A Fricassée is a southern French dish, halfway between a sauté and a stew, typically prepared with chicken or meat. Here, I do away with either and just have eggplant take center stage for a hearty vegan dish! It is a cinch to throw together –all you need is time for it to bake in the oven for an hour, but ahhhh it is so worth it! I love to serve it piping hot out of the oven over cooked farro or black rice but you can also make it ahead and serve it at room temperature over a bed of mixed green for an elegant lunch. Your guests will rave about it: It’s spectacular!
Eggplant Fricassée
Author: Catherine Katz
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplants, unpeeled, rinsed
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes
- 2 sweet onions, thickly sliced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 1 /2 tsp dry thyme (or fresh thyme to taste)
- 1 tsp dry rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350 F
- Sautee the onions in the olive oil until just soft (about 10 minutes) but not fully cooked (they will continue to cook in the oven) and set aside.
- Cut the eggplants into thick slices (about 1 inch) and the tomatoes into quarters and place them together in a large bowl.
- Add the warm onions (with the oil they are cooked in), the spices, bay leaves, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix gently to coat all the ingredients (see the little video clip below).
- Transfer to a large baking dish in one layer as best you can, and place in preheated oven.
- Bake for an hour (or more depending on your own oven, but make sure they are to the point of being almost caramelized, like the photo), stirring gently twice throughout, to make sure all the juices cover the eggplants.
- Serve with fresh sprigs of thyme.
I cannot eat garlic or onions. Is there a substitute?
If not, can I put garlic and onions in a cooking bag To give flavor but not eat them?
aw Erin, I am afraid this particular recipe is just not one for you, because the briefly sauteed onions (there is no garlic in this recipe) are what makes this recipe “caramelized” in the oven. Without them, it just would not be the same.
Oh my! This looks simply delicious! Now I almost feel sorry I’m out with some girlfriends tonight, but I’m definitely trying this recipe tomorrow! 🤗
Hahaha Susanne I hope you had fun with your girlfriends and now have had a chance to try this and…love it? I’d love to hear!! 🙂
Hi Catherine, I’ve made this delicious recipe several times and made some additions that added a nice touch. I added some vegetable broth before putting in the oven. It makes the whole dish more moist and even more delicious. I also cut the eggplant into one inch cubes so the flavors mix even better. Tonight about halfway through the baking time I stirred the ingredients and then placed bokchoy on the top to bake with the other ingredients. I’ll let you know how that move turned out!
Tasty recipe. Thanks for sharing. I noticed on the written recipe 3 eggplants are listed, but seems that one medium to large eggplant is used in the website video. One large eggplant seems to work best for me.
Thank you for the kind words Yvette! Depending on the size of the eggplant, I can use up to 3 medium eggplants and I think looking at the diameter of the eggplants in the video, I might have used just 2, but you are right that sometimes, if you have a really large eggplant you could use just one. This recipe is so “forgiving”, it always works no matter what! I hope this is helpful! 🙂
Thanks!
Cant wait to try this
So sorry, I didn’t see your previous reply…..:)
Hello, Catherine, can you tell me what a “medium” eggplant would be? There are so many sizes, and I know some work better than others.
Thank you!
If I use Herb de Provence, how much?
Hi Linda, If you use dry Herbes de Provences, you can use 1 1/2 tsp. If fresh, you can use 3 or 4 sprigs each of fresh thyme and rosemary. 🙂
bonjour de France! simply and so good! and …full of colors!!! delicious!!! martine de France
Hi Catherine,
Hope you are having a wonderful summer! I cannot wait to try your new recipe. What would you serve it over? Pasta, rice or nothing?
Thanks,
Caroline
Catherine, what would be the dimensions of a medium eggplant? They can be tiny or huge, and would like to choose the right size. Also, is it not necessary to salt the eggplant first, to remove the bitterness? I haven’t cooked with them for years!
Hi Margo, I would say about 6 inches long and 2-3 inch in diameter, not huge but not tiny either! This recipe is very forgiving so the exact dimensions do not matter so much. Once you make it, you’ll know what I mean, it will turn out delicious I promise! I hope this is helpful! 🙂
Thank you!
Can you provide the percepnts of protein, fat and carbs in the dish, please????
Hi Cherryl, I do not typically give the nutritional analysis for my recipe, for reasons that I describe here: https://cuisinicity.com/calories-in-calories-out-but-dont-obsess/ . Having said that, because I give the exact measurements for each ingredient, you can easily enter the data online and get exactly what you need. I hope this is helpful!
Wow!! This looks majorly delish!
YAY my relish Corinda! I’ll make it for you when you are home! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Catherine, Just made your Eggplant Fricassée for the first time tonight. It is a most amazing dish I can describe in three words: “delisioso, delisioso, delisioso!” The amount of spices and olive oil are just right to make this fricassée perfectly flavorful. And it was sooooo easy! Thank you for helping us busy fans of yours love the food that loves us back – simply and fast.
Hi Donna! Love love love your description!!! It makes me so happy always, so I thank you!!! 🙂