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    Home » Casserole

    South Indian Eggplant Curry Recipe (Baked Casserole)

    Published: Mar 11, 2022 by Richa 46 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    This South Indian Baked Eggplant Curry recipe is made in the oven instead of the skillet.  Eggplant / aubergines and red lentils are baked in a fragrant spiced tomato coconut milk sauce. So good served over rice!  It’s Glutenfree, nutfree and also soyfree.

    South Indian Eggplant curry served over rice

    Fans of hands-off dinner recipes that require minimal effort and clean-up, you will love this baked Eggplant curry recipe! Yes, eggplants are the hero of this dish. In my opinion, they are an underappreciated veggie. When prepared right they can make for an amazing part of your meal. The best way to prepare eggplant is to roast it – the baking process reduces the bitterness and brings out its natural sweetness resulting in the complex flavor we LOVE about this South Indian-inspired eggplant curry.

    It all comes together in one pan! That’s right, no standing around and stirring a simmering pot. If you like eggplants, also make sure to try my baingan bharta.

    baked eggplant curry served over rice sprinkled with cilantro

    This eggplant curry recipe gets a lot of flavor from curry leaves. Every time I sizzle a handful of those leaves in oil, they release a delightful crackle!  If you’re not familiar with curry leaves, they are small delicate dark green leaves and have a uniquely citrusy, nutty aroma.  For South Indian cooks, they’re as indispensable as chile peppers and a quintessential component of stir-fries and dals or stews. You’ll find them in Indian or Asian grocery stores and some big supermarkets might carry them. Curry leaves can be bought fresh and frozen for upto one year. Use directly from the freezer. Don’t have curry leaves? Substitute 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp lime juice for every 6 curry  leaves.

    vegan aubergine curry casserole with coconut milk gravy

    This saucy eggplant usually is a side. To make this hearty, I add in red lentils into the sauce. They thicken the spicy sauce as well as make the dish into a meal. For additional protein add in a can of cooked chickpeas.

    You can use smaller eggplants/brinjals or larger. Eggplants reduce a lot in size, so use enough. Recipe Origin: This recipe is adapted from the concepts I picked up browsing some vankaya(brinjal) curries/sides. As with my current baking run, I also adapted it to make a baked version instead of frying or pan frying.

    MORE INDIAN COMFORT FOOD

    • Baked Madras Curry Tofu
    • Baked Sweet Potato chickpea Curry 
    • Baked vegetable Curry Casserole
    • Baked Balti Veggies
    • Avial- South Indian veggie coconut curry 
    • Tofu in Spinach Curry
    • Vegetable Jalfrezi

    Print Recipe
    5 from 27 votes

    South Indian Eggplant Curry Baked Recipe

    This South Indian Baked Eggplant Curry is made in the oven instead of the skillet.  Eggplant / aubergines and red lentils are baked in a fragrant spiced tomato coconut milk sauce. So good served over rice or as soup! It's Glutenfree, nutfree and also soyfree.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: baked curry, eggplant curry, Indian curry recipe
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 217kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    For the eggplant:

    • 2 teaspoons oil
    • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cayenne or Indian red chili powder or use 1/2 teaspoon paprika instead for keeping it mild
    • 1 teaspoon or more garam masala or you can use sambar masala or Berbere
    • 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
    • 1 (458 g) large eggplant chopped into 1-1 1/2 inches by 1/2 inch size cubes, or use small eggplants chopped into quarters
    • 1/2 (55 g) red onion thinly sliced about 3/4 cup
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1/2 inch ginger finely chopped or minced

    For the sauce:

    • 1 teaspoon oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) mustard seeds
    • 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) fenugreek seeds
    • 12 curry leaves fresh or frozen or dried
    • 8 ounces (226.8 g) tomato puree use unseasoned tomato sauce or purée canned diced tomatoes
    • 2 to 2 1/2 cups (591.47 ml) coconut milk or other creamy non-dairy milk of choice, or use 1 15 ounce can of coconut milk and 1 cup of other non-dairy milk or water
    • 1/4 cup (45 g) split red lentils (Masoor dal)
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • cilantro and lemon juice for garnish

    Instructions

    • Bake the eggplant: To a 9x11 inch or similar sized baking dish, add the oil and add all of the spices and salt and mix well.
    • If the spices are getting too clumped up, add splashes of some water or few teaspoons of water so that the mixture is like a thin spice paste.
    • Then add eggplants, onion, garlic, and ginger and toss really well to coat. Eggplants will shrink a lot so you need a dish where they are about doubled up in layer.
    • Then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius ) for 25-30 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, make the tempering with mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds: Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and cook until the seeds start to pop or change color. Then add the curry leaves and immediately take off heat. Be careful while adding the curry leaves because they will pop and splash a little bit. Keep this tempering aside.
    • Remove the baking dish from the oven then add the tomato sauce, coconut milk, lentils, salt, and mix in. Add the tempering and mix lightly.
    • Then return the dish to the oven. Cover with a parchment and continue to bake for 25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked to preference and the sauce has thickened.
    • If the sauce has thickened too much, you can gradually add in about 1/2 cup of warm non-dairy milk and mix in. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add more salt, spices if needed then mix in.
    • Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes. Then garnish with cilantro the lemon juice and serve with rice or flatbread or dosa, or serve with garlic bread as bowl of soup.
    • To make this into a soup, you can add in a little bit more non-dairy milk while the curry is still hot so that it gets a bit soupier and then serve with garlic bread.

    Notes

    • Curry leaves : There is no good substitute for curry leaves so if you can't find them, leave them out. You can Substitute 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp lime juice for every 6 curry leaves. It’s slightly different flavor but complements the sauce with the tang and earthy tones. 
      How to store Curry leaves: fresh Curry leaves can be frozen in an airtight container for 8-10 months. Use frozen wherever recipe calls for fresh curry leaves 
    • For keeping it mild, use 1/2 teaspoon paprika instead of cayenne 
    • if you cannot find tomato puree you can use unseasoned tomato sauce or purée canned diced tomatoes and use 
    • No oil: It’s difficult to make this oil free. You can dry toast the mustard seeds and use but the flavor payback isn’t as strong as oil toasted seeds. For the roasting process you can use broth or aquafaba
    Stove top: Make the tempering in a larger skillet. Then add the spices and mix in. Add onion and eggplant(use smaller chopped) toss well and cook until eggplant is golden on some edges. Then add the rest of the ingredients, mix well, partially cover and cook until the eggplants start to break down and the lentils are cooked. Stir occasionally. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    South Indian Eggplant Curry Baked Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 217 Calories from Fat 99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11g17%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Sodium 540mg23%
    Potassium 667mg19%
    Carbohydrates 25g8%
    Fiber 9g38%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 496IU10%
    Vitamin C 71mg86%
    Calcium 53mg5%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    a serving of baked vegan eggplants served over rice sprinkled with cilantro
    Ingredients:

    • eggplants are baked in the oven with ginger, garlic, and onions
    • before baking, the eggplants are rubbed with homemade spice paste made with a blend of coriander, cumin, black pepper, cayenne or Indian  red chili powder, and garam masala
    • tempering adds oomph to the gravy: mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves are fried in oil to season it, then we add all this to the gravy
    •  tomato puree adds sweetness and acidity to the gravy
    • coconut milk or other non-dairy milk is added for creaminess
    • split red lentils add body and fiber and make this more satisfying and also thicken the sauce
    • cilantro and lemon juice are my garnishes of choice

    Tips:

    • People will often try to find substitutes for curry leaves, but I personally feel there is no good substitute for them so if you can’t find them, it is totally fine to leave them out in a recipe. Or Substitute 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp lime juice for every 6 curry leaves.
    • For keeping it mild, use 1/2 teaspoon paprika instead for keeping it mild
    • Instead of garam masala,  you can use sambar masala or Berbere
    • if you cannot find tomato puree you can use unseasoned tomato sauce or purée canned diced tomatoes

    ingredients for baked eggplant curry recipe on a marble countertop

    How to make Vegan Baked Eggplant Curry:

    spices in a white casserole dish

    To a 9×11 inch or similar sized baking dish, add the oil and add all of the spices and salt and mix well.

    If the spices are getting too clumped up, add splashes of some water or a few teaspoons of water so that the mixture is like a thin spice paste.

    spice paste in a white casserole dish

    Then add eggplants, onion, garlic, and ginger and toss really well to coat. Eggplants will shrink a lot so you need a dish where they are about doubled up in layer.

    eggplants and onion slices in a white casserole dish

    then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius ) for 25-30 minutes.

    spiced eggplant spices and onions in a white casserole dish


    roasted eggplants in a white casserole dish

    Meanwhile, temper the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds: Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and cook until the seeds start to pop or change color. Then add the curry leaves and immediately take off the heat. Be careful while adding the curry leaves because they will pop and splash a little bit. Keep this tempering aside.

    spices being tempered in a small pan

    Remove the baking dish from the oven then add the tomato sauce, coconut milk, lentils, salt, and mix in. Add the tempering and mix lightly.

    coconut milk being added to white casserole dish with baked aubergines

    Then return the dish to the oven. Cover with parchment paper and continue to bake for 25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked to preference and the sauce has thickened.

    red lentils being sprinkled over eggplants in coconut milk in a white casserole dish

    eggplant slices baking in coconut milk

    If the sauce has thickened too much, you can gradually add in about 1/2 cup of warm non-dairy milk and mix in.

    Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add more salt if needed, more spices if needed then mix in.

    Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes. Then garnish with cilantro the lemon juice and serve with rice or flatbread or dosa. Alternatively, serve with garlic bread as a bowl of soup.

    To make it soupier, you can fold in a little bit more non-dairy milk while the dish is still hot so that it gets a bit soupier. Then serve immediately with garlic bread.

    overhead shot of a casserole dish with vegan baked eggplant curry

    I love this served with rice but if you want to cut down on carbs, cauliflower rice will work really well here.

    Storage:

    Store refrigerated for upto 3 days. Freeze for upto a month.

    a serving of vegan eggplant casserole served over rice

     

     

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Joan

      March 12, 2023 at 9:25 am

      5 stars
      This has to be one of my favorite Vegan Richa recipes – although I must say I’ve not tried a single on that disappointed. The spice combinations are spot on! Is it wrong to lick the pan. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        March 15, 2023 at 8:19 pm

        so glad to hear that! thank you for making them! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Monica

      January 06, 2023 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      So good!! Super easy to throw everything in one pan. I doubled the garlic and ginger and it was so tasty! Thank you for this amazing recipe Richa, it will definitely become one of my go-to meals

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 09, 2023 at 12:30 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply
    3. Ella

      December 26, 2022 at 3:27 am

      5 stars
      Made this tonight, it was tasty and very easy to follow. I went for the paprika option and skipped the whole spices and curry leaves to keep it more toddler friendly. I used half coconut cream half water and it was beautifully creamy. The lentils add good texture. We had it with rice but I think garlic naan would be a great addition.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 26, 2022 at 8:42 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    4. Andrea

      December 22, 2022 at 11:36 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my absolute favorites. It freezes well too! Thanks Richa

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 23, 2022 at 3:50 pm

        I’m so happy you enjoy the recipe!

        Reply
    5. Nicky

      November 27, 2022 at 1:45 am

      5 stars
      It is testament to how good this recipe is, that my fiance who doesn’t like aubergine (eggplant) has enjoyed this recipe and had a second helping each time I have made it. So simple and tasty. Thankyou!!!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 30, 2022 at 11:03 am

        Hahaha I’m very glad everyone enjoys!

        Reply
    6. Lauren

      November 23, 2022 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      Another veganricha hit! It made the whole house smell amazing, and the flavor was awesome. It’s so gratifying to bake a curry and see it look perfect when you take it out. I didn’t have curry leaves but I really wanted to make the recipe, so I used your substitution, and it’s just great!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 28, 2022 at 10:49 am

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    7. Christie

      November 19, 2022 at 8:12 pm

      5 stars
      Crazy good and a new technique for curry for me. It’s a keeper. Perfect for mini round eggplants. I thought it would be too much spice, but it wasn’t. Maybe will add more salt next time.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 21, 2022 at 8:47 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoy!

        Reply
    8. Barbara

      September 16, 2022 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      First time trying your recipes. Delicious! Easy! I will be looking for more to try. Thank you for sharing your artwork.

      Reply
      • Richa

        September 16, 2022 at 5:20 pm

        Yay! Thanks!

        Reply
    9. Gail

      September 07, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious I didn’t add onion or garlic and was still melt in your mouth delicous curry …served with yogurt, lemon and cilantro , brown rice and parathas was a feast.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 09, 2022 at 6:39 pm

        Sounds like it!

        Reply
    10. Stephanie S

      August 22, 2022 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      This is in the oven right now and my house smells incredible!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 24, 2022 at 12:59 pm

        so exciting

        Reply
    11. Becks

      July 21, 2022 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      Doubled the lentils and didn’t have any coriander but was still amazing, everyone loved it

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        July 22, 2022 at 11:09 am

        Awesome

        Reply
    12. Frances

      July 01, 2022 at 5:40 am

      I am looking forward to making this. I have one question. You don’t mention salting the eggplant and letting it sit for 1/2 an hour to remove the bitterness. I find the eggplant I get usually is quite bitter and affect the taste of the dish. Do you recommend salting?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        July 03, 2022 at 5:55 pm

        it’s fine not to salt it

        Reply
      • Richa

        July 08, 2022 at 9:07 pm

        The longer cooking time cuts the bitterness so no need to salt

        Reply
    13. Lisetta17

      May 21, 2022 at 10:51 am

      5 stars
      Amazing flavors and couldn’t be easier to make. I will definitely make this again. Recommend it 100%

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        May 23, 2022 at 1:14 pm

        yay!!

        Reply
    14. Andrea

      April 27, 2022 at 8:19 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is absolutely delicious. It gets better the next day, served with rice. You can even freeze it and still tastes fantastic. Quite a few steps, but once you’ve made it a time or two it goes pretty quickly. LOVE IT.

      Reply
      • Richa

        April 28, 2022 at 12:23 am

        Awesome

        Reply
    15. Jeanne

      March 15, 2022 at 8:18 am

      5 stars
      I also forgot to rate. Would give more stars if possible.

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 15, 2022 at 3:57 pm

        ❤️❤️

        Reply
    16. Jeanne

      March 15, 2022 at 8:17 am

      We made this last night exactly as written with fresh curry leaves from a local market. and thought it was fantastic! We will defiantly make this again. I’ve ordered your new cookbook and can’t wait for it to arrive. Thanks for all you do Richa.

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 15, 2022 at 3:57 pm

        Yay! You can freeze the Curry leaves. They behave as fresh from used frozen

        Reply
    17. Maneesha

      March 15, 2022 at 8:11 am

      5 stars
      Fabulous curry dish, Richa! I made it stovetop and tossed in chickpeas instead of the red masoor, and it turned out beautifully! I love your Indian recipes and the one-pot recipes!

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 15, 2022 at 3:56 pm

        Awesome! I love the roasted flavor the sauce gets when baked!

        Reply
    18. LISA MACKENZIE

      March 14, 2022 at 3:15 am

      Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I love one pot recipes! I didn’t change anything. This one is going on my list for many repeats. I have all of your books and love your recipes, thank you!

      Reply
      • LISA

        March 14, 2022 at 3:16 am

        5 stars
        Forgot to rate it on my previous comment!

        Reply
      • Richa

        March 14, 2022 at 4:25 pm

        Yay awesome!

        Reply
    19. Kaye

      March 13, 2022 at 1:37 pm

      5 stars
      its a keeper. will def make this again, I used eggplant plus mushrooms, didnt have enough eggplant on hand. Im guessing the mushrooms 1/2 lb I used made the recipe more saucy, also made it on stove top. Very delicious,and easy, thanks.

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 13, 2022 at 2:25 pm

        Yes, mushrooms have a lot of moisture. Just open the lid and cook in the last 10 mins to evaporate more moisture.

        Reply
    20. s

      March 12, 2022 at 9:05 pm

      5 stars
      So delish and easy. I used more spice and added tofu! Had to adjust the liquidy parts to use what i had so a bit more of the tomato and it still turned out great. Thanks for these one-dish recipes, they’re so convenient.

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 12, 2022 at 10:31 pm

        Awesome! Thanks!

        Reply
    21. Cherilyn

      March 11, 2022 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to make it; thank you very much!

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 12, 2022 at 10:32 pm

        ❤️❤️

        Reply
    22. Gail Yeh

      March 11, 2022 at 7:30 am

      5 stars
      This sounds delicious! Do you think this would work with zucchini instead of eggplant? My husband can’t eat it unfortunately.

      Reply
      • Richa

        March 11, 2022 at 3:01 pm

        Zucchini would reduce a lot. So use more. Check earlier as zucchini cooks faster as well

        Reply

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