Eggplant might look a little intimidating, but prepping it couldn’t be simpler. In this quick real food kitchen tip, Krista shows you two easy ways to cut eggplant — into round slices perfect for eggplant pizzas, or into bite-sized chunks for roasting. Plus she answers one of the most common eggplant questions: do you need to peel it?
What You’ll Need
- A chef’s knife
- A cutting board
Do You Need to Peel Eggplant?
Nope! The skin is completely edible and softens nicely when roasted. Skip the peeling step entirely.
How to Cut Eggplant Two Ways
For eggplant pizzas (sliced):
- Rinse the eggplant well under cold water
- Trim both ends off
- Slice into rounds — about ½ inch thick
- Roast the slices directly on a baking sheet
For roasting (bite-sized pieces):
- Rinse and trim both ends
- Halve lengthwise, then cut into bite-sized chunks — just like cutting a sweet potato
- Toss with olive oil and your favorite seasonings before roasting
⏱️ One Important Tip
Cut eggplant right before you cook it. Like apples and avocados, eggplant browns once sliced. It won’t affect the flavor, but for the best appearance cut it just before it goes into the oven.
Video Transcript
“Eggplant. So all you have to do with an eggplant after you rinse it off real well is just cut the ends. And then for recipes like our eggplant pizzas, all I would do is slice them just like this. And then you roast them in their slices. But let’s say that you want to chop them for roasting. Then all I do, very much like the sweet potato, is we’re just going to cut them in bite-sized pieces. Notice I did not peel the eggplant. But this is one of those veggies that you definitely want to cut it right before serving because it will brown just a little bit. So there you go.”