Learn how to freeze roasted eggplant for winter and make the creamiest Romanian eggplant salad — smoky, simple, and seasonally delicious. 🍆❄️

Why Freeze Roasted Eggplant?

If you grew up in a Romanian kitchen, you already know: winter without eggplant salad just feels wrong. Freezing roasted eggplants for winter is the best way to preserve that smoky flavor without stress. It saves money, cuts cooking time, prevents waste, and keeps the perfect base for any Romanian eggplant salad recipe. Simple, seasonal, and comforting — exactly the way we like it.

How to Roast Eggplant 🔥

Choose the method that fits your home (and smoke tolerance). Just make sure the eggplants are fully roasted, soft, and collapse easily. In the UK, you might see these referred to as roasted aubergines.

Before we go into methods, let me be honest: roasting eggplants takes time — the same kind of slow, stubborn time as making rosehip jam, just without the meticulous sieving. You can’t really do much else meanwhile, and by the end you’ll absolutely need a shower because you will smell like smoke.

If you want to see what true patience looks like, check out my rosehip jam recipe (yes, the infamous one).

1. Stovetop — for the deepest smoky flavor — for the deepest smoky flavor

  • Place whole eggplants directly on the flame.
  • Roast until evenly charred.
  • Turn often.
  • They’re ready when completely soft and collapsed.

2. Oven — the no-drama method ✨

  • Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
  • Line a tray with baking paper.
  • Roast for 40–50 minutes, turning once.
  • They’re done when the skin wrinkles and the flesh is buttery soft.

3. Grill — perfect summer prep🔥

  • Place whole eggplants on a hot grill.
  • Roast 25–30 minutes, turning often.
  • Gives a great smoky flavor for freezing later.

How I Roast Eggplants for Winter Prep 💁‍♀️🔥

If you’re here for a relatable, real‑life version — here’s exactly how I do it every year. I want to freeze enough roasted eggplant for winter so I can avoid buying out‑of‑season, overpriced, heavily sprayed veggies. Eggplants last only a few weeks in season, so I stock up while they’re perfect.

I head to the local farmers’ market and pick up around 10 kg of eggplants. I choose ones that are firm but not rock-hard, with smooth skins (no wrinkles), and medium-sized — the huge ones take ages to cook, the tiny ones are way too much work.

Fresh whole eggplants arranged outdoors on a metal tray, ready to be roasted for freezing

At home, I change into my “smoke outfit” (yes, you need one), set up outside, and roast them directly over an open flame on a metal sheet. Not on a grill — direct fire. High heat, constant turning, watchful eye. They’re ready when they collapse, the skin cracks and leaks juice, and they look burned (that’s perfect — they peel easier and you lose less pulp).

Eggplants roasting over open flame, with skins starting to blister and darken during the middle stage of the roasting process
Fully roasted eggplants with charred skin, standing upright on a metal surface, showing the final stage of roasting before peeling

From my 10 kg haul, I usually end up with around 5 kg of actual usable pulp. Eggplants are 80–90% water, so don’t panic — losing half the weight is normal.

Roasted eggplants placed upright in a bowl, draining the excess dark liquid after cooking

When they’re soft and smoky, I let them cool slightly so I don’t burn my hands. Then I set up a large bowl, another bowl with water, and a small knife. The skin should slip off easily if they’re well roasted. I keep my hands wet to remove the charred flakes without mixing them into the pulp, then I cut off the stem.

Close-up of a roasted eggplant with the skin partially peeled off, showing the soft cooked flesh inside
peeled roasted eggplants placed in a sieve to drain excess liquid

I place all the peeled eggplants into a large colander (or any large sieve) and let them drain completely for 1–2 hours. This step removes excess liquid, prevents bitterness, and keeps your roasted eggplant purée from becoming watery once frozen.

A small twist: I don’t chop them before freezing. I freeze the pulp whole and only chop it after thawing when I’m ready to make salad. Once cooled, I pack the pulp into 1 kg portions — enough for one generous salad — and into the freezer they go. Five winter salads, stress‑free. 🥰

How to know they’re properly roasted:

✔ Skin is deeply charred
✔ Eggplant looks collapsed
✔ Flesh is soft, juicy, with no firm spots

How to Freeze Roasted Eggplant (Step-by-Step) ❄️

  1. Roast the eggplants using your preferred method.
  2. Peel while warm — the skin slips off easily.
  3. Drain for 1–2 hours.
  4. Portion into small freezer bags (1 bag = 1 salad).
  5. Flatten bags for fast freezing and compact storage.
  6. Label with date + quantity.

Classic Romanian Eggplant Salad🍽️

My Real-Life Version: How I Make Eggplant Salad at Home🧅🧄

Here’s how I make my own salad — simple, flavorful, and exactly how we like it in our house.

I use roasted eggplant pulp, one medium red onion (or two small ones — red onions are my favorite when raw), one garlic clove (we love garlic, so I add it to almost everything), salt, and about 50 ml sunflower oil. Other oils change the taste too much for us — maybe we’re just used to this one, but sunflower oil keeps the flavor classic.

Eggplants absorb quite a lot of oil, so adding enough helps the salad become creamy rather than dry or slightly rough in texture.

I don’t make my eggplant salad with mayonnaise — even though it’s the most popular version. For us, the mayo version feels heavier and it spoils much faster. If you do add mayonnaise, don’t make a big batch: it keeps for about 2 days. The simple version lasts a bit longer.

Finely chopped roasted eggplant on a wooden board, ready for traditional Romanian eggplant salad
chopped roasted eggplant mixed with finely diced red onion and garlic in a red bowl
creamy Romanian eggplant salad with red onion mixed in a red bowl

To prepare it, I chop the onion and garlic as small as possible. I add salt to taste, then slowly pour the oil in while mixing, giving it time to blend nicely. This way you’ll know exactly how much oil you need.

slice of bread topped with Romanian eggplant salad, served alongside sliced cheese and fresh cherry tomatoes on a wooden board

My Favorite Way to Serve It 🍅🧀

When I want the perfect bite, I keep it simple: eggplant salad on warm toasted bread, topped with fresh tomatoes and a few slices of matured sheep cheese. The sweetness of the tomatoes, the creamy smoky spread, and the salty, rich cheese… honestly, this combo never fails. The most Romanian, most comforting version — and my forever favourite.

🥗 1. Traditional Version (with onion)

Ingredients:

  • 1 portion roasted eggplant
  • 2–3 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower works best)
  • 1 small onion, very finely chopped
  • Salt to taste

How to:

  1. Add chopped eggplant to a bowl.
  2. Slowly mix in the oil, stirring in one direction.
  3. Add the finely chopped onion.
  4. Adjust salt.
  5. Serve immediately or chill.

🥄 2. Eggplant Salad with Mayo

Ingredients:

  • 1 portion roasted eggplant
  • 1–2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tsp mustard (optional)
  • Salt + pepper

How to:

  1. Mix eggplant with mayonnaise until creamy.
  2. Add mustard for extra tang (optional).
  3. chop and add the onion.
  4. Season and serve.

Tips & Frequently Asked Questions 💬💡

Can you freeze eggplant?

Yes — cooked eggplant freezes beautifully.

Can you freeze raw eggplant?

Not recommended. Raw eggplant is 90% water and turns mushy when thawed. Blanch slices in lemon water if you must freeze them raw.

Can you freeze fried eggplant?

Yes — flash-freeze the slices and store with parchment layers.

Can you freeze eggplant Parmesan?

Yes — assemble the dish and bake straight from the freezer.

How long can you freeze eggplant?

Best within 3 months, but up to 6 months if packaged well.

What’s the best way to freeze eggplant slices or purée?

Roast or sauté first, drain thoroughly, and pack in flat freezer bags.

How do you thaw frozen eggplant?

Use directly from frozen or thaw briefly at room temperature.

Why does eggplant turn brown?

Natural oxidation — mixing with oil early keeps the color lighter.

Why does eggplant salad taste bitter?

Usually from under-roasted eggplants or insufficient draining.

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