baingan bharta

Baingan Bharta Recipe (Eggplant Bharta)

By Swasthi on May 27, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe

Baingan Bharta is a traditional dish made with grilled eggplants, onions, tomatoes, spices and herbs. If you love eggplants you got to try out this popular Indian dish. Simple yet tastes super delicious with a unique smoky flavor that comes from grilling eggplants on direct fire. Try out this easy recipe to make delicious & simply flavorful Punjabi Baingan ka Bharta. Serve it with Chapati/roti, Paratha or steamed rice. It also goes well with toasted bread, naan or just as a side in a meal.

baingan bharta

About Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta is an Indian vegetarian side dish consisting of a spicy grilled eggplant mash sautéed with onions, tomatoes and spices. ‘Baingan’ is a Hindi word for ‘Eggplants or Brinjal’ and Bharta is a word meaning ‘mashed’.

So Baingan Bharta typically translates to Eggplant Mash. This is not any ordinary mash but has a burst of flavors that comes from fire roasting the eggplants.

Though it is said that Baingan ka Bharta originated in Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, it is also made across India with lots of variations. However the Punjabi Baingan Bharta is the most common one served in the North Indian restaurants. A lot of households also make this regularly for their meals.

If you ever ask an Indian how a bharta is made, you will hear so many different versions that will surprise you.

The simplest version is to simply mash the grilled eggplant and mix with raw onions, garlic, crushed green chilis, lemon juice and salt. This is the Hyderabadi style Bharta which my Mom always made and it tastes amazing.

There is also another version to which yogurt is added for a tang. So there is no one way to make baingan ka bharta.

The only secret for a good bharta is to follow the traditional step of grilling eggplants on hot charcoal or direct fire which imparts its characteristic smoky flavor to the dish. But these days a lot of people grill these on the stovetop, oven and air fryer.

eggplant bharta recipe

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe is roughly adapted from Chef Sanjeev Kapoor & over the years I have made it countless times trying out different methods of grilling eggplants including on charcoal. So in this post I share how to make Baingan Bharta along with 3 methods of grilling.

After cooking this for so many years, I can say that a good baingan ka bharta made with charcoal grilled eggplants don’t need too many spices as we don’t want to lose the real smoky flavor & taste.

The bharta that is served in standard restaurants is so much flavorful for the same reason as it is made with charcoal grilled eggplants.

However most of us don’t have a charcoal grill provision at home, so we either prefer to do it on a stovetop or in oven. But these methods of grilling don’t give the same flavors but somewhat close by.

So I prefer to spice up our baingan bharta with some garam masala. It’s purely a personal preference and you may skip it.

Related recipes you may like to check
Kadhi Pakora
Samosa Recipe
Aloo Paratha
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Dum aloo

Baingan Bharta also known as baingan ka bharta served in a bowl

How to Make Baingan Bharta (Stepwise Photos)

Grill the Eggplants

1. I usually use eggplants/ baingan that weigh around 450 to 500 grams (1.1 lbs). A little large or small is just fine. Rinse the baingan well under running water. Wipe dry with a kitchen tissue. Make 6 slits on the baingan. I check inside the slits to ensure they don’t have any worms inside.

Push medium 4 garlic cloves deep inside the slits. Also slit a chilli and push it inside. Then brush a generous amount of oil all over the baingan. Garlic and chilli have to go deep inside else they burn.

garlic and green chill studded eggplants getting brushed with oil

2. With the help of a tong, place the baingan over direct flame or on a red hot coal. The flame has to be moderately high and not low. You can also do it in a Air fryer or oven. I have shared the pictures and instructions below for the same. For easy cleaning, line your stove with a foil. It will collect all the drippings from baingan & is easy to just discard it later.

roasting eggplants on direct fire on stovetop

3. Keep turning the eggplant to all the other sides especially on the bottom and grill well until charred.

holding baingan with a tong over direct flame

4. When done, the skin of the eggplant is completely charred. The whole baingan becomes soft. Pierce a fork inside the baingan to check. The fork goes in smoothly if it’s cooked completely.

inserting fork into the grilled eggplant for bharta

5. Cool it slightly and peel the skin. Optional: – You can also put it immediately in a large bowl and cover for about 5 mins. Baingan will sweat and the skin will loosen easily.

peeled eggplants getting ready for bharta

6. Fine chop or mash the roasted baingan with a fork or a masher. Chop the grilled garlic & green chilies as well. This time mine had a lot of seeds, I carefully removed them and discarded.

chopped baingan garlic and chilies for making bharta

Make Baingan Ka Bharta

7. Pour 1½ tablespoons oil to a hot pan. When the oil turns hot, add ½ to ¾ inch chopped ginger and 3 chopped garlic cloves. Saute for 30 to 60 seconds until a nice aroma comes out. I used mustard oil. You may use any other regular oil.

frying ginger and garlic in mustard oil

8. Then add fine ½ cup chopped onions (1 medium onion) and saute until light golden.

adding chopped onions to hot pan

9. Add ¾ cup deseeded chopped tomatoes & ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook until the tomatoes break down & become soft. I used grilled tomatoes here.

adding chopped tomatoes to sauteed onions

10. Then add ½ teaspoon red chilli powder & cook until the raw smell of tomatoes goes away. This takes about 2 to 3 mins.

adding red chilli powder

11. Add mashed grilled garlic, green chilli & baingan. You can use only half of the green chilies at this point. Taste test and add later.

adding mashed eggplants garlic and chilli

12. Mix and mash a bit with spatula to blend everything well. We prefer ½ teaspoon garam masala as the eggplants are not charcoal grilled. You may skip it but read my tips & notes below.

adding garam masala

13. Mix well and cook for 3 to 4 mins on a medium heat. Taste test and add more salt if needed.

Sauteing baingan bharta in a pan

14. Garnish with coriander leaves.

garnishing with coriander leaves

Serve baingan bharta with roti, paratha, butter naan or plain rice. It also goes well with some toasted bread.

baingan bharta ready to serve in a bowl

Roast Eggplants in Air Fryer

The flavor of eggplants grilled in air fryer comes close to the charcoal grilled ones. You can grill the eggplants whole or cut to 2 parts. Brush some oil over it & keep it in the air fryer basket along with tomatoes, green chilies and garlic.

eggplants garlic tomatoes chilies in air fryer basket

Place the basket in the air fryer and air fry at 200 C or 400 F for 22 mins or until done. If you cut it to 2 parts, then cut down the time to 15 mins or so. Sometimes I also use the smaller purple eggplants and they take just about 13 mins. Cool them and remove the skin. Follow the recipe as mentioned for the next steps.

air fried eggplants

Roast Eggplants in Oven

Place an aluminium foil over a metal baking tray. Cut each eggplant to 2 parts and make 2 slits on each part. Insert the garlic cloves and green chilies deep inside the slits. Place the eggplants & tomatoes in the tray.

garlic chilli studded eggplants ready for broiling in oven

Broil/Grill them at 240 C or 460 F in oven for 16 to 18 mins. When done, a fork inserted into the eggplant goes smoothly. Eggplants grilled in oven do not get any smoky flavor so you may smoke the bharta using a red hot coal once done.

broiled eggplants tomatoes in a pan

Pro Tips & Notes

Choosing eggplants: Bharta is best made with large purple baingan that are firm and have a glossy skin. Avoid over-matured eggplants or those having brown streaks as they have more seeds. Eggplants with lesser seeds have better flavor, are pulpy and will have a smoother texture once cooked.

But after grilling them if you find seeds, then simply scoop them out and discard. You will be left with lesser servings of bharta.

Grilling: Eggplants grilled over hot coal get the best smoky flavor. Air frying them is the next best I have felt. You may do it on the gas stovetop or in oven as well. But the flavors are not the same in oven.

Grilling on gas: We don’t prefer grilling on gas for personal reasons. However if you want to do it as shown in the pictures above, place a gas stove burner cover to collect the drippings. Also ensure your eggplant is at room temperature before grilling.

Spices: Eggplants grilled on hot coal have so much intense smoky flavor so the dish does not need any spice powders/ masala other than a bit of red chilli powder. But grilling them on gas stovetop or oven does not impart the same flavors. So garam masala brings a lot of flavor here.

If you are grilling the eggplants on charcoal, then you may skip garam masala as the original smoky flavor itself is so good.

Substitutes

Tomatoes: A lot of times I make baingan bharta without tomatoes. It does taste very good even without them. Add a generous amount of lemon juice to it before serving. Avoid squeezing the lemon on hot bharta.

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

baingan bharta recipe

Baingan Bharta Recipe (Eggplant Bharta)

Indian baingan bharta made with grilled eggplants, spices, onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves. This super flavorful dish is easy and is great to serve as a side dish. It goes well with roti, rice or even with bread.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings2
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

To Grill

  • 500 grams (1.1 lbs.) eggplants (baingan)
  • 4 medium garlic cloves
  • 1 to 2 green chilies (slit, adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon oil (mustard oil or any other)

other ingredients

  • tablespoons oil (mustard oil or any other)
  • ½ cup (130 grams) onions (chopped)
  • ¾ cup (200 grams) tomato (deseeded & chopped)
  • 3 large garlic cloves (fine chopped)
  • ½ to ¾ inch ginger (fine chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala (read notes)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tablespoon coriander leaves (fine chopped)


Instructions

Preparation

  • Rinse eggplants well under running water and wipe dry with a kitchen tissue. Make 4 slits on the brinjal and push the garlic cloves deep inside 2 slits. Also push the slit green chilies in the other 2 slits. Brush them with oil.

Grill Eggplants

  • On Direct Fire: With the help of a tong, place it on direct fire. You can do it either on the red hot coal or stovetop. Keep turning it to all the other sides and grill until it is done completely roasted. It takes about 12 to 14 mins.
  • To grill in oven: Line a metal tray with foil. Cut each eggplant to 2 parts and place them on the tray with the skin side on top. You can also place the tomatoes in the same tray. Broil/Grill them at 460 F or 240 C for 16 to 18 mins.
  • In air fryer: Place baingan, chilies, garlic and tomatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 F or 200 C. It takes roughly about 22 mins for the whole eggplant, 16 mins if you halve the eggplant & air fry.
  • Once done, check by inserting a fork into the eggplant. It should go in smoothly & easily meaning it is soft and cooked well. (Check step-by-step photos above)
  • Cool the eggplant and peel the skin. Optionally – Transfer the eggplant to a bowl and cover it for 5 mins. Once done remove the skin.
  • Mash or chop the eggplant, grilled garlic and green chilies. Keep these aside. Chop the tomatoes, onions and raw garlic as well.

How to Make Baingan Bharta

  • Pour oil to a hot pan. When the oil turns hot, add chopped ginger and garlic.
  • Saute for 30 to 60 seconds until aromatic.
  • Then add chopped onions and saute until they turn light golden.
  • Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until they become soft. Then add red chili powder and cook for a few minutes until the raw smell from the tomatoes goes away.
  • Then mashed eggplants, garlic and green chilies. (You may want to save half of the green chilies for later after taste testing)
  • Mix everything and mash it a bit to blend well. Then add garam masala and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat.
  • Taste test and add more salt and green chilli. Garnish with coriander leaves. If you like squeeze some lemon juice.
  • Serve baingan bharta with roti, rice or naan.


Notes

  • Traditional bharta does not use garam masala as the charcoal grilled eggplants will have a unique flavor of its own. Since I do not grill my eggplants on charcoal grill we do prefer garam masala. However it is a personal preference and you may skip it if you don’t like.
  • For extra heat (spice) in the dish, you can use more green chilies. Adding more red chili powder will alter the flavor of the bharta.
  • You can add half teaspoon cumin seeds to the oil before frying the ginger garlic. 
  • Use eggplants that have a smooth and glossy skin. Avoid over-matured eggplants with lots of seeds.
  • After grilling the eggplants if you find seeds inside, just scoop them out and discard.
  • For more authentic flavors & taste, grill eggplants on red hot coal.
  • Adjust the amount of spices and tomatoes to your taste.
  • For more tang add some lemon juice while serving.
 

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Baingan Bharta Recipe (Eggplant Bharta)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 243 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 973mg42%
Potassium 1000mg29%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1081IU22%
Vitamin C 39mg47%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Baingan Bharta Recipe (Eggplant Bharta)

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
Thank you so much for having the whole platter of delicious recipes… Detailed to perfection I enjoy trying a lot of recipes from here. Baigan ka Bharta also came out really well. I grilled on the induction and was 👍👍 👍 Thank you so much..

5 stars
Dear Swasthi,
Big fan of your recipes. I used the air fryer version and used smoked groundnut oil. Tasted amazing. Thanks a million 😊

5 stars
I wasn’t confident that I could pull this off, but it was amazing! Crazy delicious and lighter than the restaurant version. I used my air fryer and it worked very well. Thanks!

5 stars
This is another winner from Swasthi’s! Thank you for the timely reply. We made this last month for a family dinner with your tikka masala and raita. Served with store bought naan and basmati rice. Our guests were pleasantly surprised at the delicious Indian meal. Had some leftovers that we froze. Reheated bharta tonight and it tastes ever better now. Thank you for the stellar recipes.

Is it okay to make this 2 to 3 days ahead? Would the flavors alter a lot? If I am to add frozen peas how much would you suggest & at what stage is it ideal to add them? Looking forward to make this next week.

5 stars
I made this bharta tonight and it tastes absolutely fantastic. I ran out of garam masala so used ground coriander, cinnamon and clove. Served with pitta bread, falafel and toum. It tastes better than the restaurant served and my family loves it.

Hi,
Can we cook it without Garlic?
Although i have cooked this recipe a number of times and it came out perfect and i love it.
But im cooking for some friends and a few of them dont eat garlic so in that case will the same recipe work or would i need to add something else?

5 stars
Great recipie was my first attempt at sabzi tips were helpful and recipe is very detailed which is helpful if you’re not too experienced with Indian dishes

5 stars
I love how you provide the alternate methods to roast the eggplants. I have a small outdoor grill in my balcony that my husband uses often to grill the kebabs and tikkas. Roasted my eggplants on that and followed the recipe. I used jalapenos since I didn’t know much about green chilies. I shared it with my Asian neighbor and she said it tasted like authentic Indian. Thank you for the delicious baingan bharta recipe. Will explore more recipes from your website.

5 stars
This is an awesome recipe! I was thinking of ways to cook up some eggplant and recalled having this dish in the past. I added a bit of butter and some tomato paste. so good. Thank you for this recipe.

What rice recipe do you recommend to go with Baingan Bharta?

Thank you! I was leaning towards the turmeric rice.

5 stars
No words to describe the taste. Yummy ?

5 stars
I have been following your website for quite sometime and everything I have made so far is amazing. This eggplant bharta turned out awesome! Do you have any tips to add potatoes?

5 stars
This was a great way to cook eggplants. I really wondered about the smoky flavor because every recipe mentions it is important. But it all went very well though I broiled in the oven! My family says it is fantastic over the bread. Thank you! Will be making again

5 stars
Hello Swasthi,
Thank you for the beautiful blog. We love this baingan bharta but don’t prefer roasting often on the gas stove. It is hot here and turning on the oven is not a great idea for me. Do you think sautéing eggplants in a pan would yield the same results? Please advice how to do that, if possible with the pictures. TIA.

5 stars
Perfectly flavored and spiced!! I love this recipe and have been making it for more than a year. My favorite way to prep the eggplants is in the oven. Turns out delicious every single time with and without dungar. Next time want to try roasting them on my gas stovetop. But I’m a bit skeptical if that’s going to mess up my stove. I once did it with bell peppers for a sauce and that kinda left me with a lot of clean-up. I just read about the stove covers you mentioned in the post and looking online if I can find something.

5 stars
My bharta turned out very delicious. But 4 eggplants only served 3 since I had to scoop out plenty of seeds. How do you identify eggplants with lesser seeds? TIA

5 stars
This baingan bharta turned out great and it tasted just like from a authentic Indian restaurant! I followed everything to the “T”, except for preparing the eggplants. I microwaved 3 large eggplants briefly after poking them with a fork, if not I know they can burst. Later finished it over the outdoor grill for a char and smoky flavor. Followed the rest of the recipe. Turned out perfect for a family of 5. Served with naan, dal and rice. No leftovers and sure I’m going to make it again!

5 stars
Love this. Adding garam masala was interesting and it elevates the flavor. My mother and MIL never add it to bharta. Do you think I can freeze it? TIA

5 stars
Watching the farmers market with plenty of fresh produce makes me so happy. Eggplants are in season now and I enjoy making this every fortnight for my family. Dal chawal and bharta invoke childhood memories of my naani & dad roasting the baingan on the wood coal. Thank you this is a new favorite.

5 stars
This baingan bharta has very fantastic flavors with a nice smoky hint. Would definitely make again. My family seems to be loving Indian food. We also made your naan to go with the bharta. Grilled the eggplants outdoor on a grill so didn’t have to smoke the finished bharta. Overall great flavors! We also made your raita and chickpea curry, a easy dish to make in the instant pot. Thank you!