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Instant Pot Baingan Bharta (Mashed Spiced Eggplant)

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Baingan bharta, a classic Indian eggplant dish, takes minutes to make in an instant pot! You don’t need to go to a restaurant to enjoy this dish, because it’s easy to make at home.

instant pot baingan bharta by ashley of myheartbeets.com

If you haven’t tried this Indian eggplant recipe before then, you are in for a treat! It’s almost surprising to see how delicious eggplant can be especially when combined with caramelized onions, sweet tomatoes, and a blend of Indian spices. It’s lip-smacking good (smack. smack. mmm…) 

Baingan bharta is traditionally made by charring eggplants directly over a flame or on a grill to give it a smoky flavor, but I’ve simplified the recipe to make it all in one pot, and I find that it tastes about the same. And truthfully, the ease of making this dish means that I make and enjoy it a lot more often.

instant pot baingan bharta by ashley of myheartbeets.com

As a toddler mom, making food quickly and easily is very important to me. Cooking homemade Indian food is also important to me. That’s why I love my instant pot – it helps me cook good food fast while keeping my hands free (to stop my mischievous toddler from getting into trouble… #tornadotony).

I hope you love this delicious mashed spiced eggplant recipe. Serve it with naan or basmati rice and maybe a couple of other dishes like my butter chickpeas or aloo methi or veggie biryani.

instant pot baingan bharta by ashley of myheartbeets.com

Instant Pot Baingan Bharta

instant pot baingan bharta by ashley of myheartbeets.com

Instant Pot Baingan Bharta

This is my favorite way to eat eggplant. I know mashed eggplant may not sound very appealing, but trust me this dish tastes way better than it sounds. Baingan bharta is typically made by first cooking eggplants on a stove or a grill to give it a smoky flavor, but I’ve simplified the recipe to make it all in one pot and I find that it tastes about the same. And truthfully, the ease of making this dish means that I make and enjoy it a lot more often.
4.9 from 56 reviews
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Servings 3 -4

Ingredients
 

  • 2 large eggplants
  • 4 tablespoons oil of choice
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 onion diced
  • 5 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger

Spices

  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 to matoes diced
  • ¼ cup water
  • Cilantro garnish

Instructions
 

  • Peel the eggplants and chop them into chunks. Set aside.
  • Press the sauté button, add the oil and allow it to heat up for a minute. Add the cumin seeds and once they turn brown, add the onion and stir-fry for 6-7 minutes, or until it starts to brown.
  • Add garlic, ginger, spices, stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to break down.
  • Add the eggplant and water, mix well.
  • Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 7 minutes at high pressure.
  • Open the valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
  • Open the lid and mash the eggplant. Press sauté and cook for 2-3 minutes to boil off any extra liquid if desired.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Notes

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Hi, I’m Ashley. Thanks for being here! I truly believe that food brings us closer together. Gather around a table with good food and good people, and you’ll have the ingredients you need to create some happy memories. My hope is that you find recipes here that you can’t wait to share with family and friends.

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Comments

  1. Amara says

    5 stars
    This was so good I ate it straight with a spoon!! I added a cube of onion masala because my eggplants were huge. I also added 1/2 cup (instead of 1/4 cup) of water to avoid the burn warning and didn’t have to cook any water off at the end.

    Reply

    • Naveen says

      I’m curious about this too! I’m thinking 1/2 cup onion masala to replace the tomato, onion, garlic and ginger and adjust spices?

      Reply

  3. DM says

    Really quick and tasty dish, especially as leftovers. Baingan bharta is one of those foods where you can have your cake and eat it too as it is both very low calorie and creamy and rich. I found this dish to be lacking a bit of acidity so I added about a tablespoon of amchur powder at the end and it was better than what I’ve gotten at some restaurants.

    Reply

  5. Hayley M. says

    5 stars
    This was delicious and the first time I’ve successfully made this dish at home. We did it with homegrown eggplants and tomatoes. My southern family is not very adventurous or up to take a lot of spice (not that this is “adventurous,” and I’ve been eating it from restaurants since college, but you know how limited some people’s pallet can be!) and they ate it up because they all blend so beautifully and balanced perfectly. Thank you for such a great dish!

    Reply

  6. Magda Kosior says

    5 stars
    I love this recipe however my instant pot always burns even if I put more than double the suggested water amount. In the end it works but I have to scrape a few times when it beeps at me and says burning.

    Reply

  7. Alicia says

    5 stars
    A few people have asked about the amount of eggplant to use. I had 4 small instead of 2 large and the package indicated the weight as 1.75 lbs or 794 grams. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing! Hopefully that helps others to gauge the amount needed. 🙂

    Reply

  8. Nhi says

    5 stars
    I made this tonight for my fiancé. We made the switch to a plant-based, vegetarian diet in July 2020 to be healthier, and this dish is one of our favorites at our local Indian restaurant. The recipe worked beautifully and was so quick! I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not roasting the eggplant! The only change I’d maybe make is to use only half the cayenne. It was delicious, and it will definitely be a staple and a rotating dish in our kitchen. Thanks SO much, Ashley!

    Reply

  9. Robert says

    Hi Ashley, trying this recipe today. I not able to locate any large eggplants, picked up a few smaller ones..can you tell me ;ball park) what amount total it should be..3lbs of eggplant?
    Thanks, Robert

    Reply

  10. Niamh says

    5 stars
    My hubby and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this dish!!! I’ve made it multiple times and keep forgetting to comment! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It really is so delicious and easy!!

    Reply

  11. Kurt Sorensen says

    5 stars
    Delicious. Quick & easy. Packed with delicious Indian flavour. Only subbed a little tomato paste for the tomatoes.

    Reply

  12. KRITI says

    5 stars
    I’m a vegetarian but my family isn’t. So I rely on great recipes like these to cook something that I can’t taste.
    What a simple fantastic recipe! I added a couple bunches of spinach to the blender along with the other ingredients to hide some extra greens in there!
    Will be a regular feature, this one.

    Reply

    • Akasha says

      5 stars
      This is a delight. LOVED this. I’ve been missing eggplant parmesan (I can’t have gluten or dairy while nursing my son), and this was very reminiscent without any of the questionable ingredients. Plus, if you’re at all worried about the lectins in nightshades, the instant pot supposedly denatures them. Absolute win. Your recipes are spot on. Spices are fabulous. I am floored that I can make Indian food that tastes this good in my house so quickly.

      Reply

  15. Rachael S says

    5 stars
    This was so tasty – I’ve made it twice so far. My husband liked it so much he said I could open my own restaurant.

    Reply

  16. Heather says

    5 stars
    Just made this with my last of the garden season eggplants and it was delicious! It was so quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot too! We made this in the Instant Pot and then modified your Palak Paneer recipe (using the frozen onion masala cubes, thawed) on the stovetop and some Basmati rice in our rice cooker. Great dinner!

    Reply

  17. Adriana says

    Haven’t tried the recipe yet. I’m anxious to try it as you’re not specific about the amount of eggplant. I read through all the comments and I see a few people have asked about that. You haven’t answered any of them. I find eggplants vary so much in size at the store. Could you provide a weight estimate for the eggplant?

    Reply

    • Ross says

      Same here. I have a couple huge eggplants, but am not sure if they’re too big. I wouldn’t want to use too much eggplant and wind up with something bland.

      Reply

  18. Sharon Wanke says

    I’m going to make this tonight. I have never had a burn message in my life. It seems to be more of a problem with the newer models. I’m going to add a drop of liquid smoke for that smokey taste. I love all your recipes!

    Reply

  19. Anjalie says

    5 stars
    Omg I never comment on recipies because I always find I need to adjust the spices but this one packs a punch!

    I made it with a 28oz can of diced tomatoes (no fresh on hand) and it was sooo good! Restaurant quality. Absolutely delicious. Thank you!

    Reply

  20. Jatinder says

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe. Just a little amount of liquid at the end and had to saute on low to dry it and the final product tasted as good as if I had ROASTED the eggplant to make bharta.

    Reply

  22. Carol says

    5 stars
    This was wonderful! If I wanted to use an all in spice combo (like Pemzeys Sweet Curry) instead of individual measures, how many teaspoons should I use?

    Reply

  23. Jess says

    5 stars
    I used unsalted butter as my oil of choice. And two massive eggplants! My second time following this recipe – I love it a lot. I like to heap in the garlic.

    I also got the BURN message both times. The 1st time was perfect because it announced burn, so I opened it up and there was a nice little charring which I actually like to mimic the charring bits. The burn message went away with scrapping and mixing. The 2nd time, I just added about 1/4 c more water or so…. I think for my third attempt, I will use 1/2c of water.

    Thanks for this recipe! yum!

    Reply

  24. Andrew says

    2 stars
    Smells wonderful and hoping it will taste wonderful. Unfortunately, I keep getting the burn error, even after adding more water. Just transferred to my stockpot to finish cooking and hoping for the best. Not sure what’s wrong, I also have the 6qt IP. So much for a fast one pot meal.

    Reply

  25. Melissa says

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I also used smoked paprika to mimic the smokiness and it turned out great. I got the dreaded burn so I emptied the pot and washed it, and then coated the bottom with spray oil and it worked just fine. Served with basmati rice and turkey keema for a healthy and delicious meal. Thanks, Ashley!

    Reply

      • Shreya says

        Thanks very much for that tip Melissa! I suffered terribly with burn messages for over an hour…I had to keep scraping the bottom and adding more water (I use a 3qt so perhaps that was the reason…). Despite the issues, I really did enjoy the flavors when I did eventually manage to cook this!

        Reply

  27. Anita says

    5 stars
    I put a little more water and then added some Quorn mince to add some protein. The Quorn absorbed the flavours well. Thank you!

    Reply

  28. Heather says

    5 stars
    LOVED this. My husband (whose parents are from Tamil Nadu) said it was delicious, and that his dad would love it. That’s all I need to hear to know that it’s a keeper!!! Thank you so much 💕💕

    Reply

  29. cheryl says

    HI there! Was wondering if I could add potatoes to the dish – and if so, what would the instant pot time be adjusted to? Thanks!

    Reply

  30. Runda says

    5 stars
    This recipe was delicious! It has the same consistency as Baba Ghanoush but a different flavor profile. I did get the “burn” notice so I added extra water and strained it out at the end. Still delicious! This make sa lot. I ate it for dinner with naan and then the next day spread it on naan and toasted it in the oven like a pizza. Yummy!

    Reply

  32. Dana Stafford says

    5 stars
    This was delicious. I substituted smoked paprika for regular to add a little smokey flavor. Yum!

    Reply

  33. Manny says

    5 stars
    Stumbled across this when googling Indian instant recipes for a dinner we were hosting with friends. Made a few recipes you have and they all turned out fantastic! So easy with the instant pot as well.

    Reply

  34. Frank P. says

    5 stars
    First, let me say I’m now a fan!

    I live in Silicon Valley where there’s no shortage if Indian restaurants. Surprisingly though, not many serve Baingan bharta, so when I find it, I order it. Needless to say, I’ve had quite a few variations of the recipe, and yours is as good/better than any restaurant recipe.

    I wanted to share a few variations of your recipe that made it perfect for me:

    1) I didn’t peel the eggplants, but I cooked it for 14 minutes at high pressure. This made prep even easier, and the results were still excellent.
    2) I used chicken stock instead of water, and used 1/2 cup instead of 1/4 cup. Of course, you can still just use water or perhaps vegetable stock.
    3) I added 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika since there is no step to flame cook the eggplants.
    4) I used more salt, but that’s just personal preference
    5) I didn’t have cumin seeds, so I used cumin powder. I want to try this again with the seeds next time.
    6) During your step #3, I had to add some of the liquid to keep the onions, etc. from sticking, even though I was sauteing (on high) with 4 Tbsp of coconut oil.
    7) Instead of mashing at the end, I used a hand blender. This eliminated the need to boil off any excess liquid, plus I like the resulting pureed texture with a few chunks. This also broke down the eggplant peel, so I got almost no chewy pieces.

    Thank you so much for your excellent recipe!

    P.S. Like a some of the other reviewers, I also burnt my tongue from being impatient…twice!

    Reply

  35. Lygia says

    5 stars
    Made it again and loved it!!! I love your recipes and your site is my go to site for all things ‘Indian Instant Pot’. I would love to support you and get your recipe book, but I no longer use paper books, do you have a plan to have a digital version in the immediate future? Thanks again, I’ve renewed my love for cooking, thanks to you.

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Lygia, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how you’re liking my recipes! As for my cookbook, I actually have ebooks available online as well but honestly, visiting my blog to check out my recipes and sharing my link with others is the best way to support me so no need to buy! I really appreciate the kind words – here is a link if you’d still like to check it out https://myheartbeets.com/cookbooks/ 🙂

      Reply

  36. Cynthia says

    The first time I made this recipe it was perfect. Second time the IP didn’t seal and the counter started and ended. I opened the pot and it was semi-cooked and there was a little bit burned on the bottom. So I stirred it up and restarted for 3 more minutes. This time it sealed. What do you think happened?

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Hi Peter, I haven’t tried with this recipe but pretty sure you’ll need ½ cup of the masala (2 cubes if you are using the silicone mold I recommend)! You can always add more later (since the masala is already cooked) if you feel it needs more flavor.

      Reply

  39. AV says

    2 stars
    This was my third recipe using my Instapot, but unfortunately it didnt work well for me. I followed all the instructions precisely, however, I think that 1/4 cup of water is not enough for cooking this amount of food on high pressure. I got the “BURN” message twice – each time I had to remove the lid and add more water. I added 1/2 the first time and 1 cup the second but again got the same BURN message. I ended up sauteing it the remainder of the time. Also the bottom of the pot was burned and took a while to scrub. I thought that the end product tasted good, however, it was not easy or seamless to make in the Instapot.

    Reply

  40. Peter Wells says

    Is the only liquid added just the 1/4 cup of water? I am asking because I got a Burn message early on while pressuring up. This is only my 3rd time using the instant pot though so it could just be me?? Any help or ideas would be appreciated thanks!

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      That’s all the liquid I use and I haven’t seen a burn sign yet – I use a 6 quart to test my recipes so if you are using a larger size (8 quart) then you may need a bit more water

      Reply

  41. Libby H says

    5 stars
    Very easy and just delicious. It is a bit different than the baingan bharta you may be used to from restaurants but it an outstanding dish and really stands on it’s own. Thanks for this great, easy, healthy recipe!

    Reply

  43. Virendra Singh says

    5 stars
    Thanks for publishing this. I was making baigan aaloo and instead of using the normal cooking pot, used my father’s day gift. It turned out much much tastier than what I expected. I substituted some ingredients that I had ie ginger garlic paste, tomato paste, fried garlic, fried onion and also used tandoori masala and deggi mirch.

    Reply

  44. christine says

    5 stars
    This was SO good! I made it for dinner a few nights ago and am currently eating the leftovers for lunch. I’ve made bangain bharta once before and it wasn’t nearly as good as this version.

    My only complaint about it was that I used about 6-8 small eggplants, and I think that might not have been enough. It wasn’t overly spicy or too salty but I just felt like it was a bit too much flavor in general. Next time I’ll just use two big eggplants as recommended or cut back on the spices a little bit!

    Reply

  45. Anu Nigam says

    5 stars
    My family loves the traditional baingan bharta I usually make. For me, it’s a process that takes some planning. When I came across this recipe, I was skeptical- we don’t even take the skin off the eggplant? But I was curious- is this just an over cooked potato-eggplant being touted as THE baigna bharta? So, in all my glorious skepticism, I decided to give it a shot. And boy, was I floored!! Of course, I made some modifications to the spices (home made ground masalas as per my family’s preference) but that in no way takes away from the fact that this is a anwesome, stress free, delicious and quick recipe! It’s become a staple in my household, particularly when we have guests for dinner and I am spending time on multiple dishes! THANK YOU!!!

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Anu, I really enjoyed reading your comment lol. I’m so glad you tried it despite being skeptical and so happy you liked it so much!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂

      Reply

  46. Anita says

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! My dad is vegan (and Guju) so I struggled a bit with what to make for him when he came over to visit. I’m so glad I found your site! I made this, your Indian okra, IP aloo gobi and also your IP kheer recipe – everything was a hit, so easy to make and so flavorful – he even took leftovers home. Keep up the great work!

    Reply

    • My Heart Beets says

      Anita, I’m so glad you found my site too! I’m also really happy to hear that your dad liked all of the recipes you made him from my blog! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out 🙂

      Reply

  49. Harshada Trivedi says

    Tried this as my first IP adventure and turned out perfect. Quick and snappy. Absolutely a favourite at our house in Saskatchewan. Thank you Ashley. Hugs.

    Reply

  50. Julie J says

    5 stars
    This was an Indian party for my mouth! Thank you for this easy recipe, I know I will make it again and again. The flavors were so full and rich. We kept burning our mouths because we wanted to eat it when it was still hot. A burned tongue is the hallmark of a great dish.

    Reply

  52. Erin says

    I love this recipe; delicious and came out just right with no adjustments. Thank you for posting and I will be following your site for more yummy meals!

    Reply

  53. Drew Peacock says

    5 stars
    good base recipe, and better if you let it sit for a few hours so the flavors mingle and deepen. I enhanced it with 1/2 cup of onion masala when tomatoes went in and added 1/2 tsp black mustard seed and hing to the tadka stage. i think you can safely double all the spices without going over board (or i just got to really big eggplants, i ended up with about 3 dry quarts after chopping them up). came together very quick and easy too!

    Reply

  56. Maggie Abrams says

    This was absolutely delicious and easy to make. My husband even liked it and he doesn’t like eggplant.

    Reply

    • Carolyn says

      5 stars
      This was yummy! My husband and I enjoy Indian food, but have become very set in our ways with our two favorites: chicken tikka masala and palak paneer. When we go out for Indian we don’t bother ordering anything else anymore. I now have instant pot recipes for both of those that we are both super happy with (after much trial and error) so we don’t really even go out for Indian anymore because we can make it at home and it freezes so well! This year I foolishly decided to plant 3 eggplants in my veggie garden even though neither of us particularly likes the vegetable. I have hidden it in stir fries and given it to neighbors, but we still have a ton of it. So I googled instant pot eggplant recipes and found this. I had everything on hand and it used up two large eggplants; perfect, nothing to lose if it didn’t turn out well! Well it DID turn out well! Will it beat out our two top favorites? No, but I think it will go nicely alongside of them! Also, it’s really quite healthy since there’s no cream, and it’s loaded with veggies, so it’ll help balance out the meal. I’m happy to finally have a use for my eggplant and I’m hopeful that it will freeze as nicely as our other two Indian dishes!

      Reply

  57. N says

    I will rate the recipe after I cook it. Before I go out and buy the ingredients, what weight eggplant do you mean by large?

    Reply

  58. priya acharya says

    HI! I want to make this but I want to make sure I understand how big a large eggplant is. I bought one and it is 1 1/2 pounds approximately. It seems really big so I did not buy two of them but would you cut the recipe in half?

    by the way all of the other recipes I have tried I have really liked!

    Reply

  60. Heather McLay says

    5 stars
    Loved this! So good. The spice mixture was really flavorful. Mine came out a little watery, so next time, I think I would omit the 1/4 cup water. But after I sauteed in the instant pot at the end, I simmered it a little on the stove and it tastes divine.

    Reply
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