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Thai basil eggplant is a quick and easy veggie stir-fry with bold Thai flavors. Tender Chinese eggplants are stir-fried with spicy chili peppers in a garlicky basil sauce that’s savory with a touch of sweetness.
Follow my simple tips to get tender, flavorful eggplant that stays vibrant—not mushy or oily. If you like eggplant stir-fries, also check out my Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce or eggplant tofu with garlic basil sauce next!
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and seasoning measurements, please scroll down to my recipe card.
- Chinese eggplants: These are long and slender with tender skin and a sweeter flavor than globe eggplants. They cook quickly and soak up sauce beautifully without becoming bitter. You can also use Japanese or Thai eggplants. If using Italian, see my notes in the recipe card on how to adjust.
- Distilled vinegar + water: This soak helps the eggplants stay vibrant in color and absorb less oil when cooking. It’s a simple trick to avoid greasy, mushy eggplant without deep frying.
- Tapioca starch: Tossing the eggplant in starch before cooking gives them a light crisp and helps the sauce cling. Arrowroot or potato starch work too.
- Thai basil (holy basil): Adds a bold, peppery, slightly sweet flavor. If using Italian basil, add more and reduce the cook time to preserve its milder taste. Always add the basil during the last 30 seconds (or less) of cooking to keep it fresh and fragrant.
- Chili peppers: Use Thai bird’s eye for heat, or sub Fresno or serrano for a milder spice. You can also leave them whole to tone it down.
- Oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce: These create a rich, savory sauce base. Use vegetarian oyster sauce and coconut aminos for a paleo and vegan-friendly version.
How to make Thai basil eggplant
This dish comes together fast, so it helps to have everything prepped before you start cooking. Here’s how to make Thai eggplant stir fry that’s flavorful, not soggy—and done in under 30 minutes.
Step 1: Trim and cut the eggplants so they cook evenly
Slice off the ends and cut the eggplants into 2.5-inch sections, then quarter each one lengthwise. Keeping the pieces similar in size helps them cook at the same rate and hold their shape during stir-frying.
Step 2: Soak in vinegar water to reduce oil and keep the color
Submerge the eggplants in a bowl of tap water with vinegar for 10 minutes. This trick helps prevent the eggplant from soaking up too much oil and keeps their vibrant color when cooked. Use a plate to weigh them down so they stay fully submerged.
Step 3: Pat dry and toss with starch for better texture
After soaking, pat the eggplants dry thoroughly, then toss them with starch. This light coating helps them crisp slightly in the pan and gives the sauce something to cling to.
Step 4: Prep the garlic, chili, and sauce before you start cooking
Stir-fries move fast, so have everything ready to go. Mince the garlic, dice or leave the chilies whole (depending on how spicy you like it), and mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 5: Sear the eggplant in batches for even browning
Heat the pan with oil and cook the eggplants in a single layer. Let the first side sear for 3 minutes before flipping and cooking the other sides for another 2 minutes. If you crowd the pan or stir too much, the eggplant can turn mushy instead of golden and tender.
TIP: Use a 12-inch or larger pan so the eggplant isn’t stacked on top of itself.
Step 6: Add aromatics, then toss in the sauce and basil
Once the eggplant is tender and golden, add the garlic and chilies and toss for about 10 seconds—just enough to bring out their aroma. Pour in the sauce and toss in the basil. Stir everything together for 30 seconds or less, then turn off the heat.
Note: If using Italian basil, add it at the very end of cooking—it’s more delicate and wilts quickly. Thai basil (or holy basil) is sturdier and can handle a bit more heat, so it’s okay if it goes in just before turning off the heat.
Step 7:Serve hot with extra basil on top
Transfer the eggplant to a large serving plate and garnish with a few more fresh basil leaves. Serve it hot or warm with a bowl of jasmine rice.
What to serve with Thai aubergine stir fry
This stir-fry is savory, a little saucy, and perfect over jasmine rice. We love it with a veggie-forward salad and a protein dish to round things out. Here are some gluten-free choices:
- Rice & Noodles: Try it with microwave sticky rice, sticky rice in a rice cooker, or go noodle-style with pad woon sen.
- Protein Mains: Pair it with Thai cashew chicken, Thai basil chicken, or Thai basil beef for a flavorful, satisfying combo.
- Fresh Salad: Balance the meal with something crisp like this bok choy slaw with Thai chili lime dressing.
ChihYu’s helpful notes
- Pre-soak with vinegar water: Soak eggplants in a vinegar water solution for 10 minutes right before cooking. This preserves their purple color and helps them absorb less oil.
- Taste and adjust the sauce if needed: If using Italian eggplants (which are slightly bitter), you might want to add a touch more sugar to balance the flavor.
- Add protein to make it a full meal: Tofu puffs, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, or velveted chicken breast are great protein toppings to add to the stir fry.
Try these Asian eggplant recipes next!
If you love this Thai basil eggplant, here are a few more ways to enjoy this versatile veggie:
- Chinese steamed eggplant salad – velvety eggplant with crispy garlic and scallions in a spicy garlic dressing
- Air fryer Chinese eggplant – crispy outside, tender inside, tossed in a sweet and tangy garlic sauce
- Roasted Chinese eggplant – caramelized and garlicky with green onion and a creamy tahini sauce
Thai basil eggplant recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 16 oz Chinese eggplant 3 long ones, Thai eggplant (makhuea), or Japanese eggplant
- 3.5 cups room temperature water
- 3.5 tbsp distilled vinegar
- 2.5 tbsp tapioca starch or arrowroot or potato starch
- 3.5 tbsp avocado oil
- 0.75 oz Garlic 6 cloves, finely minced
- 2 whole Thai bird’s eye chili or 1 medium red fresno, serrano peppers
- 0.5 oz Thai basil or 0.6 oz Italian basil (a little over 1 cup loosely packed), plus more for garnish
Sauce:
- 1.5 tbsp Oyster sauce or Vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce or 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1.5 tsp brown sugar omit if using coco aminos
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
Eggplant prep:
- Slice off the tip ends of the eggplants. Rinse, drain, and slice it crosswise into 2.5-inch sections then quarter each section lengthwise.
- In a large bowl, add the eggplants and fill the bowl with tap water with vinegar. Place a plate up-side-down on top of the eggplants to help them submerge under the water. Soak for 10 minutes.
- After soaking, pat them dry and toss with starch.
Aromatics and sauce:
- In the meantime, finely mince the garlic. For small Thai chili peppers, you can either leave it in whole (less spicy) or remove the seeds and dice it. If using fresno or serrano peppers, remove the seeds and dice it.
- Combine the sauce in a bowl.
Cook eggplants:
- Preheat a large saute pan or wok pan over medium heat until it feels hot, add 3 tbsp oil. Swirl it around then add the eggplant.
- Turn heat up to medium-high. Add the eggplants and spread them out into a single layer. Pan fry the first side for 3 minutes. Flip the eggplants and add the remaining 0.5 tbsp oil. Fry for another 2 minutes. Ensure all sides are cooked evenly and the eggplants turn into a softer texture.
- Add the garlic and chili, toss for 10 seconds then pour in the sauce and finally toss in the basil. Toss everything together for 30 seconds and turn off the heat.
Serving:
- Transfer them to a large serving plate. Garnish with more basil on top. Serve hot or warm with a bowl of steamed rice.
Notes
- If using Italian eggplant, cook a bit longer until softened and add a touch more sugar to balance its slightly bitter flavor and thicker skin.
- Use a large (12-inch or bigger) pan to avoid overcrowding and help the eggplants sear, not steam.
- Thai basil is sturdier and more fragrant. If using Italian basil, add more and cook it briefly to preserve flavor.
- Make Ahead & Storage: For the best texture, soak the eggplants right before cooking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat or in the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
omfg this came out so good!! I am eating it right now as we speak. I didn’t have fresh basil so I used a homemade chimichurri sauce that was predominantly basil along with parsley, garlic & a little cilantro. I also didn’t have serrano’s so I used about 1/2 of a large jalapeno. I made the sauce per the directions. I also only had a small amount of eggplant so I also used zuchinni which was also tossed in the starch. Let me tell you I will definitely make this again. I would love to try it with the fresh thai basil leaves & for my preference I would have liked it to be a bit more spicy. Yum Yum Yum
Thank you so much and love all the substitutions and thinking behind it. It totally makes sense!
I first was going to use a different recipe for eggplant basil but lost it, and I am so glad that I did! This recipe is phenomenal. The only thing I didn’t have was oyster sauce so I substituted it with hoisin and it was fantastic! There’s plenty of sauce to add more to the stir fry and still have a tasty coat over it. I cubed tofu in the air fryer then added to it.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing! Hoisin sauce sounds great! :))
When do you add the distilled vinegar?
When you soak the eggplants, add vinegar to the water. It helps the eggplant to stay in white color. I just updated the instructions. Thanks for pointing it out.
I would kike tontry..because it looks tempting
Thank you so much!