How to Salt Eggplant (2024)

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The secret to delicious, quickly-cooking eggplant is just one basic ingredient and a little time. Here’s How to Salt Eggplant before cooking to draw out moisture and condense its flavor.

The first time you salt eggplant, you might find it tedious. Like a watched pot that never boils, step away from the salted eggplant! It will seem like nothing is happening, and then all the sudden, the cubes look smaller and darker, and you see juice in the bowl.

The magic is happening. The salt draws out the excess moisture so the eggplant has a stronger flavor and a softer, more tender texture. Sometimes cooks salt cucumbers, zucchini, and cabbage for the same reason. Less water = more flavor.

This method works for cubes, slices, and planks of eggplant.

Recipe ingredients

Tutorial notes

• Buying: Look for an eggplant that has firm skin and has a substantial heft in your hand. Heavier fruit is a sign that the eggplant is fresh and hydrated. Avoid eggplant with any soft spots, discoloration, or wrinkling.
• Storing: Store unwashed, uncut eggplant at room temperature for up to 2 days (keep it away from other fruits and vegetables). For longer storage, wrap in a paper towel, place in a container, and store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Peeling: If the recipe calls for it, or if you want to, peel the eggplant before cutting.
• Salting: Saltingremoves excess liquid and some of the bitterness. Today’s eggplants are bred for mildness, though, so it’s not as important as it used to be (if you are frying eggplant, salting will ensure a creamy texture and rich flavor). This method works for eggplant slices, cubes, or planks.
• Yield: 1 pound eggplant = 6 cups cubed, raw (3 cups cooked). Serving size is about 2 cups raw, 1 cup cooked.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Add the eggplant to a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss well to coat.

2. Let sit to drain for at least 40 minutes. If salting the eggplant more than 1 hour, transfer the colander to the refrigerator.

3. Rinse the eggplant well, then spread on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Press down hard with a second kitchen towel to push out any excess liquid, as if you were pushing down on and squeezing a sponge.