Eggplant Preserves for Winter: 15 Tested Recipes, from Caviar to Spicy Salads
Eggplants cost pennies in August, and in winter a jar of ogonyok or caviar saves both weekday dinners and holiday tables. This roundup collects 15 tested eggplant preserves for winter from our site: pickled eggplant, eight salads, caviar and lecho. Every recipe comes with step-by-step photos, exact time and yield. The table below will help you pick where to start.
In short: eggplant preserves are, above all, salads (eight of them in this roundup) and caviar, while pickled eggplant slices resemble mushrooms in texture. The fastest recipe: eggplant in adjika, 45 minutes. Lecho with eggplant and pepper yields four jars in 50 minutes.
All 15 recipes: the table
| Recipe | Time | Yield | Why try it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickled eggplant with garlic | 60 min | 1 jar, 0.5 L | firm slices that resemble mushrooms |
| Jewish-style eggplant | 8 h + 8 h | 2 jars | an aromatic slow-marinated appetizer |
| Pickled eggplant with bell pepper | 70 min | 3 jars | a mixed pickle with bell pepper |
| Mother-in-law's tongue | 70 min + 8 h | 1 jar, 1.5 L | spicy strips, only 21 kcal |
| Ogonyok | 60 min | 3 jars, 0.5 L | a fiery spicy appetizer, 141 kcal |
| Georgian-style eggplant | 60 min | 2 jars, 0.5 L | a vivid Georgian classic |
| Eggplant in adjika | 45 min | 1 jar, 1 L + 300 g | the fastest recipe in this roundup |
| "Bakat" salad | 60 min | 2 jars, 0.5 L | a vegetable salad in tomato sauce |
| "Special" salad with beans | 90 min | 2 jars, 1 L | hearty, almost a full main course |
| "4x4" salad | 90 min | 3 jars | a mixed vegetable salad |
| Fried eggplant in tomato sauce | 90 min | 1 jar, 1 L | summer skillet flavor in a jar |
| Homestyle caviar with garlic | 180 min | 4 small jars | the homestyle classic |
| Caviar without sterilization | 80 min | 1 jar | the quick version of the caviar |
| Eggplant lecho | 75 min + 10 h | 2 jars | our in-depth lecho guide |
| Lecho with eggplant and pepper | 50 min | 4 jars | 4 jars in 50 minutes, no sterilization |
Pickled eggplant
Pickled eggplant comes out firm and springy, with a pronounced spice aroma. Three ways here: from the garlic classic to the aromatic Jewish-style version.
Pickled eggplant with garlic
Firm, springy slices with garlic. An hour of work, a half-liter jar, 102 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Jewish-style eggplant
A slow but simple recipe: 8 hours of cooking and another 8 hours of cooling. Yields two jars of an aromatic appetizer.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Pickled eggplant with bell pepper
A mixed pickle: eggplant with bell pepper and carrot in one jar. 70 minutes of work, yields three jars.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Eggplant salads for winter
The biggest section of this roundup: eight ready-to-eat salads, from the fiery ogonyok to the hearty version with beans. Open a jar and the appetizer is on the table.
Mother-in-law's tongue
Spicy eggplant strips in tomato sauce. 70 minutes of work plus 8 hours of cooling, a 1.5-liter jar. A light appetizer: only 21 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Ogonyok
A spicy appetizer with hot and sweet pepper and garlic. An hour of work, three half-liter jars, 141 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Georgian-style eggplant
A vivid Georgian classic. An hour of work, two half-liter jars, 66 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Eggplant in adjika
The fastest recipe in this roundup: 45 minutes, and you get a one-liter jar plus a small 300 g top-up. Eggplant pieces in fiery adjika, 76 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
"Bakat" salad
A vegetable salad with eggplant in tomato sauce. An hour of work, two half-liter jars, 69 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
"Special" salad with beans
The hearty option: beans turn this salad into almost a full main course. An hour and a half, two one-liter jars, 90 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
"4x4" salad
A mixed vegetable salad many home cooks know by name. An hour and a half of work, three jars.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Fried eggplant in tomato sauce
The taste of summer, sealed in a jar: fried eggplant in tomato sauce. An hour and a half, a one-liter jar, 68 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Caviar and lecho
The finale: two caviar options and two lecho recipes, including our in-depth eggplant lecho guide.
Homestyle caviar with garlic
The classic homestyle caviar with vegetables and garlic. Three hours of work, but you get 4 small jars at once, 71 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Caviar without sterilization
A quick take on the classic caviar: 80 minutes and the jar is done, with no sterilization of the filled jars. 83 kcal.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Eggplant lecho
Our in-depth eggplant lecho guide: 75 minutes of work plus 10 hours, two jars.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
Lecho with eggplant and pepper
Double vegetable flavor and four jars in 50 minutes, no sterilization of the filled jars.
Step-by-step recipe with photos: open.
How to choose eggplant for preserving
- Pick young eggplants 15-20 cm long with glossy, springy skin: they have small seeds and no bitterness.
- The stem should be green and fresh: a dry stem is a sign the eggplant has been in storage a long time.
- Overgrown eggplants with large seeds are more often bitter: peel them and use them for caviar.
- Dull, wrinkled skin means the eggplant has gone limp and is not fit for preserving.
- For layered appetizers like ogonyok choose even eggplants of the same diameter.
Common mistakes
- Cooking overgrown eggplants with large seeds without peeling: that is exactly where bitterness comes from.
- Pouring too much oil when frying: eggplant soaks it up like a sponge and the appetizer turns out heavy and greasy.
- Using iodized salt: it can add an off flavor and cloudiness; use plain non-iodized coarse salt (pickling salt).
- Cutting down the vinegar by eye: acidity is what keeps the preserve safe.
- Putting hot jars on a cold surface: the temperature shock can crack the glass.
- Skipping the heating or sterilization step of a recipe: the jar may not make it to winter.
See also
❓ Frequently asked questions
Does eggplant need soaking to remove bitterness?
Modern varieties are hardly bitter at all, and young eggplants can be cooked right away. If in doubt, salt the cut pieces, wait 20-30 minutes and rinse. Detailed guide: how to remove bitterness from eggplant.
Should the skin be peeled?
In preserves the skin holds the pieces together, so no peeling is needed. The exception is delicate caviar made from overgrown eggplants, where the skin and large seeds are removed.
Which eggplants are best for preserving?
Young ones, 15-20 cm long, springy, with small seeds. Large overripe eggplants go into caviar after peeling.
What does "no sterilization" mean in the recipes?
The filled jars get no additional heat treatment: hot brine, acidity and properly prepared jars keep the preserve safe. The empty jars and lids still must be sterilized. Detailed guide: how to sterilize jars and lids.
How long do eggplant preserves keep?
Store sealed jars in a dark, cool place, roughly until the next season. Keep an opened jar in the fridge and finish it within 3-4 days.
Why does the finished preserve taste bitter?
Almost always the culprit is overgrown eggplants with large seeds. Use young ones, and salt and rinse any questionable batch before cooking.
How is eggplant mother-in-law's tongue different from the zucchini one?
The technique is the same: long strips in a spicy tomato sauce. Eggplant gives a denser texture and a richer flavor, the zucchini version is more delicate.
Can I freeze eggplant?
Raw eggplant turns rubbery after thawing. Freeze fried or baked pieces instead: in winter they go into caviar, stews and sauteed dishes.
When is eggplant preserving season?
The peak is August and September, when field-grown eggplants are the most affordable and flavorful.