Can You Freeze Eggplant?

Can You Freeze Eggplant?

Eggplant is a veggie used by billions of people across the world. One can recreate tons of dishes from this vegetable. You can freeze eggplant curry or other dishes and enjoy them over the week.

Eggplant has a rich source of all the essential nutrients required for the proper functioning of the body. Many countries have different seasonings and recipes for this staple food product.

Some tend to roast it, grill it, or even fry it! Fortunately, all recipes have a unique flavor and turn out to be excruciatingly delicious. But, what if you have leftovers or an extra batch of this meal? The best way you can think of is to freeze the dish, right?

Here’s a quick step-by-step routine you can follow to freeze eggplant.

How to Freeze Fresh Eggplant?

Without wasting another minute let’s take a look at how to freeze your veggie effectively. There are three easy and unique ways to freeze an eggplant. Check out the methods mentioned below:

1. Freeze Cubes of Eggplant

As the name suggests, you’ll have to start by chopping cubes of eggplant. First, wash all the eggplants nicely. Remove the peels from the eggplant and cut them into block-sized cubes. These cubes are perfect for eating as side dishes with soups or other meals.

After you finish cutting the cubes, line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a separate bowl, add eggplant cubes, a dash of olive oil, and some crushed ginger garlic pieces. Toss them nicely so the cubes are completely covered with the spice-oil mix.

Then place these cubes on the lined tray and freeze them for 3 hours. Remove the cubes after 3 hours and place them in airtight bags and freeze.

2. Freeze the Puree of the Eggplant

So, if you are more into sauces and dips made from eggplant puree then this method might save you. Start by washing eggplant so that any external contaminants don’t interfere with the freezing process.

Then, make small cracks in the eggplant using a knife. These can be slender cuts in the eggplant that start from the top and end at the bottom. Then brush these eggplants with a little amount of oil. Roast them directly on the gas flame or you can roast them in the microwave.

Then peel off the outer coating of the eggplants and remove the puree in another bowl. Mash the puree in a fine paste and store it in a sealed box to avoid oxidation by air. Place the box in the freezer and freeze the puree for later use.

3. Freeze Eggplant Cakes

This is more of a blanching and freezing technique. Start by washing your eggplants and chopping off their ends from both sides. Then cut thick slices of the eggplants and place them in another container.

In a pan add sufficient water so that all slices can be blanched properly. Allow the water to boil and add a tbsp of lemon juice to it. Once the water starts to boil you can start adding eggplant cakes to it. Set a timer of 4 minutes and allow the slices to blanch.

Once the timer goes off remove the eggplant slices and drop them in another bowl with chilled ice water. Allow the cakes to cool, remove them, and dry them with a paper towel. After drying, place these blanched eggplants on a lined tray and freeze for 3 hours.

Then, remove the slices and store them in sealed bags or containers, and freeze them further.

How to Freeze Eggplant Curry/Dishes?

If you have already prepared an eggplant dish and have leftovers here’s what you should do. Cool down the temperature of the word to average room temperature. Then, shift it into a casserole or other airtight box.

Close the lid shut so that no air can penetrate the box. Transfer the box to the freezer and use it later.  This is the easiest and fastest way to freeze your dish without spoiling the taste. You can thaw it in the fridge overnight and use it the next day.

Tips for Freezing Eggplant

Freezing eggplant is an easy task and if you can accomplish it well you can store them for months! You can follow these tips to prevent your fresh or cooked eggplant from going bland or bad.

• Always wash eggplants before freezing them. Any traces of bacteria, parasites, or dirt on them can spoil them during freezing.
• You can wrap individual eggplant slices or cubes in small tissues so that they don’t stick together while freezing.
• If properly sealed and used, you can store frozen eggplants for around 8 months without spoiling their taste.
• Always add labels to eggplant curries before freezing them. Eat cooked eggplants within a week or else you might lose their original taste.
• There’s no need to thaw eggplant cubes or cakes while using them. You can directly toss them into the pan for frying, roasting, or grilling.
• However, if you are freezing cooked eggplant then allow it to thaw overnight before using them.
• When you are buying eggplants store them for months then pick the fresh ones that are hard. If you pick the soft and tender ones they won’t last in the freezer and will spoil in a month.
• When freezing eggplant cubes you can bread them with breadcrumbs and an olive oil mixture to get an amazing texture. This way when you eat them you will get a crunchy texture that is perfect with soups.

Recipes with Frozen Eggplant

What’s better than quick and easy follow-along recipes to prepare with frozen eggplants? Try these two delicious recipes with frozen eggplants.

Eggplant Parmesan: Eggplant parmesan is a fast, easy, and tasty recipe to try at the eleventh hour. This cuisine will satisfy your taste buds and hunger effectively. For this recipe, you will need- frozen eggplant cakes/slices, spaghetti sauce, loads of cheese, and mixed herbs and spices. Start by oiling your casserole or microwave-safe container on all sides. Then add a layer of spaghetti sauce to the container. Second, stack your frozen eggplant slices on the sauce and cover them with cheese and sauce on top. You can repeat this process to get another layer of sauce and cheese-dipped eggplant cakes. The last layer on top should be cheese. While adding layers of sauce and cheese you can add mixed herbs and spices as per your taste. Bake your parmesan in the oven and tada! Relish a tasty snack made with frozen eggplants.

Frozen Eggplant Sauce: Remove the box containing the puree of frozen eggplant and thaw it in the fridge for a couple of hours. Then, scoop out a ladle of puree in another bowl and freeze the rest. In a separate pan, add a tbsp of oil and mixed herbs along with garlic and ginger. Saute them for a minute and add frozen eggplant puree to them. Mix all the ingredients on medium flame till evenly combined. Cool off the mixture and blend it in a blender to get an even consistency for the sauce.

Now you know four ways to freeze eggplants and two amazing recipes to prepare with them. Try these tricks to store your eggplants for over a year without going bad. Hope these tricks help you in the process!