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.
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.
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
Instant Pot Baingan Bharta
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
- don’t have an instant pot? here is my stovetop method for making baingan bharta.
Jennifer R. says
Very tasty, but as another commenter noted, my instant pot alarmed for burning. I released pressure, added another 1/2 cup of water and 4 minutes and it alarmed again for burning. I just cancelled it and allowed pressure to release naturally. The first time I made it, same thing, it was very tasty but I forgot about the burn issue the 2nd time I made it ugh. Any helpful tips? Triple the water? My instant pot just seems to be extra hot, even on sauté mode.
Amara says
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.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad to hear that!
Radhika says
Is it possible to make this with the onion tomato masala? Is yes, please give directions.
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?
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.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad you liked it!
Roopa Shah says
Such quick and easy nutritious recipe! Came out perfect 👍🏼
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Roopa! Happy to hear that you liked it 🙂
Hayley M. says
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!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hayley, I’m so glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you – glad your family liked it!
Magda Kosior says
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.
Alicia says
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. 🙂
Nhi says
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!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
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
Niamh says
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!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Niamh, that’s awesome! So nice to hear, thank you for sharing 🙂 Glad you’ve made it multiple times!
Kurt Sorensen says
Delicious. Quick & easy. Packed with delicious Indian flavour. Only subbed a little tomato paste for the tomatoes.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kurt, that’s so great to hear 🙂 Glad the bharta turned out well for you!
KRITI says
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.
Kriti says
Lol I was trying to post this on the green chicken recipe. Sorry!
Akasha says
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.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Akasha, I’m so glad you loved this! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Radha says
Awesome recipe Ashley! My family loved it
My Heart Beets says
Hi Radha, I’m so glad to hear that 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how much your family enjoyed it!
Leann says
The Bharta was delicious! I will definitely be making it again.
My Heart Beets says
Leann, happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Rachael S says
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.
My Heart Beets says
Rachel, that’s awesome! I’m so glad you and your hubby liked it 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how the bharta turned out for you guys!
Heather says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Heather, that’s great to hear – how awesome that you made it with your own eggplants! Glad you made the palak paneer too 🙂
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?
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.
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!
My Heart Beets says
Sharon, I can’t wait to hear what you think! Hope you love it 🙂
Anjalie says
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!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you like this bharta so much! Thanks for leaving a comment and letting me know how much you liked it 🙂
Jatinder says
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.
My Heart Beets says
Jatinder, I’m so glad you tried and liked this! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Paula Spilner says
Please be more specific about the amount of eggplant. Two large equals how many pounds?
Carol says
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?
Jess says
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!
Andrew says
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.
Melissa says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Melissa, I’m so happy to hear that! Love that you added smoked paprika 🙂 And thanks for sharing that tip about spray oil!
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!
Tamara says
I’m getting the burn message on my instant pot as I think there’s not enough water. Am I doing something wrong?
Anita says
I put a little more water and then added some Quorn mince to add some protein. The Quorn absorbed the flavours well. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Anita, that’s awesome! Glad it turned out well 🙂
Heather says
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 💕💕
My Heart Beets says
Heather, that’s so great to hear!! Glad your hubby liked this!!
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!
Runda says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Runda, that’s awesome!! I’m so glad you liked the bharta so much 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Ila M. Press says
Exquisite! It is lip smacking good. Another winning recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Thank you!! I’m so glad you liked the bharta 🙂
Dana Stafford says
This was delicious. I substituted smoked paprika for regular to add a little smokey flavor. Yum!
My Heart Beets says
Dana, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the baingan bharta turned out for you 🙂
Manny says
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.
My Heart Beets says
Manny, I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Frank P. says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Frank, I’m so happy to hear that you liked this recipe so much 🙂 Thanks for sharing your subs!
Lygia says
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.
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/ 🙂
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?
Peter Wells says
Can you substitute your frozen onion masala cubes to speed this up? If so how many?
Sam says
I have the same question :-).
Have tons of those pods in the freezer.
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.
Peter says
Can you use your frozen onion masala in this recipe to speed it up? If so how many .25 cup frozen cubes? Thanks!
AV says
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.
My Heart Beets says
All of my recipes are tested using a 6 quart instant pot – is yours an 8 quart by any chance? Hopefully I can help you troubleshoot…
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!
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
Libby H says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Libby, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the bharta! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Anita says
This was so easy and so super yummy! a hit on Karwa Chauth! thanks for another amazing recipe
My Heart Beets says
Anita, so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Virendra Singh says
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.
My Heart Beets says
That’s awesome! I’m glad you found the post useful!
christine says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Christine, I’m so happy to hear that you liked it so much!
Anu Nigam says
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!!!
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 🙂
Anita says
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!
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 🙂
Binta says
Ashley, how important is the paprika? I didn’t have any to add but made it anyways. Turned out great! Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Binta, no worries if you left it out 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it!
Binta says
Loved it! Thanks for sharing and it was so easy to make!
My Heart Beets says
Binta, so happy to hear that!! thanks for letting me know how much you like this recipe 🙂
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.
My Heart Beets says
Harshada, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Julie J says
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.
My Heart Beets says
Julie, woohoo!! I’m so glad you liked the baingan bharta 🙂 Also, that’s such a great saying – I love it!
Enakshi says
Made this recipe and everyone enjoyed it! As you can see, I am trying your recipes one by one 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Hooray!! Yes, and I am loving all of your reviews! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave them 🙂
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!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Erin! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of any other recipes on the blog that you try!
Drew Peacock says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Drew, I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Emma says
I just made this and it turned out delicious! Great way to use up summer eggplants
My Heart Beets says
Emma, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how the bharta turned out for ya 🙂
Niamh says
Amazing recioe! My family loved it. Thanks so much! Loved your Palak Paneer recipe too!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Niamh! I’m so happy to hear that you and your family liked both recipes 🙂
Maggie Abrams says
This was absolutely delicious and easy to make. My husband even liked it and he doesn’t like eggplant.
My Heart Beets says
Maggie, that’s so great to hear! I’m so glad you both liked it 🙂
Carolyn says
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!
My Heart Beets says
Carolyn, I’m glad you liked it 🙂
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?
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!
Lygia Figueiredo says
excellent!
My Heart Beets says
Lygia, so glad you liked it!
Heather McLay says
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.
My Heart Beets says
Heather, so happy to hear that you liked the flavor! Let me know how it turns out without any water!
Adriana says
Very tasty and super easy! I love eggplant but I’ve never felt confident cooking it…this will be my go-to recipe from now on!
My Heart Beets says
Adriana, I’m so glad you liked this dish! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Paul says
This is our first to recipe for our eggplant we get from our garden.
My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that!