Berenjena Guisada (Stewed Eggplant)

Ahh, the eggplant. I’ve been a fan of you way before emojis. You unsung hero of the fruit and vegetable world, you. In my humble opinion, it’s always best to keep an eggplant in the fridge for a good protein substitute when it comes to making plant-based meals. It’s relatively inexpensive and this recipe is a great option for introducing new veggies into your rotation. Growing up, this was one of my favorite stews although I don’t make it often since I have a hard time finding good salted cod. Last time I made it for someone else was in Puerto Rico when I visited my Dad. It’s one of his favorites, too.

In my family, traditionally, the eggplant is stewed in a sofrito-based tomato sauce, similar to my salsa criolla recipe in addition to folding in salted cod fish. Paired with steamed white rice and sweet plantain, this is nothing but comfort in a bowl and we often ate it on Fridays when we didn’t eat any meat. But when I’m on a budget, I use high-quality canned tuna as a great substitute (which is what I did for this particular batch).

If you want to be completely meatless, make it without the fish. It’s so delicious, you won’t miss the addition of fish if you’re trying to incorporate more plant-based meals in your diet. Want to make this low-carb? Spoon it over some cauliflower rice, wilted leafy greens, or some sautéed green beans. Let’s get cooking!

Berenjena Guisada (Stewed Eggplant)

Serves: 6-8

Cook time: 35 minutes

Vegetable oil

1/4 cup Simple Sofrito

3 large eggplants, peeled and cut into thin slices

1 tbsp Sazón spice blend

3 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup water or vegetable stock

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

Limes, for serving

Steamed white rice, for serving

Sweet plantain, for serving

Optional protein add-ons: salted cod fish, canned tuna, shrimp, or scrambled eggs

In a large pot, over medium-high heat, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Sauté the sofrito for about 5 minutes or until nice and toasty. Then, add the peeled and sliced eggplant, stirring well to make sure the sofrito coats the eggplant as much as possible. Let the eggplant cook for another 5-7 minutes or until it starts releasing some liquid. Using the back of your spoon or spatula to start smashing the eggplant a little bit. If it doesn’t all fit into the pot, no worries, they’ll cook down so much, you can continue adding more as needed.

Next, add the sazón and tomato paste and stir all together. Once fully incorporated, add the water and season with kosher salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Fold the eggplant mixture again and drop the heat down to low and cover with a lid, allowing the eggplant to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring it occasionally. The liquid released from the eggplant will make the sauce, so don’t stress if you don’t have much liquid at first.

After the 20 minutes has passed, check to see if the eggplant is tender and starting to fall apart and adjust any seasonings as you like (be advised that eggplant needs lots of seasoning since it’s mostly water, so adjust accordingly). Serve with steamed white rice, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and sweet plantain.

¡Buen provecho!