Heart-Healthy Twice Cooked Eggplant
Elevate your weeknight dinners with this **Heart-Healthy Twice Cooked Eggplant**, a flavorful dish that perfectly balances savory, sweet, and spicy notes while prioritizing your wellness. This recipe transforms simple, nutrient-packed eggplants into tender, golden slices, seasoned with a vibrant sauce made from low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and a hint of ginger for warmth. The dish is prepared using the twice-cooking method: first pan-searing the eggplant for a rich caramelized texture, then coating it in a velvety thickened sauce for irresistible flavor. Finished with fresh green onions and crunchy toasted sesame seeds, this plant-based delight is quick to prepare—just 15 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cook time! Enjoy it as a stand-alone side dish or serve it over brown rice or quinoa for a satisfying, heart-healthy complete meal. Perfect for anyone embracing vegetarian cuisine or looking for delicious low-sodium options.
Log this recipe in SnapCalorie
Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized eggplants
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- 2 green onions
- 0.25 teaspoons red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons cooking oil (avocado or olive oil)
Instructions
Cut the eggplants into thick rounds (about 1/2 inch) and then into half-moons. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and set aside to draw out moisture for 10 minutes. Pat them dry with a clean towel.
In a small bowl, combine the low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red chili flakes. Stir to create the sauce.
Mix the cornstarch and water in a separate small bowl to create a slurry. Set aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon of cooking oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger from the sauce mixture, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Return the cooked eggplant to the skillet, pour the prepared sauce over it, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to coat the eggplant evenly.
Add the cornstarch slurry to the skillet and stir continuously until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency, about 1 minute.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle the cooked dish with green onions (sliced thin) and toasted sesame seeds.
Serve warm as a side dish or over a bed of brown rice or quinoa for a heart-healthy, complete meal.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
592 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 39.4 g | 51% | |
| Saturated Fat | 5.4 g | 27% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 11.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 1024 mg | 45% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 58.7 g | 21% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 19.8 g | 71% | |
| Total Sugars | 31.8 g | ||
| Protein | 11.6 g | 23% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 129 mg | 10% | |
| Iron | 3.7 mg | 21% | |
| Potassium | 1517 mg | 32% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
