Can You Freeze Eggplant?

Last updated on August 22nd, 2022 at 01:49 am

Eggplant can be used for many recipes. Eggplant can be good for you but if it is eaten raw the texture will be spongy and the taste kind of bitter. Once it is cooked, it will become more mild and a little bit more rich. 

Eggplant can be grilled, stuffed, or roasted. It can also be served in soup and stews or on kabobs. Eggplant can even be used in curries and stir-fries. 

You can even make eggplant pizza! 

It’s a very healthy fruit that is nutritious and low in calories, fat and sodium. It is also high in fiber and provides the consumer with potassium, magnesium, folic acid and Vitamin B6 and A. 

If you have bought a few eggplants in order to make some of these delicious recipes but want to save them to use weeks or months later, you may be wondering if you can freeze them.

You can freeze eggplant. This will preserve its taste and texture for up to 8 months. 

Although frozen eggplant will never taste exactly like fresh eggplant, freezing it will help to preserve it if you have leftovers and want to use them in the upcoming months. 

There are some things you need to do first in order to freeze this fruit. It may sound strange but baking it a little before freezing is necessary to keep the eggplant good since it has such a high water content. 

Before freezing, you want to remove as much moisture as you can because the water will turn to a solid when it is freezing. This can result in a soggy eggplant. 

So to freeze eggplant, start by slicing it into one inch rounds and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the eggplant for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Then let them cool. 

After the eggplant is cooled, place the pieces in a freezer bag, separating the pieces with wax paper to prevent them from sticking together. Then label the bag with the current date so you know when you froze them and when you should eat them. 

The eggplant will be good in the freezer for up to 8 months. It is still safe to eat after this time but after 8 months the texture of the eggplant will be affected. 

So you can freeze eggplant to use later. This way you can save them for future use and have them on hand when you are wanting to make one of your eggplant recipes. 

When you want to cook the eggplant, you can use it frozen or put it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. 

Can You Freeze Eggplant Without Cooking It? 

Eggplant is so great in all sorts of dishes and can be frozen to be used later. The best way to prepare it to be frozen is to bake it first but when you’re in a time crunch, can you freeze eggplant without cooking it?

Eggplant cannot be frozen without cooking it first. If you want the eggplant to stay good and fresh you will need to bake it before putting it in the freezer.

This fruit can be frozen and it is recommended that you bake it before placing it in the freezer. You shouldn’t try to freeze eggplant without baking it because it won’t stay as good and when it comes time to take it out to eat it it will be soggy and mushy. 

You can also blanch the fruit before you bake it to decrease the baking time. Blanching is dipping the fruit in a pot of hot boiling water and then dipping it in ice cold water afterwards to destroy all the enzymes before you cook it. 

Wash, peel and slice the eggplant. Then give it a quick bath in the boiling water and dip it in the cold water. Then bake the eggplant for about 4 minutes. 

Make sure it is cooled and then place the eggplant in freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to 8 months. 

Thawing the eggplant is easy. All you have to do is place it in the refrigerator to defrost overnight or simply cook it frozen. 

Because of the high water content that eggplant contains it does not freeze well raw. It will be better if you cook it first even if it is just partially before freezing it. 

You can skip the blanching step, though this will help to rid the fruit of any enzymes causing it to lose flavor, color, and taste. While you can skip blanching you should not skip cooking the sliced pieces of eggplant before you freeze it. 

It will keep the fruit fresh so when you want to eat it it will still taste good. 

Random fact. Did you know that eggplant is actually a fruit? It’s usually thought of and eaten as a vegetable, however eggplant is indeed a fruit. Purple and egg-shaped this fruit makes it what it is by how it is grown and the fact that it contains small seeds causing it to be classified as a berry. 

Why Is Eggplant Not Good For You? 

Now this may sound contradictory because I already said that eggplant is healthy for you to eat. Why could this fruit not be good for you?

Certain people (such as those with too much iron) shouldn’t eat too much eggplant because it can cause some health problems.

Even with all of its healthy benefits, eggplant will not be good for some people. Those with too much iron in their bodies shouldn’t eat a lot of this food because it contains Nasunin which binds with iron and removes it from its cells. 

You should also never eat the leaves of the eggplant plant because doing so may be fatal. Eggplant is a part of the nightshade family containing alkaloids like solanine which can be toxic. 

The solanine protects the plant while it is still developing. The reaction from eating too much of it though can be harmful to your body. 

Eating it in low to moderate amounts that eggplant contains, is unlikely to have an effect on you. 

Some people even have an allergy to eggplant, in which case the fruit should be avoided. Sometimes eating eggplant can result in kidney stones in people whose bodies are prone to developing them.

Eggplant can be stored in a cool dry place for 1 to 2 days. If you want to use it after a couple of days it should be stored in the refrigerator for two or three weeks. If you want to store it longer than this, you can freeze it by following all the tips mentioned earlier for up to 8 months.  

After this time. It will start to lose some of its taste and texture so it is better to eat the eggplant before the 8 months is up. Eggplant contains a lot of vitamins and minerals as antioxidants. 

The things that eggplant contains can keep your heart healthy, keep cholesterol levels good and even protect the body from cancer. Eating eggplant can also help with brain function, managing weight, and eye health. 

For more nutritional facts about eggplant, Medical News Today has some interesting information. 

Final Thoughts

You can freeze eggplant if you want to save it for future use. It will still be good after being frozen if it is prepared and stored properly. 

You will want to wash, peel, and slice the fruit. Then balch and bake it before you put it in the freezer. Place the slices in a freezer bag and you’re all set to store the eggplant for up to 8 months. 

To thaw, just remove the eggplant from the freezer and thaw it in the fridge or cook frozen. Eggplant is good for you and contains healthy vitamins and minerals. 

However, some people shouldn’t eat a lot of the fruit or any at all if it can be harmful to them. 

If you have a lot of eggplant you want to use in the following weeks or months, just freeze it to keep it good for the time you want to cook it in a delicious recipe.