Eggplant Spread Recipe (Baklazhannaia Ikra)
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This sauteed eggplant spread can be served as a main course or appetizer. “Baklazhannaia Ikra” means “poor man’s caviar.” The ingredients are simple but the flavors are spectacular, which is exactly what I love about the Slavic cuisine!
Eggplant is definitely a popular ingredient in Russian and Ukrainian cooking and it tastes amazing when prepared correctly. Unfortunately it is under-appreciated in US cuisine. I guess if you don’t know – you don’t know! No worries though, if you’re an eggplant lover, you’ve come to the right blog. I have plenty of truly delicious options on my site and this week I’m sharing 2 new eggplant recipes that will satisfy even the fiercest craving for this beautiful purple fruit.
Aunt Tanya shared this recipe with my Mom who shared it with us. We ate a whole lot of eggplant these past two weeks = happy me! If you aren’t a fan of eggplant recipes, I believe this one will change your mind 😉
Ingredients for Eggplant Spread Recipe:
2 lbs eggplant, peeled and diced
2 bell peppers (preferably red, yellow, or orange), diced
2 to 3 medium carrots, grated
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 medium tomatoes
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Canola oil or extra light olive oil to sauté
How to Make Sauteed Eggplant Spread:
1. Place a large non-stick pan over medium/ high heat and add 3-4 Tbsp oil. Add eggplant and saute, stirring occasionally until softened and moist (15-20 min), adding more oil if needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom.
2. At the same time, in a separate large skillet, add 2 Tbsp oil, diced bell pepper, grated carrots and finely diced onion. Saute until golden and softened (10-15 minutes). Combine with eggplant mixture
3. Add diced tomatoes, season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. It is done when there is no liquid pooling and the mixture is a spreadable and still somewhat chunky consistency.
Serve eggplant spread with crusty bread. So delicious!
Eggplant Spread Recipe (Baklazhannaia Ikra)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs eggplant, peeled and diced
- 2 bell peppers, preferably red, yellow, or orange, diced
- 2 to 3 medium carrots, grated
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
- Canola oil or extra light olive oil to sauté
Instructions
- Place a large non-stick pan over medium/ high heat and add 3-4 Tbsp oil. Add eggplant and saute, stirring occasionally until softened and moist (15-20 min), adding more oil if needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom.
- At the same time, in a separate large skillet, add 2 Tbsp oil, diced bell pepper, grated carrots and finely diced onion. Saute until golden and softened (10-15 minutes). Combine with eggplant mixture
- Add diced tomatoes, season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, reduce heat to low,
- cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. It is done when there is no liquid pooling and the mixture is a spreadable and still somewhat chunky consistency. Serve eggplant spread with crusty bread.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Are you a fan of eggplant? What’s your favorite eggplant recipe?
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi Natasha,
I have been making this for years now following my fathers (he was Irish, go figure lol) recipe as he would make it when he was doing large gatherings and I loved it as a child. I was always baking the eggplant before skinning it so cant wait to try your way as I think it will be much easier to skin when it’s uncooked without a doubt along with adding shredded carrots. As far as some of the questions go I add in lemon juice & a light amount of sugar (amounts vary to how large a batch I’m making which at times can be a few quarts) I’m not into canning but I have froze it in vacuum freezer containers and it holds fine. I’ve played around adding crushed cashews, sunflower seeds and roasted pine nuts just to mix it, the cashews worked the best.
Looking forward to seeing what you have recipe wise as I bet they will be off the hook.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Kevin. I hope you will love all the recipes that you will try!
I came across your recipe last year and made it literally right away, I can’t believe how good it came out.
I’m about to make it today also.
This spread is to die for literally!
Thank you for all your hard work and delicious recipes!
Hi Dasha! So glad to hear that, you’re very welcome.
Can this recipe be canned or do you have something similar with eggplants that can be canned
Hello Oksana, I haven’t tried canning this, to be honest, so I can’t really suggest modifications to this recipe. I have seen similar recipes canned but I have not experimented with this one or with an eggplant.
I came across this recipe as I was browsing your site. I grew up eating this on Russian black bread and had forgotten how delicious it is and plan on making this as soon as I can get to the store to get an eggplant! My mother didn’t use carrot but it sounds good so I’m going to try it. Also, instead of diced tomatoes she used chili sauce, the bottled tomato-y kind you find next to the cocktail
sauce. It adds a little spice and a tangy note from the vinegar.
Sounds like a great plan. I cannot wait for you to try this recipe, please share with us how it goes if you finally give it a try!
The Baklazhannaia Ikra recipe is one I have been looking for many years. I remember making & eating it when I was little. So happy you posted this & can’t wait to try making it!! Thank you Natasha!
I’m so glad you found this recipe, Daria! I hope you love it!
Hi great recipe. The title means “egg plant caviar” as a Russian speaker that is the meaning. There’s nothing poor about this recipe as it is a whole different type of caviar that celebrates harvest and having plentiful vegetables
Keep cooking and thank you for sharing!
Thank you for that translate Lourie!
Very good spread!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
It tastes even better, if you keep diced eggplants in salty water for 15-30 minutes before starting cooking them. And in our country we usually sautee all veggies together, in the pot covered with lid, this way less oil is used and ikra stays more juicy and soft :).
thank you for sharing this tip with us Narmina 😀
If I want to add garlic, during what step it would be best to do it? Thanks
Hi Larisa, it depends on how much you love the flavor of garlic – you could add it with the diced tomatoes if you prefer it more mild or add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking for stronger garlic flavor.
its actually eggplant caviar not poor mans caviar. its literally the translation of it.
anyway going to go try this dish out sometime, probably add something of my own to it as i do with all my dishes. thanks for the post.
I hope you enjoyed that, Kirill!
Hey Natasha , do you think if I store it in mason jar as to how long it will stay good?
Hi Tanya, you can store it in the refrigerator in a mason jar or any covered container and it will keep well refrigerated for about a week. I’m not sure if it would work to can it and keep it at room temperature – I haven’t tried that with this recipe. If anyone else has experimented, please let us know.
It is not safe to can eggplant
Hi Natasha
New fan who is trying one of your cole slaw salads tonite and definitely planning on trying this eggplant recipe soon! I love that you use carrot in so many of your dishes. Have always been confused on how to use up my extra carrots! Duh, add a little extra flavor & goodness to another dish! Thank you Natasha, for a wonderful blog, great recipes and some (more) light in my life! 🙂
You’re welcome, Laurie! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Made this last night as I had a big eggplant from my dad’s garden that needed to be used up. I am not an eggplant lover but this spread is super yummy! Not sure if it won me over completely to the Eggplant Lover camp, but next time I get one, I will know what to make. Thanks for another delicious recipe 🙂
You’re so welcome, Maxine! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the wonderful review!
I had remembered that my Czechoslovakian Grandmother used to make this. And I loved it. But this is the first time I’ve made it, minus the carrots, because I remember she did not use carrots in hers. I was just trying to find a recipe like hers and came across yours through google. Very good ! But it is esp nice to know that this recipe is of Slavic origin, like my dear Grandmother.
That’s so great! I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for the great review, Surati!
I made the Poor Man’s Caviar ….
I made it yesterday. My wife and I love eggplant and I was running out of ideas. Thank you Natasha, it is delicious!
I didn’t have bell peppers in diferent colors, just green and only a large one. Did not matter, at the end I added one teaspoon of Hungarian paprika powder. We spread it warm on toasted baguette 🥖 bread.
Thank you again!
You’re welcome Roberto! I’m glad to hear the recipe was a success. Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
My mother often made this, and now I do, too. It’s an excellent dip/side dish/pasta topping. It gets better as it ages, too. My mother’s ‘secret ingredient’ was a pinch of instant coffee. I add it, I don’t know if it makes any difference, though. Natasha, thank you for your wonderful website.
I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe Christine! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe, Natasha! It is always a treat to cook from your recipes. We are currently in Tajikistan and winter is approaching where we won’t have any vegetables. I am thinking of canning the eggplant spread. Have you ever tried that? Do you think it will work without vinegar or anything acidic?
Hi Ina, I haven’t tried canning this to be honest so I can’t really suggest modifications to this recipe. I have seen similar recipes canned but I have not experimented with this one.
I have canned this successfully many times. The process is the Same as with adjika, or tomato confit. I sterilize the jars, place the hot “eggplant caviar” in, then sterilize the closed jars (I use my pressure cooker for this last step).
I have two jars left on my shelf from last canning season. 8 months later, everything is perfect.
Oh, my goodness! Made this tonight for dinner and my husband and I are in heaven. Using egghplant from our garden and it’s the best eggplant recipe ever. We are just eating it on what was in the house: random toast and Triscuits! Thank you for this. I will serve it as an appetizer at a future extended-family dinner.
I’m happy to hear how much you both enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
I have tried zucchini ikra and I loved it! Never had eggplant ikra before. I’m wondering how the cooking time would change if I were to mix zucchini with eggplant for this recipe? Trying to ease in into the eggplant 😉
Thanks!
Hi Leslie, zucchini cooks a little faster so if you were to put it in at the same time with the eggplant, it might get too soft, but in this recipe it wouldn’t matter since your turning it into a spread anyways. The cook time would be about the same since the eggplant still needs that time to soften.
My mom says to sprinkle the eggplant with salt to get rid of the bitterness, I’ve never worked with eggplants before so I’m wondering, do I have to do anything with the eggplants or do I just cut them up and sauté them?
Hi Inna, I don’t usually do that with this recipe but I think it wouldn’t hurt, just be careful to add salt to taste since you will have some residual salt left on the eggplant.
could you add lemon and garlic?
Hi Suzi, we don’t add those but I think it would add nice flavor adding them to taste.
Holy canoli. Wicked good. Perfect recipe… just perfect. Thank you.
I’m so happy to hear how much you love the recipe! Literally puts a smile on my face! Thanks for sharing your awesome review Lena! 😀
Hi Natasha, I in a proces off making this recipe right now. I have a question, for how long it can stand in the refrigerator? 3 days ? or more?
THank you 🙂
It refrigerates really well and stays fresh for at least a week.
Hi Natasha,
I love your recepies! I’m Ukrainian and learned all my Ukrainian cooking from my mom. We used to make something similar to this and I’ve always liked it.
I’m thinking about making this dish for work potluck. Do you think it will be good cold or room temperature if I made it night before, kept it in the fridge, and brought it over to work with some toasted bread?
PS: your website is a great tool for me to check on recepies I’ve known since childhood, but as we all know, our Mothers say a pinch of this and a bit of that. Nothing is measured and everything is by eye; на глаз/но око 🙂
Almost forgot, do you peel an eggplant or leave the skin on?
For this recipe I peel the eggplant first then dice it.
Yes, this would still taste great cold or at room temperature. It also reheats well if you wanted to serve it warm. But it would taste great either way. I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes and thank you for sharing that with me!
I love all variations of this dish. I know everybody makes it differently and I don’t mean to sound like negative nancy, but simmering it covered for an hour doesn’t make much sense to me.
The vegetables are almost cooked anyway, all you need to do is get rid of the excess water. Don’t cover it, let it cook down uncovered until desired consistency.
Also, try adding a bit of tomato paste – it not only adds deeper flavor and beautiful color, it also thickens the dish. Oh year, and a few squeezes of lemon juice at the end really brighten it up.
Carlos, I like to keep my covered to braze the vegetables so the end result is more of a spread. I find that if the mixture is being cooked without water, it gets dry and I have to continually add water. Thank you for sharing the tips about the tomato paste and lemon. I would like to incorporate them next time 😄.
wow!!! I couldn’t stop “tasting” it… it is soooo good! thank you Natasha for this awesome recipe! delicious!
Ha! That’s always a good thing ;). Thank you for the wonderful review! 🙂
this ikra is so so so delicious. one of my favorites by far. how would i add some kick to it? jalapenos?
Hi Mary! I think jalapeños would be a nice touch to add some heat. If you love heat and jalapenos, I do hope you give this recipe a try sometime 🙂
Looks delicious ! Will try this weekend. Would adding garlic be a good combination?
Hi Lora, you can add garlic if you like. It wouldn’t hurt to add it 🙂
This is AMAZING. First time I made it, my 1 year old and I devoured it all in one day. Making it again today and doubling the recipe!
That is so awesome!! Thank you for sharing your fantastic review! 🙂
Made this on sunday. I like it so much that I went to buy more eggplants and peppers, since its the season now and will make couple more batches for freezing. Yes its that good and so simple. But what I did is I charred the eggplant on the grill, quick blend in the vitamix and then added it into the other mix. Gave it a very very nice smokey flavour. Love it!!!!
I love that you charred the eggplant on the grill. I’m sure that added some great flavor to the dish! 🙂 Thank you for your awesome review and for sharing on Instagram. That was awesome!
You always have great recipes! I love eggplant so I’m definitely going to try this one!
Give it a try, it won’t disappoint 😀.
Thank you very much for your Russian/Ukrainian recipes, I was foolish enough not to learn these when my grandmother was around. You are helping me atone for my past mistakes with each recipe.
I’m so glad my blog is a resource for you to rediscover old favorites. That’s part of my goal for this site and reading your comment has me grinning big 🙂
Love your recipes. I follow your Instagram, they are really good. I will definitely try this one too.
Thank you for following along! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy the recipes 🙂
Mmmmm wow Natasha this eggplant ikra spread looks really way good and yummmm wonder if it’ll work if I roast some or all of the veggies or is it best in the pan nevertheless job well done babes happy blessed Sunday cheers
Hi Tzivia, with this recipe, it works best if it’s done in the pan since you want the veggies to steam/braise and turn into a spreadable consistency 🙂
Ok sure making it all one pan it is hey less cleanup mmmmm can’t wait to try this out gurl have a gr8 day and super cool week ahead cheers
Wow, this is good — another excellent recipe, Natasha! Between this and the cabbage rolls, you’re teaching me to have greater appreciation for the carrot! These tried and true home recipes are always the best. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂 Thanks for the awesome review 🙂
Did you know you are my food angel? Let me explain… Okay so I love this eggplant stuff and ever since getting married and becoming an adult, I’ve been wanting to make this.. And you know you are a good Russian wife when you have successfully made borsh, bulochki (with yeast) and eggplant ikra, am I right? Haha so anyways, to fulfill my rite of passage as a good wife, I set out to make this recipe on my own. My mom only gave me the ingredients and that’s it. But being new at this, I was unsure of the steps, I thought… I’ll just check Natasha’s site, maybe she has it up…. And low and behold!! It is HERE! in front of my face! 😀 so I made it and it’s amazing and you are my food angel cause this has happened before. Life is good, thanks Natash 😉
Awww!! That’s the sweetest comment I’ve received in awhile. Thank you Yana 🙂 🙂 🙂
Natashas I prickl my eggplant with a fork or knife and then roast it in the oven 30 to 45 minutes, then cut open the skin and scoop out the filling. This saves me the step of peeling it and dicing it. Anything that makes less work for me.
That’s a great tip Olga, thank you for sharing it with us 😀.
Olga, What was F degree you used ?as I’d like bake mine in oven as well vs stovetop
can you canned this spread? how long will it last in the fridge in a jar?
Hi Tanya, I’ve never canned this before but when I asked my Mom, she said it would probably work to can it, just be sure to sterilize the jars beforehand and add the mixture piping hot to the jars before sealing them.
This looks good, Natasha! I can probably eat this in one seating, just munching with pita chips, like how we do with chips and salsa, I have a feeling this is addicting in that sort of way! 😉
Ooooh I love the idea of serving this with pita chips. Yum!!
I remember baklazannaja ikra from my childhood, my mom used to make it and it is delicious. We didn’t add bell peppers and carrots, but we did put few minced garlic cloves in the end.
I love your variation of eggplant spread and will definitely will give it a try.
That is the best when food bring back some nice memories from the childhood 😄. That’s so great!
Hello Natasha! In Greece, where I am from, we have a similar recipe, where whole large eggplants are grilled (and tasted smoked), then put in a plastic bag for a few minutes so that they can be peeled off their skin easily, and then we add the rest og the ingredients. We grill the peppers (red and green) in the same way. Lots of extra virgin olive oil, and onion, fresh tomatoes, salt and pepper+
= HEAVEN!!! You have a great day!
That sounds really good Noppy, reading your comment is making me hungry 😋.
I make this all the time but also add pressed garlic with onions sometimes zucchini and at the end add couple tablespoons of mayo…. yummm.
Mmm I love your add-in ideas! I’ll have to try that next time 🙂
Natashenka you think i can do canning it? seems like would be good for winter too:)
HI Viktoriya, I’ve never canned this before but when I asked my Mom, she said it would probably work to can it, just be sure to sterilize the jars beforehand and add the mixture piping hot to the jars before sealing them.
Definitely going to make this. How long will it last in the fridge? My husband and kids won’t eat peppers or eggplants, so it’ll be up to me to finish it. And I will definitely add garlic. Lots of it😍💚
Hi Marina, we haven’t tested the limits on it but it will last at least a week in the refrigerator 🙂 I hope you LOVE it! 🙂
How long can you keep this?
We haven’t tested the limits on it but it can last at least a week in the refrigerator 🙂