Picture this: You are standing in the vegetable section at the supermarket and you see some beautiful eggplants. You start daydreaming about that delicious, slow-cooked eggplant dish topped with hummus, fresh herbs, and pomegranate seeds you recently had at a local Mediterranean restaurant. Could you recreate that at home, or at least try to make something similar? Home cooks often wonder: Why is it that whenever you cook eggplant, it either turns out tough and bland — or even a bit bitter?
You may have been told by family members and friends that the key to cooking eggplant without those unpleasant results is to remove the skin. How could this be true, though, when you know the eggplant served at that Mediterranean restaurant had the skin still on? This begs the question: Is it necessary to peel an eggplant, or could leaving the skin on be the holy grail to eggplant perfection at home?
While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, “Do you peel eggplant before cooking?” is yes, peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.
To peel or not to peel?
To get right down to it, no, it is not necessary to peel an eggplant. There are times when keeping the skin of the eggplant on can create a tough texture or bitter taste, which is why some people peel it off for ease. The skin, however, is completely safe and edible, and contains important nutrients, says Taste of Home.
Eggplant, also known as aubergine, is actually a fruit rather than a vegetable and is widely recognized for its deep purple, almost black color. This color comes from an antioxidant in the skin of the eggplant called nasunin, an anthocyanin, which helps preserve brain cell membranes and could help with memory loss and other neurological health concerns by combatting inflammation and promoting synaptic communication (via the British Journal of Nutrition). In addition, according to Taste of Home, eggplant can be used in a diet to help regulate blood pressure — also a benefit of the anthocyanins in its skin.
Although it may seem easier as a home cook to peel off the skin to avoid an unwanted texture or taste, one may be sacrificing many health benefits of the eggplant. So, whats the best way to cook an eggplant to perfection with the skin on?
Cooking & Culinary Tips : How to Peel an Eggplant
FAQ
Does Italian eggplant need to be peeled?
Are you supposed to take the skin off eggplant?
Is it necessary to peel eggplant for eggplant parmesan?
Should eggplant be peeled before cooking?
Unless the skin is reinforcing eggplant halves or slices, make sure your eggplant is peeled before cooking it and digging in. “If it’s a larger vegetable, the skin tends to be thicker and harder to chew. So peeling the skin off and cubing it for roasting or sautéing is the way to go,” says Maria Covarrubias, in-house chef at Chosen Foods.
How can one use eggplant?
Some ways to enjoy eggplant are: in a curry, stir-fry, as Babaganoush, with pasta, eggplant pizza, breaded and baked, as eggplant lasagna.
Can You peel eggplant skin?
Although you can peel the skin, as mentioned, it is perfectly safe and beneficial to keep the peel of the eggplant on. Should you choose to reap the nutritional benefits, here are some tips and tricks to a delicious eggplant (skin and all) at home every time. Ensuring that the skin of your eggplant cooks down perfectly starts while you’re shopping.
How do you peel an eggplant?
To peel an eggplant, first wash and dry the vegetable. Then, using a vegetable peeler, run the peeler along the eggplant skin, taking care not to remove too much of the flesh. You can also use a paring knife to peel the eggplant. While the eggplant skin is edible, removing the skin lessens the bitterness of the vegetable.