How to Peel an Eggplant: 3 Tips for Peeling Eggplant

Eggplant (Solanum melongena), also known as aubergine and brinjal, is a perennial, warm-season vegetable from the nightshade family. Eggplant comes in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. The most common eggplant variety in the U.S. is the globe eggplant: This hefty variety has glossy, deep-purple skin and spongy fruit. Other commonly cultivated varieties include white eggplants (used in Middle Eastern dishes like baba ganoush), Thai eggplants, Black Beauties, Ichiban, Rosa Bianca, and Little Fingers.

To peel an eggplant, first wash and dry the vegetable. Then, using a vegetable peeler, run the peeler along the eggplant skin, taking care not to remove too much of the flesh. You can also use a paring knife to peel the eggplant. While the eggplant skin is edible, removing the skin lessens the bitterness of the vegetable.

After peeling the eggplant, consider spritzing the veggie with lemon juice and salt to preserve color and remove moisture:

1. 1. Prevent oxidation: Cut eggplants turn brown after being exposed to air. To prevent this, spritz some lemon juice into a bowl of water and then place the cut eggplants into the water while you prep the rest of the ingredients for your dish. Only peel the flesh of the eggplant on the same day you’re going to use it.
2. 2. Salt the eggplant: Some recipes recommend salting the eggplants to draw out some of the water and remove some of the bitter taste in the eggplant, especially in older eggplants and larger eggplants. Lay the cut eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle salt on both sides. Place another paper towel on top of the eggplant and put a plate over the eggplant slices. Let stand for twenty minutes, then rinse the eggplant under running water in a colander and pat dry.
3. 3. Try a variety of preparations: You can cook eggplants in a variety of ways to prepare main dishes and side dishes. One popular option is eggplant parmesan, an Italian dish where you bread and fry eggplant, then bake it with tomato sauce in the oven. You can also make roasted eggplant, baked eggplant, or grilled eggplant. You can use peeled eggplant to make soups and stews (such as ratatouille), or you can sauté the eggplant in a stir fry or roast to make baba ganoush.

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