Eggplant Appetizer for Winter with Bell Peppers and Garlic
A bright, juicy, and incredibly delicious preserve! You’ll definitely love this fried eggplant appetizer for winter with bell peppers and garlic - especially if you enjoy sweet and sour flavors. It’s a fantastic side for meat, potatoes, and more. At gatherings, jars of this appetizer disappear instantly!
Updated : 15 September, 2025
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
1000 grams
Bell pepper
500 grams
Eggplant
7
Garlic
50 milliliters
Vinegar
50 grams
Sugar
10 grams
Salt
to taste
Hot chili pepper
0.5 cup
Vegetable oil
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Wash all vegetables thoroughly under running water and pat dry with paper towels. What kind of peppers to use? Red ones are ideal, but using multicolored peppers makes the dish look festive.
Step 2
Pierce each pepper in several places with a fork.
Step 3
Cut off the “stems” from the eggplants on both sides. Slice them into medium-thick rounds (about 0.7-0.8 cm / ¼-⅓ inch).
Step 4
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the peppers on both sides until golden. Use a pan with high sides, since frying produces a lot of splatter. Cover the peppers occasionally with a lid to avoid burns from hot oil.
Step 5
After the peppers, fry the eggplants on both sides until cooked through.
Step 6
Peel the garlic and rinse it together with the hot pepper. Put them into a blender bowl and grind. Transfer to a small plate, add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Let sit for 5 minutes so the salt and sugar dissolve, then mix again. Adjust garlic, chili, salt, sugar, and vinegar to taste.
Step 7
Dip each pepper into the marinade.
Step 8
Wash jars with baking soda and sterilize them. Place a layer of peppers inside the sterile jar.
Step 9
Dip the eggplant slices into the sweet-sour-spicy marinade as well.
Step 10
Layer them in the jar on top of the peppers. Repeat layer by layer until the jars are full.
Step 11
Line the bottom of a large pot with a kitchen towel, place the jars inside, and pour in warm water up to their “shoulders.” Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and sterilize for about 15 minutes. Place jar lids in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then remove with a fork and cover the jars.
Step 12
Seal the jars with lids, flip them upside down, wrap in a warm blanket, and leave until completely cool at room temperature. Then store the eggplant with peppers in a cool place for long-term keeping. I store mine on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
Step 13
After just one week, we tasted the first jar of fried eggplant appetizer - absolutely delicious!