Baingan Bharta Recipe (Eggplant Bharta)

Updated: May 9, 2024, By Swasthi

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

baingan bharta

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About Baingan Bharta

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 version is most commonly 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.

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Photo Guide

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 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 Recipe

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.

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Recipe Card

baingan bharta

Baingan Bharta Recipe (Eggplant Bharta)

4.99 from 205 votes
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.
 

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.
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Iโ€™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 Swasthiโ€™s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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5 stars
Made this twice and it was delicious both the times. I didn’t find much difference with the stuffed garlic and chilies. The first time they were mostly charred so left them out the second time and felt they did nothing much. But it was yummy both the times and my husband says he loves it. So thank you.

Dear Swasthi,
Thank you for the delicious recipes. I have been trying out your recipes for many years now and we are more than happy with the outcome. I tried baingan bharta last night and my eggplants took very long to cook but were charred completely outside. The inside remained undercooked and hard. I had to chop it and cook in the pan with a splash of water. Is it supposed to be charred on the fire first and then cooked fully in the pan? What did I do wrong? Please help

5 stars
We love your recipes and this was delicious. You make things look so easy. Used my air fryer to roast the eggplants and tomatoes in batches. My husband appreciates the Indian flavors and you are my go-to for any vegetarian recipe. Keep up the great work!

5 stars
We enjoyed it thoroughly. We love the kick of the green chilies however those tucked inside the eggplants dried out but added a lot of flavor. My husband asked me to make this again with dal. Thank you!

5 stars
Loved this recipe! Simple and delicious, highly recommend!

5 stars
Tasted delicious with a sprinkle of lemon juice. I used the oven to bake and lastly broiled for 5 mins. Came out perfect.

5 stars
I love this baingan bharta and it has very nice smoky flavors. It is satisfying and I particularly find the proportion of onion tomato masala to baingan very good in this recipe. I have made this more than 5 times in the last one month because it is easy to make. I grow large Japanese kamo eggplants in my garden and have plenty of them this time of the year. Now this is my summer favorite and I grill the eggplant slices on a grill pan for extra flavor. I donโ€™t peel the skin and it gets a nice char and enhances the flavor. I love all your vegetarian recipes and thank you for posting them.

I started with 3 large eggplants to make bharta for 4. Unfortunately 2 of them have plenty of seeds and don’t seem to be alright. I am now left with only 1 grilled eggplant. Do you think I can double the onions and tomatoes to serve 4? Will it still taste good? Thanks for your reply

You can also add green peas or process the bharta with yogurt. My Mil makes a version with both. She adds peas to the masala and process the baingan with yogurt. Turns out splendid but you can’t store it. Needs to be finished the same day.

5 stars
Your website has inspired me to eat more vegetarian and this recipe is amazing. Considering the amount of clean-up I donโ€™t use my stovetop to roast the eggplants. They get beautifully done in my oven. But now summer is at its peak so last night I made this by simply sautรฉing the eggplants in little oil and butter. Had to throw in a few splashes of water to get them cooked faster. But the end result was much more delicious.

5 stars
This bharta is excellent! I finally have a delicious eggplant dip I can enjoy at parties with my favorite naan. This was super easy to make and tasted very delicious! This is a better recipe than what Iโ€™ve used in the past. Thank you Swasthi!

5 stars
Baked the eggplants in oven with chilies and garlic. Came out so good. Served it with a drizzle of fresh cut onions and lemon juice. Tasted spectacular with your dal palak!

5 stars
Absolutely wonderful recipe. Made this for a gathering and everyone liked it. Thanks for sharing this

5 stars
We are an eggplant lover family and would order this dish every time we visited an Indian or a Pakistani restaurant. We donโ€™t have a gas stove at home so used our rambler charcoal grill. This is the third time making this and it was absolutely delicious with your dal tadka. This recipe was easy to make, like instructed I stuffed the garlic cloves and chilies but ended up burning them as we didnโ€™t tuck them deep inside. This time I grilled the whole garlic and let the serrano peppers blister. It was fantastic and this recipe is our favorite to enjoy eggplants.

5 stars
Made this on a charcoal grill as a side for some roti and it was delicious!!! Would love to try making it with chili peppers as well

5 stars
This was delicious. I used my instant pot air fryer to roast the eggplants and it was perfect.

5 stars
I love anything smoky! Whether it is this baingan bharta or the dal tadka with the dungar I simply love them. Thank you this was amazing.

5 stars
This recipe is perfect as written and didnโ€™t have to change a thing except to double the spices. I tossed a cup of canned chickpeas and cooked with onion tomatoes and garam masala for 10 mins. Followed everything else like instructed. It was amazing!

This recipe sounds delicious. I would love to add yogurt and peas. Growing up our bharta always had them. Please share how to incorporate. Thank you

5 stars
My Gosh Swasthi, your recipes absolutely burst with flavor. This was damn delicious and the coal roasted eggplant was something to me. Iโ€™d never tried this way till I found your recipe. I wrapped the whole garlic in foil and roasted that as well on the coal. My baingan bharta was a bomb!

5 stars
This is a brilliant way to eat eggplants. We tried this recipe for the first time and amazed at how incredible it turned out. I used the broil mode and popped the sliced tomatoes too. Delicious and will make it again and again.

Can you please tell me how to saute baingan to make bharta? Do you saute whole or sliced baingan? My oven isn’t working and don’t want to use my gas stovetop