Make a comforting dish of eggplant rice with tomato sauce and risotto rice, adding fresh basil or parsley for extra flavor. This is a delicious vegetarian main course perfect for any season.
Today’s eggplant rice recipe is simple and comforting, and it's one you'll make again and again. Why? It's a delicious, easy-to-prepare, wonderful recipe that uses mainly pantry staples.
I often buy eggplants just because I love them and can’t resist them, and this recipe is perfect when you have eggplants on hand, and everything else you need is already in your pantry.
I crave eggplants every other week or so; besides fresh tomatoes, they're my favorite vegetable. Over the years, I’ve cooked them in so many ways - from the Romanian Vinete, I grew up with to Aubergine Spaghetti (you have to try this amazing recipe), Eggplants in Tomato Sauce, and Air-fried Aubergjnes. And these are just a fraction of the many eggplant dishes I've made over the years.
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Recipe ingredients
Eggplants are also known as aubergines. I use regular globe eggplants (fat and deep purple) in this recipe, but Italian ones (slightly smaller and thinner) or the striped variety (graffiti) are just as great.
Risotto: While you can cook this dish with regular rice, the risotto rice makes it creamy and comforting; you should definitely try it.
Passata di Pomodoro: A smooth, uncooked tomato puree made from ripe tomatoes that have been strained to remove seeds and skins.
Other vegetables: Bell pepper, carrots, onion, and garlic cloves.
Cheese: I add some cheese at the end for extra flavor and creaminess. I often use Cheddar or Gouda, but Parmesan or a torn ball of mozzarella cheese are also great. Try another cheesy and tasty rice dish, such as Cheesy Corn Rice, or make a Creamy Pumpkin Risotto.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make eggplant rice?
Step #1: Cook the rice until all the water is absorbed and the grains are tender but not mushy. Meanwhile, start cooking the sauce and the vegetables.
Step #2: Place passata, broth, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Simmer until reduced.
Step #3: Chop all the vegetables.
Step #4: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the veggies on medium heat until soft, about 15 minutes.
Step #5: Add tomato paste and ½ cup of water and stir for a couple of minutes.
Step #6: Add the veggies and rice to the tomato sauce. Add the cheese and fresh herbs, adjust the taste, and let it rest briefly with a closed lid before serving.
Good to know!
Texture: Ensure that the chopped eggplant pieces are perfectly soft before you stop cooking them; this vegetable should always be tender and kind of mushy - there’s no such thing as good eggplants cooked al dente. Check out this delicious Eggplant and Chicken Stew, too.
Rice choice: You can use any type of rice for this dish - regular white rice, brown, Jasmine, Basmati rice, or even a mix of Basmati and wild rice. Since the grains are cooked separately, just follow the cooking time on the package, cook them in plenty of water, and drain the remaining water before adding them to the sauce.
- However, as mentioned earlier, the risotto type gives this eggplant and rice dish its creamy, comforting texture. Other rice varieties will give the dish a different, firmer texture.
Cook the grains until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Start checking about 5 minutes before the time is up to avoid overcooking or rice sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Make more risotto rice dishes, such as Pea and Bacon Risotto or Zucchini Risotto.
Store and reheat
Store leftover eggplant rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. I think reheating works best in the microwave. If you reheat the leftovers on the stovetop, use a nonstick pan or saucepan and stir frequently but gently, not crushing the rice too much.
Eggplant Rice
Equipment
- Pot for cooking the rice
- Large saucepan or Dutch oven that will hold everything at the end
- Large frying pan for the vegetables
Ingredients
Rice:
- 2 cups risotto rice 400 g, Note 1
- 3 ½ cups water 850 ml
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Tomato sauce:
- 2 cups passata di pomodoro 500 ml, Note 2
- 1 cup vegetable broth 250 ml
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetables:
- 1 lb eggplants 450 g
- ½ bell pepper the color of your choice
- 2 small carrots
- 1 small onion red, yellow or white
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup water 125 ml
- 1 cup cheese freshly grated, 100 g, Note 3
- 3-4 tablespoons parsley or basil chopped
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the rice: Place it in the pot and cover it with water. Bring to a boil and add a little salt. Cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Start checking about 5 minutes before the time is up to avoid overcooking or the rice sticking to the bottom of the pot. In the meantime, start preparing the rest of the recipe.2 cups risotto rice / 400 g + 3 ½ cups water / 850 ml + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Tomato sauce: Place passata, broth, oregano, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to a light boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 15-20 minutes.2 cups passata di pomodoro/ 500 ml + 1 cup vegetable broth/ 250 ml + 1 teaspoon oregano + 1 teaspoon sugar + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Chop vegetables: Chop the eggplants into small cubes. Dice the bell pepper, carrots, onion, and garlic.1 lb eggplants / 450 g + ½ bell pepper + 2 small carrots + 1 small onion + 2 garlic cloves
- Cook eggplants: Heat the oil in the pan. Add the chopped vegetables and salt. Cook until the eggplants are perfectly soft, about 15 minutes, but check (Note 4).3 tablespoons olive oil + vegetables + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Finish sauce: Add tomato paste and water and stir for 1-2 minutes.2 tablespoons tomato paste + ½ cup water / 125 ml
- Combine: Add the vegetables and rice to the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add cheese and chopped herbs, and adjust the taste with salt and pepper.1 cup cheese/ 100 g + 3-4 tablespoons parsley or basil + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Rest: Cover the pot and let the eggplant rice rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Rice choice: You can use any type of rice - white, Basmati, Jasmine, brown, or a Basmati-wild rice mix, but risotto rice makes this dish creamy and comforting, while other types give it a firmer texture. Follow the cooking time on the package, but cook the grains in plenty of water, not just the indicated amount. Drain the remaining water before adding the rice to the sauce.
- Passata di Pomodoro is a smooth, uncooked tomato puree made from ripe tomatoes strained to remove seeds and skins.
- Cheese: I often use freshly grated Cheddar or Gouda, but you can use your Parmesan, a ball of mozzarella, or your favorite good-melting cheese.
- Eggplant cooking time: Ensure the eggplant cubes are completely soft before stopping the cooking. Eggplants should always be tender and a bit mushy - cooked al dente doesn’t work for this vegetable.
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