Eggplant Stir-Fry with Garlic and Basil

This Chinese-inspired eggplant stir-fry has crunchy white onions, lots of garlic and basil, and an umami-packed glossy sauce.

If you’re looking for an easy eggplant stir-fry to rival your favorite Chinese restaurant’s, you’ve found it. Made with tender Chinese eggplants, and flavored with garlic, ginger, basil, and soy sauce, this stir-fry is deliciously saucy and packed with irresistible umami.

Here, buttery chunks of eggplant mingle with crunchy onion slices and pops of floral basil. Read on for all my cooking tips and the best trick for avoiding greasy eggplant.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Eggplant: This recipe is easiest to make with Chinese eggplant (the long and skinny kind – pictured below) because it doesn’t require pre-salting. You can make this recipe with other types of eggplant – like globe or Sicilian – but I do recommend salting those first (instructions below).
• Onion: You can use white, yellow, or red onion here.
• Soy Sauce: The base of the stir-fry sauce.
• Rice Vinegar: Adds tanginess to the sauce. If all you have is seasoned rice vinegar, go ahead and use it – just skip the maple syrup.
• Maple Syrup: Can be subbed with honey.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce and helps it coat the eggplant. Can be subbed with arrowroot starch.
• Fresh Garlic + Ginger: Do not substitute with dried.
• Basil: If you can find it, Thai basil is best. If not, regular Italian basil also works.

How to Make Eggplant Stir-Fry

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Cut the Eggplant

First halve the eggplants lengthwise, then cut each half on a diagonal into 3/4-inch pieces.  (If you’re using another type of eggplant, salt it before cooking – instructions below.)

Step 2: Sear the Eggplant

Place the eggplant in a skillet with oil over medium heat. (It should be mostly in a single layer, but a few overlapping pieces are okay.) Season with salt and pepper, and cover with a lid. Cook undisturbed until golden on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Then toss and continue cooking until golden on most sides, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes more.

Step 3: Prep the Sauce

While the eggplant is cooking, in a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, and a bit of water.

Step 4: Finish the Stir-Fry

When the eggplant is ready, remove it from the pan and briefly set aside. Add sliced onions to the pan and cook for just about 2 minutes – they should be slightly browned but still crunchy.

Then add the eggplant back in, along with the sauce and basil. Quickly toss to make sure the eggplant is evenly coated. Cook for about 30 more seconds, just until the sauce has thickened.

Tips for the Best Eggplant Stir-Fry

• Cover the pan. (This is my #1 key tip!) Putting a lid on the skillet while the eggplant is searing traps moisture in the pan and helps soften the eggplant, which speeds up the cooking process and allows you to use less oil.
• Cook it mostly undisturbed. During the first ~4 minutes of pan-frying, resist the urge to move, flip, or otherwise zhuzh the eggplant. It needs to make prolonged contact with the pan in order to properly brown.
• Use cornstarch in the sauce. Whisking a bit of cornstarch (or arrowroot) into the sauce helps the sauce thicken and adhere to the eggplant pieces in a beautiful glossy way.

How to Salt Eggplant

If using globe or Sicilian eggplants for this stir-fry, I recommend salting them first in order to draw out some of their bitterness and soften their flesh. To salt, slice the eggplant into similar-sized pieces. Place on a paper towel-lined cutting board and sprinkle both sides with salt. Set aside for about 15 minutes. When the eggplant looks sweaty, pat it dry with paper towels and proceed with cooking.

How to Serve Eggplant Stir-Fry

This vegan dish can be served warm or at room temperature, as a meatless main course (alongside rice or quinoa) or as a side dish. Turn it into a complete Asian-inspired feast with sesame garlic edamame, cucumber kimchi salad, and/or veggie stir-fried noodles.

More Ways with Eggplant…

• Vegan Eggplant Lasagna
• Ukrainian Eggplant “Caviar”
• Air Fryer Miso Eggplant
• Roasted Eggplant Sandwich

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.