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Finished Moroccan Eggplant Stew in white enamel cast iron skillet with bowl of couscous.
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5 from 4 votes

Moroccan Eggplant Stew

This Moroccan Eggplant Stew recipe sings with flavor and is a great way to use up an array of fresh, seasonal produce! Eggplant and zucchini are the perfect blank-canvas ingredients that absorb the rich flavors of the fire-roasted tomatoes, fragrant harissa paste, and a blend of warming spices. Serve over couscous, rice, or quinoa for a hearty, wholesome, and delicious dinner!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Eggplant Draining Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Vegetarian / Vegan Entrees
Cuisine: Moroccan, Moroccan / North African
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Author: Carol Borchardt

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 medium globe eggplants (1 1/2 pounds) cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon salt plus more for seasoning to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil or as needed
  • 1 large zucchini quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
  • 1 medium onion coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper seeded and cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch pieces
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 can (15-ounce) diced fire-roasted tomatoes undrained
  • 1 can (8-ounce) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Cooked couscous, rice or quinoa

Instructions

  • Place the eggplant cubes in a colander, and sprinkle with approximately 1 tablespoon of salt and toss to coat. Place in the sink and let it drain for approximately 30 minutes. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. (Do not rinse.)
  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy skillet or sauté pan. Add the eggplant, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, or until lightly browned and tender. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet. Add the zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, or until lightly browned. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, or until softened.
  • Add the yellow bell pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Stir briefly, 10-15 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant.
  • Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits.
  • Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, the tomato sauce, and chickpeas. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.
  • Add the eggplant, zucchini, and harissa paste and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
  • Season to taste with additional salt (if needed) and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the cilantro.
  • Serve with hot cooked couscous, rice or quinoa.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:
  • Vary the veggies with carrots, sweet potato, regular potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, yellow squash, and greens like spinach or Swiss chard.
  • Vegetable broth keeps this Moroccan Eggplant Stew vegan, but if that doesn't matter to you, you can use chicken broth.
  • You can substitute regular diced tomatoes for the fire-roasted and add the smoky element with a little more cumin and Hungarian paprika.
  • If you are sensitive to spice, reduce the harissa paste or leave it out, or use a small amount of crushed red pepper flakes instead.
TIPS:
  • Salt and dry the eggplant well. Salting draws out excess moisture so it browns better; pat thoroughly dry before cooking.
  • Don’t crowd the pan when browning the eggplant, and avoid adding extra oil—it will absorb oil initially, then release some as it softens.
  • Don’t overcook the vegetables. The eggplant should be soft, while the other vegetables retain some texture.
  • Bloom the spices. Briefly cooking them in oil enhances their aroma and deepens their flavor.
  • Adjust the harissa to taste. Heat levels vary by brand, so start conservatively and add more as desired.
  • Salt at the end. The salted eggplant, broth, and canned ingredients may already provide enough.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 1366mg | Potassium: 642mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 73mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg