Name: Simple Pickled Japanese Eggplant Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 3 Eggplant (medium size, 300g); ½ tsp Salt; 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar; 1 tsp Soy Sauce; 1 tsp Sesame oil

4.88 from 8 votes

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Servings

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Looking for a Japanese eggplant recipe? Try this easy and quick Pickled Japanese Eggplant. In just 15 minutes, you’ll have a refreshing side dish ready to enjoy!

Looking for more simple eggplant recipes? Try these easy Japanese eggplant recipes!

Featured Comment

From K: “This recipe was easy, quick, and tasty.”

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This pickled Japanese eggplant recipe is quick and ready to serve in under 15 minutes.
There’s no need to prepare a pickling liquid; simply add salt and seasoning.
This refreshing side dish requires only 5 ingredients, keeping things simple and straightforward.

Japanese Eggplants

Japanese eggplants are slim and long. Their thin skin makes them perfect for quick cooking methods like stir-frying, deep-frying, and sautéing. This allows them to absorb flavors easily and stay tender.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Pickled Eggplant Recipe:

Ingredients for pickled Japanese eggplant.

Japanese Eggplants: You can usually find Japanese eggplants at Japanese grocery stores or Asian grocery stores. However, if they are not available, Chinese eggplant makes the best substitute.
Salt is used to draw out excess moisture from the eggplants during pickling.
Soy Sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil add delicious flavor. If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar as a substitute. While olive oil or vegetable oil can be used, I recommend sesame oil for the best flavor.

How To Make Pickled Eggplant: STEP BY STEP

Here’s a quick visual guide! Check the recipe card below for the video and full details!

Step 1

Place the sliced eggplants and salt in a plastic bag.

Step 2

Combine them and rest for about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Squeeze and remove the excess moisture.

Step 4

Transfer the eggplant to an airtight container. Add the seasonings and toss until well-coated.

Pickled Japanese eggplant served on a plate.

Lastly, transfer the pickled Japanese eggplant onto a serving plate and enjoy these delicious pickles, perfect for the summer season!

Recipe Tips

Use fresh and firm eggplant for the best results.
To customize the taste, feel free to experiment with additional flavors, such as red pepper flakes, grated ginger, and toasted sesame seeds.
Over time, the eggplants naturally develop a brown color, which is normal because of the vegetable’s polyphenols.

Storage

Transfer the pickled Japanese eggplant to an airtight container. It can be fresh and flavorful for 2-3 days.

Pickled Japanese eggplant is in a food container.

What To Serve With

To complement this pickled Japanese eggplant, I recommend serving it with Kombu Onigiri, Tofu Miso Soup, Tamagoyaki, and Sunomono Salad (Japanese Cucumber Salad)!

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Simple Pickled Japanese Eggplant Recipe

4.88 from 8 votes

Prep: 5

Total: 15

Servings:

Author: Juri Austin

Looking for a Japanese eggplant recipe? Try this easy and quick Pickled Japanese Eggplant. In just 15 minutes, you'll have a refreshing side dish ready to enjoy!

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Ingredients

Instructions

Cut the eggplants into thin slices.
Place the sliced eggplants and salt in a plastic bag and gently massage them to blend them well.
Close the bag and let the eggplant slices rest for about 10 minutes.
Make a hole in the bag and squeeze the eggplant slices to remove the excess moisture.
Transfer the eggplant slices to a mixing bowl, add rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil to toss until well coated.

Notes

Storage: Transfer the pickled Japanese eggplant into an airtight container. It can be fresh and flavorful for 2-3 days.
Use fresh and firm Japanese eggplants for the best results.
To customize the taste, feel free to experiment with additional flavors, such as red pepper flakes, grated ginger, and toasted sesame seeds.
Over time, the eggplants naturally develop a brown color, which is normal because of the vegetable’s polyphenols.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4g

This nutritional information is estimated and provided for general reference only.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: pickled eggplant

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Juri Austin

Hi! I’m Juri, founder of Chef JA Cooks and the creator and photographer of this site. I’m here to guide you in authentic yet easy-to-follow Japanese recipes! Let’s explore the world of Japanese cuisine together!

Learn More About Juri

4.88 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)

6 Comments

K says:

Jan 20, 2026 at 6:27 AM

This recipe was easy, quick and tasty.

1. Juri Austin says:
  
  Jan 21, 2026 at 11:13 AM
  
  Thanks for your comment! Glad you like the recipe!
  
Sarah says:

Nov 4, 2024 at 12:55 AM

A very good summer salad recipe! Easy to make, the hardest part being the 10 minutes waiting for the eggplants to sweat!

1. Juri Austin says:
  
  Nov 4, 2024 at 5:52 AM
  
  Thank you for trying the recipe!
  
Linda says:

Nov 5, 2023 at 7:39 AM

Lucky to find beautiful & fresh Japanese eggplant at Mitsuwa in San Diego. Thank you for sharing this recipe. So easy, delicious and nutrious.

1. Juri Austin says:
  
  Nov 5, 2023 at 4:48 PM
  
  You are welcome, Linda! Thank you for trying the recipe!