of their processing during pickling. In addition, large fruits are almost impossible to spin whole;
• pay attention to the general condition of the vegetable, it should differ in uniform dark blue shades with a characteristic glossy sheen, elastic peel and a green stalk (the main evidence of freshness);
• to pay attention to whole copies, without any spots and other inclusions - evidence of damage by pests and fungi;
• buying eggplants only in the summer, during mass ripening, this will help to avoid fruits with a high content of nitrates and other by-products of intensive agricultural techniques for growing plants.

Before proceeding with the leaven of the vegetable, it must first be prepared.

Important! When cutting, the eggplant should not emit a sharp unpleasant smell, this indicates a high concentration in the pulp of dangerous toxins (solanine).

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Wash the fruits thoroughly under cold running water and wipe them dry.
2. Separate the stem.
3. Make shallow holes in the fruit with a knife or fork, this will help to avoid cracking the peel during cooking.

Pickled eggplant recipes for winter

Although eggplant is not considered traditional for pickling a fruit crop, today there are many recipes for harvesting vegetables in this way. These dishes have a diverse look, so they can please fans not only of whole fruits, but also carefully chopped. Next, we will consider the most successful recipes using the cold method of starter culture, many of which belong to the so-called “lick your fingers” dishes.

Recipe number 1

Classic recipe (no filling)

Recipe number 2

With carrots, herbs and garlic

Recipe number 3

In Georgian (from Stalik Khankishiyev)

Recipe number 4

In Korean

Recipe number 5

With cabbage

Recipe number 6

In a bucket

Recipe number 7

Azerbaijani

Recipe number 8

No vinegar

Recipe number 9

In Armenian

Recipe number 1

Pickled eggplant

easily

Classic recipe (no filling)

3 cans of 1 liter for 1 hour and 1-2 weeks Steps 5 ingredients

• eggplant

  1 kg

• garlic

  1 PC

• vinegar 9%

  100 ml

• water

  3 l

• salt

  300 g

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 40 kcal Proteins 1–2 g Fats 0.5 g Carbohydrates 8–9 g

1. Make small longitudinal cuts on pre-prepared fruits, and then fill them with salt.
2. Put the salted vegetables in a colander, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly.
3. Boil the fruits in boiling water for 10 minutes, then cool.
4. Mix vinegar, 1 tsp. salt and a glass of water, then peel the garlic.
5. Fill a sterilized jar with vegetables, then pour them with marinade.
6. Wrap a jar of vegetables with gauze, and put in a warm place for 2-3 days. Next, the gauze must be removed, and the container closed with a plastic cover and put in a cold place.

Learn how to salt salted eggplant for the winter.

Recipe number 2

Pickled eggplant

medium

With carrots, herbs and garlic



3 cans of 1 liter each 4-5 hours and 5-7 days. Steps 9 ingredients

• eggplant

  1 kg

• carrot

  100 g

• Bulgarian pepper

  100 g

• garlic

  30 g

• salt

  1 tbsp. l

• greens (dill or parsley)

  0.5 beam

• water

  1, 5 l

• peppercorns

  3-5 pcs.

• Bay leaf

  2-3 pcs.

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 40 kcal Proteins 1–1.5 g Fats 0.3 g Carbohydrates 8–9 g
1. Boil the fruits in salted water for 10 minutes.
2. Cool them and put them under oppression for 3-4 hours. Remove the resulting liquid.
3. Prepare the marinade, mix water, salt, pepper and bay leaf.
4. Grind other raw vegetables thoroughly and then mix them. Grate carrots, pepper, garlic and herbs chopped in arbitrary pieces.
5. Divide the eggplants into 2 halves so that the vegetable does not separate into separate parts (in the tail, leave an area of ​​about 1-2 cm uncut).
6. Fill the fruits with minced meat with carrots, peppers, garlic and herbs, and then transfer them to a deep bowl.
7. Pour it with cold marinade, put a thick gauze on the vegetables, cover everything with a small lid and put it under oppression.
8. Soak the fruit at room temperature for about 5-7 days, then transfer to the refrigerator. Such fruits can also be rolled up under an iron cover, and the marinade must be boiled for at least 10 minutes.

Important! During pickling, the brine will darken, and small air bubbles will appear in the jars. This is a natural phenomenon that does not require additional intervention.

Recipe number 3

Pickled eggplant

medium

In Georgian (from Stalik Khankishiyev)



50 minutes and 3-4 days. Steps 19 ingredients

• eggplant

  1 kg

• carrot

  250 g

• Bell pepper

  100 g

• leek

  100 g

• onion

  100 g

• garlic

  4 cloves

• red pepper (ground)

  a quarter teaspoon

• hops-suneli

  1 pinch

• ground chili

  1 pinch

• ground black pepper

  1 pinch

• coriander seeds

  1 pinch

• dry dill

  10 g

• ground bell pepper (dry)

  10 g

• mix of dill, parsley and cilantro

  1 bunch

• vegetable oil

  50 ml

• water

  2 l

• salt

  1 tbsp. l

• sugar

  1 tbsp. l

• vinegar 9%

  20 ml

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 75 kcal Proteins 1–2 g Fats 3–4 g Carbohydrates 8–10 g
1. Create longitudinal cuts on each fruit so that they turn into deep pockets.
2. Boil slightly salted water, and then boil the eggplant in it for 5–8 minutes.
3. Cool the fruits, lay them in one layer on a baking sheet and set the yoke on top for 15–20 minutes, then drain the liquid and rinse the vegetables well under running water.
4. Grind the carrots into strips, onions, leek and pepper in half rings, and chop the garlic and herbs as finely as possible.
5. Fry onion with coriander in vegetable oil until golden brown, and add sweet pepper, leek and garlic to it.
6. Stew for 5 minutes, and then add greens, carrots, chopped straws, spices and dry dill to the fried onion and pepper.
7. Remove the spiced vegetables from the heat and mix thoroughly.
8. While the vegetables are cooling, prepare the marinade. To do this, dissolve vinegar, sugar in 1 liter of boiling water, as well as add peppercorns and bay leaves. The liquid should have a soft, sweet and sour taste that tastes good.
9. Fill the eggplant with fried carrots and other vegetables, put the stuffed fruits in a large container and pour boiling marinade.
10. Install oppression on the contents of the container, and put everything in a warm place for 3-4 days.

Recipe number 4

Pickled eggplant

medium

In Korean



3 jars of jsc 1 l 30 minutes and 2 days Steps 11 ingredients

• eggplant

  1 kg

• Bulgarian pepper

  200 g

• carrot

  100 g

• parsley

  1 bunch

• garlic

  3 cloves

• Korean style spice mix

  1 tsp

• water

  300 ml

• sugar

  5 tbsp. l

• salt

  1 tbsp. l

• vinegar 9%

  70 ml

• sunflower oil

  70 ml

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 86 kcal Proteins 1 g Fats 4–5 g Carbohydrates 8–9 g
1. Boil the eggplant in salted water for 5 minutes, and then chop them into large strips.
2. Grate the carrots, cut the sweet pepper into straws, and chop the parsley as finely as possible.
3. Combine carrots, peppers and herbs, then add garlic squeezed through a crush to the mixture.
4. Put the vegetables in a deep container in several layers, alternating eggplant and vegetable mixture.
5. Mix water, salt, sugar, vinegar and vegetable oil, boil the liquid over a fire, and then pour the vegetables on it.
6. Set the weight on the fruits and put the bowl in a warm place for a day, then stand the vegetables for another day in the refrigerator.

Did you know? Eggplants were first cultivated about 15 centuries ago in India, South Asia and the Middle East. In this area to this day you can meet wild forms of plants - the progenitors of all modern varieties.

Recipe number 5

Pickled eggplant

medium

With cabbage



2 cans of 1 liter 1 hour and 3 days Steps 7 ingredients

• eggplant

  1, 5 kg

• cabbage

  400 g

• carrot

  100 g

• bell pepper

  100 g

• garlic

  2 cloves

• water

  1, 5 l

• salt

  70-100 g

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 50 kcal Proteins 1.5–2 g Fats 0.1–0.5 g Carbohydrates 10–11 g
1. Boil eggplant for 5 minutes.
2. Chop the carrots and cabbage finely, pass the garlic through a crush. Mix vegetables with each other, and then lightly salt.
3. Prepare the marinade, for this, mix 1.5 liters of water and 70 g of salt.
4. Cut the cooled eggplants along, squeeze the liquid from them, and then stuff with a mixture of cabbage, carrots and garlic.
5. Fix the fruits with kitchen twine, place in a deep container, then fill with marinade.
6. Put oppression on vegetables, soak the dish at room temperature for 3 days.
7. Then put in jars and place in the refrigerator.

You will also be interested to learn how to cook pickled eggplant without sterilization.

Recipe number 6

Pickled eggplant

medium

In a bucket



3 cans of 1 liter for 3 hours and 5-7 days Steps 10 ingredients

• eggplant

  1 kg

• carrot

  250 g

• garlic

  2-3 heads

• hot peppers

  1 PC.

• parsley

  beam

• salt

  3 tbsp. l

• water

  2 l

• peppercorns

  10 peas

• allspice

  5 peas

• Bay leaf

  2 pcs.

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 42 kcal Proteins 2 g Fats 0.3 g Carbohydrates 7–9 g
1. Make longitudinal cuts on one side of the eggplant, and then boil them for about 5-10 minutes.
2. Cool the fruits, and then put them under oppression for 1-2 hours. Eliminate the liquid that has escaped, and wash the vegetables thoroughly.
3. Chop parsley, hot pepper and garlic, combine them and salt well.
4. Stuff the eggplants with minced meat and place them in an enamel bucket.
5. Mix water, pepper (allspice and peas), bay leaf and 2 tbsp. l salt.
6. Boil the resulting liquid well, fill it with a bucket to the top and cover with a lid on top. If necessary, oppression is established on vegetables.
7. Keep the container warm for about a week, and then move its contents to a cold place.

Did you know? In contrast to the prevailing opinion, from a botanical point of view, eggplant is not a vegetable, but a semi-seed multi-seeded berry.

Recipe number 7

Pickled eggplant

medium

Azerbaijani



3 cans of 1 liter each 1.5 hours and 3 days. Steps 12 ingredients

• eggplant

  1 kg

• cilantro, dill and parsley

  1 bunch

• mint

  0.5 beam

• carrot

  100 g

• garlic

  200 g

• hot peppers

  1 PC.

• bell pepper

  1 PC.

• celery stalk

  1 PC.

• wine vinegar (red)

  400 ml

• water

  150 ml

• salt

  taste

• ground black pepper

  1 tsp

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 55 kcal Proteins 2 g Fats 0.3–0.5 g Carbohydrates 10–11 g
1. Make a deep longitudinal cut on one side of the eggplant, and then boil them for 5 minutes in slightly salted water.
2. Put the cooled fruits under oppression for 1 hour, and then drain the excess liquid.
3. Grind other vegetables, grate the carrots, cut the garlic and celery into cubes, cut the pepper into half rings.
4. Mix vegetables, salt and pepper, and then add chopped greens to them.
5. Stuff the eggplants with minced meat, and then put everything in a deep bowl.
6. Combine vinegar and water, and then fill them with vegetables, set the oppression on the container and put everything in a warm place for 3 days.

Recipe number 8

Pickled eggplant

medium

No vinegar



2 cans of 1 liter for 5-6 hours and 304 days. Steps 6 ingredients

• eggplant

  6-7 kg

• garlic

  15 cloves

• parsley

  1 large bunch

• hot peppers

  1-2 pcs.

• salt

  9 tbsp. l

• water

  3 l

Nutritional value per 100 g: Calories 30–35 kcal Proteins 1–1.5 g Fats 0.2–0.5 g Carbohydrates 7–8 g
1. Boil the whole eggplant for 5 minutes.
2. Arrange the vegetables on a baking sheet in one layer, and set the oppression on them for 5 hours, then drain the liquid and rinse the fruits under cold water.
3. Grind the garlic on the pulp and mix it with 3 tbsp. l salt.
4. Cut the fruits in half, rub them with garlic, and then fold again. Chop parsley and chilli finely.
5. Lay the vegetables in layers of parsley-eggplant-parsley-hot pepper in a deep bowl to the top. A wooden barrel is best for this, but you can replace it with an enameled pan.
6. Pour the container with boiling marinade (a mixture of 3 liters of water and 3 tbsp. L. Salt), and then set the load on its contents.
7. Soak the vegetables at room temperature for 2-3 days, and then 1-2 days in the refrigerator, already laid out in 2-liter jars.

Important! When fermenting in such a way, boiling vegetables for more than 5-6 minutes is prohibited, since during the fermentation they will lose their structure and turn into a homogeneous mass.

Recipe number 9

Pickled eggplant

medium

In Armenian



3 cans of 1 liter for 60 minutes and 5-6 days. Steps 9 ingredients

• eggplant

  1 kg

• bell pepper

  3-4 pcs.

• hot peppers

  1 PC.

• black pepper

  1 pinch

• parsley

  1 bunch

• garlic

  8–9 cloves

• vinegar 9%

  40-50 ml

• salt

  1 pinch

• sunflower oil

  1 liter

Nutrition value per 100 g: Calories 240 kcal Proteins 1–2 g Fats 20–25 g Carbohydrates 7–8 g
1. Sprinkle the aubergines with sunflower oil and send them to bake in the oven at + 125 ° C for 30 minutes.
2. Cool the fruit, and then make longitudinal deep cuts on one side of each.
3. Cut the garlic, pepper and parsley, mix well, and then season with salt, spices and vinegar.
4. Stuff the eggplants with the vegetable mixture and transfer them to a deep bowl.
5. Pour the vegetables with vegetable oil, and then set to infuse for 5-6 days. Further, the fruits can be consumed or used as an additional ingredient to all kinds of canned dishes, including in combination with tomatoes.

Features of storage of pickled eggplant

After successful pickling, store fermented foods in the cold. The best temperature is between 0 ... + 5 ° C. In such conditions, the dish can be successfully stored for 1-2 weeks. But, if you want to extend these periods, vegetables should definitely be stored without brine. In this case, the eggplant should be well poured with vegetable oil.


Sour eggplant is an ideal addition to the daily table, as well as to any holiday. They are rich not only in nutrition, but also in the variety of taste shades. In contrast to pickling, the starter culture of vegetables helps to successfully create a gourmet and rich dish even for a novice, in just a few days. Use the recipes described above and see for yourself.