Pan-Fried Eggplant with Onion
An unbelievably tasty side for any dish - will win everyone over! Pan-fried eggplant with onion turns out very tender and appetizing. It’s great both hot and cold. If you love eggplant, you’ll enjoy this - definitely try it!
Updated : 03 February, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Preparation
Step 1
Incredibly simple and fast! First, prepare all the needed ingredients. You can use regular vegetable oil or olive oil meant for frying. For herbs, dill, parsley, cilantro, or young green onion work well. This time I used chives.
Step 2
Wash the eggplants and trim off the ends. Cut into small pieces - sticks, cubes, rounds, or half-rounds. Put the chopped eggplant into a deep bowl, sprinkle with a little salt (about ½ tbsp), and cover with cold water. Place a flat plate on top so the eggplant doesn’t float and stays fully submerged. Leave for 20-30 minutes. This helps remove bitterness.
Step 3
Peel the onion and slice into thin half-rings or quarter-rings. To keep your eyes from watering while slicing, moisten the knife with cold water from time to time.
Step 4
Drain the eggplant in a colander and rinse under running water. Let all the water drain, then lightly squeeze the pieces.
Step 5
Heat oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, until lightly golden. Add the eggplant to the skillet. Stir, reduce the heat to medium, and fry until done, stirring gently from time to time with a wooden spatula.
Step 6
It took me about 20-30 minutes to cook it through. Time depends on the eggplant variety and the size of the pieces. Add a little more oil if needed.
Step 7
When the eggplant is ready, salt to taste. Pepper it and add garlic pressed through a garlic press or finely chopped by hand. Mix, turn off the heat, and leave covered for 2-3 minutes.
Step 8
Serve the eggplant sautéed with onion hot or cold, with fresh vegetables, salads, and more. Enjoy your meal!