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Easy Instant Pot Baingan Bharta – Indian Spiced Mashed Eggplant. 1 Pot 30 Min. Serve as dip with flatbread or with curries or Dals. Add chickpeas to make a meal Vegan Glutenfree Nutfree Soyfree Recipe Stovetop option Jump to Recipe
Baingan Bharta translates to eggplant mash. The traditional bharta is a long process, Large eggplants are roasted over a flame or grill to char the skin. The skin is them removed and the partially cooked eggplant is mashed. Then added to a spiced onion tomato base and cooked to roast the eggplant with the spices and base.
In this instant pot version, cubed Eggplant gets pressure cooked with the onion tomato base, then mashed and cooked a bit to roast. Pressure cooking reduces the steps and also uses less bowls, vessels! I add some smoked paprika that adds a fresh smoked flavor that is generally there in this dish if the eggplant was charred and cookes. Some liquid smoke will do that too, although I find that a bit too strong.
This spiced eggplant mash also makes a great dip with some hot pita bread. Add some chickpeas to make this into a meal or serve with a side of chickpea curry or dals.
This bharta is 1 Pot, needs just 15 mins active time, is Easy and Delicious!
More Instant Pot Recipes (all have Saucepan Instructions too!)
- IP Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce GF
- Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chickin(soycurls). GF – Creamy, Delicious
- Japanese Veggie Curry. GF
- IP Lentil Chili. GF
- IP Mushroom Wild Rice Soup. GF
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup with Red lentils. – So Easy
- IP Potato Chickpea Soup. GF
Tips to get the charred/roasted flavor
- Finish with fresh Smoked Paprika or some liquid smoke
- Char the eggplant skin on the high flame just lightly, then peel and cube and proceed to cook.
- Char the flatbread! Yes, char the roti or flatbread you are serving with so that it has black spots or burnt edges. Together the meal will have a roasted flavor. 🙂
Instant Pot Baingan Bharta Recipe - Spiced Mashed Eggplant
Ingredients
- 2 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3/4 cup onion, (chopped)
- 1 inch ginger, (finely chopped)
- 5 cloves of garlic, (finely chopped)
- 1 hot green chilli, (such as serrano - finely chopped)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 large tomato, (diced)
- 1 large eggplant, (peeled and cubed into small about half an inch cubes)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup peas
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Instructions
- Set your instant pot to sauté, once it has heated up, add oil. Let the oil heat up and add the cumin seeds. Cook for half a minute. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add all the ground spices and mix well. Then add the tomato and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Mash the larger pieces of tomato and deglaze with a tbsp of water if needed.
- Once the tomato is tender, add the eggplant, salt, water and give it a good mix. Cancel sauté mode, close the lid, then pressure cook for 9-10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. (Eggplant releases a lot of moisture/water under pressure, so you really need very less added water here)
- Open the lid and mash the eggplants really well using a potato masher. Taste and adjust the salt and flavor as needed. Add 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke for additional smoky flavor. Press sauté mode and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, (cook a few mins longer for thicker and more roasted) then add the peas and cilantro and mix in. Cancel sauté.
- Serve hot and garnish with additional cilantro, pepper flakes and sprinkle smoked paprika.
Stovetop instructions:
- Follow step 1 and 2 over medium heat in a skillet. Add the eggplant and cook for 2 mins to brown some edges. Add salt and water. Cover and cook until the eggplant is tender.
- Mash the eggplant. And continue to cook for another 5-8 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and flavor. Add liquid smoke if needed. Add peas and cilantro and take off heat.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making this for dinner tonight. I absolutely love your recipes!!
Maybe a weird question, but I want to make this for my coworkers at lunch, and was curious if you think all would be fine if I did the saute steps at home, popped the lid on, and completed the pressure cooking steps in the office (about 1-2hrs later)?
I was hoping to save some mess at the office, but still be able to eat the food hot.
I’m also planning to make one of your dal recipes, and was curious if those reheat well in the microwave. I don’t have a second machine that keeps things warm, unfortunately :/
THANKS!
an hour should be ok. yes most dals will reheat well.Some dals like mung dal thicken a lot more, so you might need to reheat with additional water.
I love to find recipes for the instant pot. This one so good. I made it spicy and I loved it but it was too spicy for my husband. So now I make it without the chili pepper and it’s a win win situation.
Every once in a while I like to pick something up from the produce that I’m not a huge fan of…. today it was eggplant. (I try to be a good example for my 6 year old 😉
I looked for eggplant instant pot recipes and yours looked fantastic. I made it for lunch and added in a can of garbanzos at the end, served it over basmati rice. So delicious, I will definitely make this again!
The serrano pepper was a little too much for my husband’s taste… which means leftovers for me! Next time I’ll try it a bit more mild so my family can enjoy it as well.
Thanks for your wonderful recipes!
awesome!
Delicious! Once I had the ingredients it was very easy to make.
great
Love this recipe — it’s so easy and delicious. I’ve made it several times — usually adding a can of chickpeas for added nutrition as suggested. I’ve have liquid smoke in the house so I’ve used it to get that smoky flavor. This year, I am serving it as a main course for my vegan/vegetarian relatives for Thanksgiving (over coconut rice.) My only deviation is finishing with parsley since I don’t like cilantro.
yay
I made this tonight, and it was the first recipe I’ve tried from your site. For any other weirdos like me that have trouble with onions and garlic…. I substituted 1/2 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic power along with 2 stalks of celery.. I am amazed at how wonderful-tasting and easy it is! I did the version with the garbanzo beans and served it over rice. Just absolute WOW! I’m looking forward to trying more recipes of yours! 🙂
awesome!
Made this recipe for dinner tonight and loved it! My 2 year old did as well. Question – can leftovers be frozen or will they not defrost/reheat well? Thanks!
yay! yes, they’ll be ok to freeze – kindof like mashed potatoes
I’ve made this twice now and love it. Both times I broiled the eggplant in the oven until the skin is all black and the flesh is cooked, then scooped it out and added it. So great.
thanks!
I made this tonight and it was amazing!!! I love your recipes ❤️
yay
Just binge watched an old series where Gordon Ramsay travels round India and it got me craving some Indian food! Did this in my IP and it is delicious!! Thank you so much. Adding this to my rotation and can’t wait to try your other recipes x
AWesome!