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This spicy eggplant is my all-time favorite eggplant recipe. Hands down. the name Ogoniok (Огонек) means “little fire” because it does have a spicy kick to it.
My Aunt Tanya brought this recipe over from the old country. I’m telling you, It will knock your socks right off (not because it’s too spicy but because it’s ridiculously amazing)!! I eat this right out of the fridge with a piece of toast and it’s all I need.
My mom told me a story that’s funny/not funny. I have an uncle who ate spicy eggplant in Ukraine and he loved it so much that he couldn’t stop eating it. Long story short, he over did it big time and ended up in the hospital with a major belly ache. He was ok and I guess the lesson here is; there is such thing as too much of a good thing ;). It really is an amazing recipe, just don’t try to eat the entire batch!
Ingredients for Spicy Eggplant Recipe:
4 1/2 lbs (2 kg) eggplant *
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp (100 mL) white vinegar
1 Tbsp sea salt
2-3 medium/large jalapenos (or to taste), seeded and minced
7 large (or 10 medium) garlic cloves, peeled and pressed/minced
Canola Oil to fry eggplant
*How to Buy and Store Eggplant:
1. Choose slightly firm eggplant that are heavy for their size.
2. Choose eggplants that are small to medium in size (avoid the big ones)
3. Skins should be smooth and glossy and stems should be bright green.
4. Eggplants are best enjoyed fresh so use them within 4 days of purchasing. Store whole and unwashed at room temperature, uncovered and away from direct sunlight and away from bananas, tomatoes and melons which release ethylene while ripening and can cause eggplant to spoil quicker.
How to Make Spicy Eggplant Recipe:
1. Cut eggplant into 1 1/2″ to 2″ pieces.
2. Fill 1/3 of medium/large pot with canola oil and place over med/high heat. To test if oil is ready, drop in a piece of eggplant and it should bubble and sizzle. Once oil is hot, add enough eggplant to keep it mostly submerged in oil. The eggplant should be bubbling and boiling in the oil the entire time.
Cook in 2 to 3 batches depending on the size of your pot. Once eggplant is golden (15 to 20 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander set over a bowl to drain off excess oil. Let it drain in the colander until eggplant is just barely warm then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine white vinegar, pressed garlic cloves, minced jalapeños and salt. Stir together and drizzle over cooled eggplant. Toss to combine. Eggplant can be enjoyed right away or refrigerated. It keeps for several weeks and only gets better as the flavors meld.
Spicy Eggplant Recipe (Ogoniok)
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 lbs 2 kg eggplant
- 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp, 100 mL white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 2-3 medium/large jalapenos, or to taste, seeded and minced
- 7 large, or 10 medium garlic cloves, peeled and pressed/minced
- Canola Oil to fry eggplant
Instructions
- Cut eggplant into 1 1/2" to 2" pieces.
- Fill 1/3 of medium/large pot with canola oil and place over med/high heat. To test if oil is ready, drop in a piece of eggplant and it should bubble and sizzle. Once oil is hot, add enough eggplant to keep it mostly submerged in oil. The eggplant should be bubbling and boiling in the oil the entire time. Cook in 2 to 3 batches depending on the size of your pot. Once eggplant is golden (15 to 20 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander set over a bowl to drain off excess oil. Let it drain in the colander until eggplant is just barely warm then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine white vinegar, pressed garlic cloves, minced jalapeños and salt. Stir together and drizzle over cooled eggplant. Toss to combine. Eggplant can be enjoyed right away or refrigerated. It keeps for several weeks and only gets better as the flavors meld.
- Be sure to explore our other Eggplant recipes like this eggplant spread and definitely eggplant parmesan!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Be sure to explore our other Eggplant recipes like this eggplant spread and definitely eggplant parmesan!
Q: What’s your all-time favorite eggplant dish?
I make this recipe all the time! Us it possible to jar them for the winter?
Hi Tatyana, I haven’t experimented with that to advise. If you happen to experiment I would love to know how you like that.
We made this recipe and love it so much that we wondered if you can can it?
Hi Laurie, I haven’t experimented with that t advise. If you happen to I would love to know how you like that.
This is one of my most requested dishes. My father in law raves about it, says it reminds him of his mama’s cooking. Can there be a better compliment? We all love it. Better yet, instead of frying, I bake this in baking pans and on parchment liberally drizzled with oil (400•F, 10-15 min per side). Thank you for another gem!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Inga! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Keep coming back here for this one. Finally wrote it down on my own recipe collection worried that your site might go down someday. Thank you for a great recipe!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
What white vinegar I should use? 5% or 9%?
Hi Mila, we used 5% for this recipe.
Hi, I just tried this recipe, followed exact instructions, fresh eggplant out of my garden and it is nothing but a giant pile of mush. Please tell me what I did wrong. Thanks,Amy
Hi Amy, once they are refrigerated, by the next day, they are no longer the individual pieces but they do soften which is totally normal! They just aren’t very photogenic at that point so I opted to photograph the recipe while they were fresh.
Natasha, this recipe looks yummy! My only question is what do you think about roasting the eggplant in the oven or on the grill instead of frying it? Love eggplant but cannot do much fried stuff these days. Thanks!
Hi Natasha, I think that should still work fine. One of my readers reported good results in the air fryer so an oven should work well. I have instructions for baking eggplant here. I would spray both sides with a little olive oil.
I can’t believe how tasty this was considering it’s only a few simple ingredients. I should have made a double batch. This is a huge keeper.
Thank you.
Sounds like you found a new favorite! Thank you for that awesome review!
Natasha, we adore all of your recipes! I have a question. Could the eggplant be drizzled with oil and then “fried” in an air fryer? All of the veggies I do in the air fryer come out amazing. I would continue with the rest of the recipe as written.
Hi Carol, I honestly haven’t tried this recipe any other way but deep fried but I think it’s worth a try. If you experiment, please let me know how you liked it.
I did air fry the eggplant and it came out perfectly golden. 380 for 13ish minutes. I forgot to buy the fresh jalapenos, so I had to use pickled jalapenos. The color was not as vibrant as fresh would have been but the flavor is wonderful! Posted a pic to FB.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!! Did you spray with oil before air frying? I can’t wait to try eggplant in the airfryer. I’m completely in love with my air fryer. Thanks for sharing a picture!
Natasha,
I drizzled oil over it before frying. It still absorbed some of the oil (so, I drained it per your recipe), but I think far less than frying in the oil.
Hi Natasha. I love your recipes!!
I am wondering if I want to make this for a dinner party and make it ahead of time – ?? could I refrigerate it and then pull it out as an appetizer? cold? or room temp? Do you have any ideas?
Hi Jodie, You can definitely refrigerate. Once refrigerated, by the next day, they do soften which is totally normal!
Can I use red spicy pepper?
I don’t have jalapeños on hand…
Hi Ildi! I haven’t tested that but it should work!
I’ve made it with red chili peppers.
They are good, nice taste.
I think jalapeno is even better, let’s hope I’ll find some next time.
That’s so great Ildi! Thank you for sharing that review with me!
I’ve made and remade these eggplants over and over!
All my “mom friends” (Japanese word for friends you make through your kids playing together) are in love with this recipe. Even held a cooking class at my house and this recipe and your marinated mushrooms were the stars ⭐️
Thank you for all your recipes!
Thanks for sharing that with me and for your great review. I hope you love every recipe you try!
Incredible recipe. I made this eggplant dish today to complement the shashlik I prepared also using a recipe from here. This has got to be the best eggplant recipe I have ever tried. Better than Imam bayildi. Also easier and faster. My new favourite eggplant dish.
Thanks, Natasha! Also, my son says “hats down to you” for this one. He is a fan of eggplants.
Another thing. I am growing used to your site and have a great appreciation for your effort to try and test every recipe. I am fed up with so many online recipes that are so obviously either fake or never tested.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Elena! Thank you so much for sharing that with me I’m so happy you enjoy our blog & recipes!
Had to stop myself from scarfing it all down. I make a roasted red pepper dish that’s similar but this wins hands down.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Irina 🙂
Brilliant! We made it this evening and we can not get enough of it! It is good we have a cautionary tale 🙂 with the recipe so we promptly stashed the rest into a fridge for breakfast tomorrow. Delish!
That’s so great Diana, it sounds like you found a new favorite!
Hi Natasha,
I will be making these tomorrow and wanted to clarify that when you say ‘fry the eggplant in 2-3 batches for 15-20 min’, does that mean each batch for 15-20 min? Hoping not to have mushy eggplant but nice and golden like yours in the pics 🙂
Hi Viky, it was 15-20 minutes each batch. I’ve also had a couple of people report great results using an air fryer – it’s on my to-do list. I love eggplant!
Hello! Looking forward to making this! What would this usually be served with? Rice?
Rice sounds like the perfect side for this dish! This dish is often served as a side or appetizer
My friend made this for us last night and I had to find the recipe online to grab it for my collection. It is so good! Eating the leftovers today and I’m such a happy camper. I’ve been wanting more vegetable sides to serve with dinner and glad I have this one. Next time will try roasting in the oven instead of frying since I am trying to be more healthy right now.
Sounds like you found a new favorite Heather! Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me.
I was honestly nervous about the vinigar but deciddd to stick to proportions and it’s delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
hauntingly delicious
It sure is delicious! Thank you for sharing your review with us, Lisa
I made these TWICE today! Hope the second batch lasts until the party this Saturday. So yummy!!
You might just have to make a third batch! I’m glad you’re enjoying this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
So I made this recipe today.
I wasn’t sure about 1/3 vinegar + 2Tbs (100ml) vinegar, so I just measured 100ml.
Could you elucidate on that, please?
The mix felt too sour, so I added 2tbs of sugar. It was much better!
My eggplants on the other hand kind of fell apart, they didn’t kept their shape nicely like yours…
I’m not sure where I went wrong, size or frying. Need to work on that.
Overall it’s a nice taste and I will see tomorrow what my partner says.
It’s the first recipe from your blog that it kind of failed… 🙁
This has been a family favorite for a long time and I am always happy to help troubleshoot! 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp of vinegar is equal to 100ml by volume. Make sure you are adding the correct proportions of vinegar to eggplant to garlic. The garlic is key in this recipe so it won’t be the same and vinegar may seem overwhelming if you skimp on garlic. It does mellow out with time and we have never had to add sugar. I would suggest making it per the recipe.
Ok, I remade this recipe today but only for a quarter of the amount.
This time I fried the eggplants less time.
And followed the recipe exactly.
Much better outcome, not falling apart but still cooked and the taste is good too.
Might be a keeper!
Thank you.
I’m happy to hear it worked out better! Thank you!
Hi Natasha! Can i use vegetable oil?
The short answer for this is, Yes! You can almost always substitute the two. Thanks, Angelina!