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. 🙂
Recipe Card
Instant Pot Baingan Bharta Recipe - Spiced Mashed Eggplant
Ingredients
- 2 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) cumin seeds
- 3/4 cup (120 g) 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 (0.5 tsp) garam masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) smoked paprika
- 1 large tomato (diced)
- 1 large eggplant (peeled and cubed into small about half an inch cubes)
- 3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) salt
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
- 1/3 cup (48.33 g) peas
- 1/4 cup (4 g) 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.
Neha
Tried tonight- this was so easy and my parents said it was the best Baingan Bharta they’ve ever had! I added a dash of honey at the end and sautéed onions/tomatoes in a separate pan instead of using the Instant Pot sauté setting, but otherwise followed recipe exactly!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Julia
I got my first ever instant pot last week and this is the first proper meal I’m trying to cook. While the instant pot was heating up a lot of steam came out of the valve, so I got too worried, added water and tried again.
Do you have any advice on this? Am I too intimidated by the instant pot?
Thanks in advance for any insights
Julia
I forgot to say, it’s the 6quart instant pot
Richa
If the valve is closed on sealing then theres no need to worry. It leaks a little steam just before the pressure builds up. So it’s all good. Even if you accidentally leave the knob at venting, the water will evaporate and the instant pot will display burn error and switch off by itself. There r many safety mechanisms built in
Claire oanella
Making it again because it is so good and easy!
Vegan Richa Support
Why not, right?
Darren
Exactly like my favorite restaurant makes it but now I can make this at home. Tasted amazing. I did use a jalapeno instead of the green chili pepper since that’s what I had. I will be making this many more times.
Vegan Richa Support
i love home made
sylvia
As with all your recipes…..YUMMO!
Your Instant Pot book is great, and I found this recipe in the book. Adding a comment here, with a note to say Thanks!
Vegan Richa Support
Yay! thank you sylvia
Ty
Delicious!!! 😁
Vegan Richa Support
Awesome!!
Andy
I tried this yesterday and it was great. However I added one cup of water since I wasn’t sure if the Instant Pot would be able to build up enough steam with just half a cup of water. I love how easy and quick this recipe was!
Richa
You don’t need the water as eggant release a ton of water under pressure. With that much liquid the eggplant won’t get the roasted flavor
jordy
Amazing recipe 😋
Vegan Richa Support
yay!
Jessica
Does it matter what kind of eggplant you use?
Richa
Nope
Arshya
Delicous baingan bharta! I usually avoid bharta because it’s time-consuming. Your recipe is quick and easy without compromising on flavor! A njce reminder of home 🙂
Vegan Richa Support
nice to know, thank you ❤️❤️
Faith Alfreda Tyler
OMG, just as good as my take-out joint!!! I made it a little too spicy, but calmed it down with a little sweetener..net time I will now to use less heat. I also don’t cook with oil, so took the suggestion mentioned for the cumin seeds.
I LOVE ALL VEGAN INDIAN FOOD AND YOU MAKE IT SO EASY. I AM LOOKING TO MAKING THE OTHER RECIPES!!!
Thanks for all that you do! I appreciate you.
Vegan Richa Support
PERFECT 😍
Katy G
I thought I had reviewed this recipe, but see I have not. I made this first in August for my daughter’s back to school picnic. We loved it. Very easy to make in the instant pot and all over super flavorful recipe. I had to find it again as I just picked up eggplant from the store.
Vegan Richa Support
thanks for the super review =)
Keren Paquette
Made this tonight. It was easy and absolutely delicious!!
Vegan Richa Support
awesome!
Erin Thompson
This was amazing. Served with brown basmati rice but some naan would have been great. I left out smoked paprika, hot pepper, and liquid smoke, no charring in hopes that my kid may eat it. Really great flavors and excellent use for eggplant. Another great recipe from Richa!
Vegan Richa Support
hope they did try it
Shamaine
I just want to say, I enjoy making all your recipes. This recipe was easy to follow. It gave eggplant an interesting twist. And it’s so delicious! Thank you.
Jaya
Should it be high pressure ?
Richa
Yes
Jaya
This recipe came out so good Richa! It is so much hassle free as compared to cooking on the stove. Thanks a lot.
Vegan Richa Support
Exactly ! thanks
Gretchen
Absolutely love this recipe! Easy & so delicious. Made this a couple of times now & always hits the spot.
Vegan Richa Support
❤️❤️
Erin
This was quite tasty. We prefer your other bartha recipe to this one, but it’s delicious nonetheless.
I made a few changes: added a can of diced tomatoes with jalapeño rather than once fresh tomato with a chili. I left the skins on the eggplant. I doubled the recipe entirely. And I added a can of chickpeas at the end.
I’m not a giant fan of spice so I used 1/2 tsp of smoked hot Spanish paprika and 1/2 tsp of regular paprika. The hot plus the jalapeño in the canned tomatoes gave it enough heat to keep my wife happy but not so much I couldn’t eat it too.
We’re lazy (don’t love to cook but never eat junk food) vegetarians and quite frankly exist as a result of your InstantPot recipes, Richa! Thank you!
Richa
Great. For additional smoky flavor add in liquid smoke and sauté after opening for 6-8 mins