Learn how to cut eggplant into strips, rounds, and cubes for use in eggplant parmesan, grilling, stir-fries, and more! Step-by-step photos and video included.
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Eggplant is a versatile vegetable that can be sliced and diced in a variety of ways. You can make eggplant parmesan with rounds or slabs, use strips in sandwiches, or cut up eggplant into cubes for stir-fries.
Once you get the hang of preparing eggplant, the culinary opportunities are endless. Here’s everything you need to know about how to cut eggplant.
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How to Slice Eggplant into Rounds
Eggplant rounds are great for roasting and grilling, since they won’t fall between the grill grates. They’re great as a base for eggplant parmesan or with other toppings or sauces on them.
Trim off the ends of the eggplant.
Cut the eggplant into rounds of your desired size. Most recipes call for rounds about ½-inch thick.
How to Cut Eggplant into Slabs and Strips
You can also cut eggplant lengthwise into wide slabs that some people use for eggplant parmesan sandwiches. It’s more common to slice eggplant into strips, though.
Trim off the ends of the eggplant. Slice the eggplant from top to bottom into ½-inch slabs.
Stack a couple of slabs on top of each other, and cut them into strips of desired size.
How to Dice Eggplant
Cubed or diced eggplant is commonly used in stir-fry or curry recipes. Keep in mind that eggplant shrinks during cooking, so you may want to cut slightly larger cubes than you think you need.
Repeat steps above: Trim off the ends of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into ½-inch thick slabs. Stack a couple slabs on top of each other and cut those into lengthwise strips. Then, slice across the strips to make cubes of your desired size.
Do you need to peel eggplant?
It’s up to you! Some people do not like the bitter taste of eggplant skin and like to peel it. Some recipes may also call for peeled eggplant. Use a vegetable peeler or knife to remove the skin before cutting it if desired.
Recommended Equipment
Preparing eggplant requires a chef’s knife and a cutting board. Here is my favorite chef’s knife and set of bamboo cutting boards with rubber stoppers if you are interested.
Eggplant Recipes
Now that you know how to cut eggplant, it’s time to get cooking! Eggplant is usually used in cooked dishes, but you can eat it raw too. Here are my favorite eggplant recipes:
Watch How to Prep Eggplant
📖 Recipe
How to Cut Eggplant
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
Instructions
- Wash the eggplant under cold water and pat dry. Trim off the ends of the eggplant.
Rounds
- After trimming the eggplant, slice the eggplant crosswise into ½-inch rounds or rounds of the size that your recipe indicates.
Slabs and Strips
- After trimming the eggplant, slice the eggplant lengthwise into ½-inch slabs.
- To cut strips, stack a couple of slabs on top of each other. Cut them lengthwise into strips of your desired size. Repeat with the rest of the slabs.
Diced
- After cutting the eggplant slabs into strips, cut the strips into cubes of your desired size.
Video
Notes
- Use eggplant rounds in eggplant parmesan, other baked eggplant dishes, or sandwiches; eggplant strips for sandwiches; and diced eggplant for soups, stir-fries, and curry dishes or cooked and pureed into a mash or dip.
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