Thai Basil Eggplant Stir-Fry

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Thai Basil Eggplant Stir-Fry is a delicious and quick vegetarian dish made with eggplant, peppers, onions, garlic, and a blend of fresh Asian sauces and spices. Made with Japanese eggplant, Thai basil, and peppers, this 30-minute stir-fry can be served as a side dish or a light main dish for a tasty weeknight dinner!

This Thai basil eggplant recipe is filled with crispy bell peppers, caramelized onions, and tender Japanese eggplant and tossed in a salty, slightly spicy sauce. It is a vegetarian eggplant recipe that balances savory, salty, sweet, bitter, umami, and spicy flavors and is a healthier version of a dish commonly found in most Thai restaurants!

If you’re an eggplant fan, you’ll love this Japanese eggplant stir fry recipe. Japanese eggplants are long, thin, dense, and have a less mushy texture than the common American or Italian varieties, making it a great recipe to try if you’re not typically an eggplant lover.

Tossed in a rich sauce made with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, a bit of cornstarch to thicken it up, and a dash (or more!) of chili sauce for some heat, this authentic, vegan eggplant basil Thai recipe is a true crowd-pleaser.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works 

• Versatile: Make this vegan Thai basil recipe as written for a satisfying plant-based meal. Add some extra staying power by adding sauteed tofu or ground chicken (see my notes below).
• Fast Cooking Time: We are talking less than 30 minutes! This Thai eggplant basil recipe is perfect for nights when you are short on time but are still looking for big flavor.
• Simple and Easy: If you can sauté veggies, you can make this recipe! No complicated or involved techniques are required to whip up this easy Japanese eggplant recipe.
• More Nutritious Than Takeout: With less oil, lower sodium, and abundant veggies, this tends to be a healthier recipe than what you get in the restaurant, but tastes just like an authentic Thai basil eggplant recipe!

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🥘 Ingredients

All you need to whip up a batch of this eggplant basil Thai recipe are the following ingredients. See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Vegetables And Spices

• Eggplant: Japanese eggplant is the star of this recipe for Thai eggplant with basil recipe. We recommend you use this variety instead of the large Italian eggplant, Chinese eggplants, American eggplants, or different types of eggplants. Similarly, you want Japanese eggplant over Thai eggplant, as it is more bitter.
• Sweet Peppers: Any combination of green, yellow, and red bell pepper works for this Thai eggplant dish. Peppers add crunch and loads of flavor to the Japanese eggplant recipe.
• Onions, Garlic Cloves: Red onions add sweetness with a touch of heat. When it comes to making Thai garlic eggplant, I recommend using fresh cloves for the best flavor.
• Thai Basil: Eggplant with Thai basil is an amazing combination! Thai basil is a particular type of basil that has sweet and licorice-like notes, and pairs perfectly with the slightly bitter eggplant. You will want Thai basil over regular, lemon, or Italian basil, as this Thai eggplant recipe depends on this ingredient’s unique flavor profile. However, if you can’t find Thai basil, you can use regular basil in a pinch.

Stir-Fry Sauce

• Soy Sauce: The Thai style eggplant calls for regular soy sauce, but you can also use a less-sodium or light soy sauce to reduce the sodium in this basil eggplant recipe.
• Hoisin Sauce: Hoisin sauce adds umami and sweetness to the sauce. I really like Koon Chun Hoisin Sauce or the Sun-Luck brand hoisin sauce. If you can find vegan oyster sauce, you can use that instead of the hoisin sauce for a different flavor.
• Corn Starch: Thickens up the stir-fry sauce.
• Water: A small amount of water thins this delicious sauce a bit.
• Sweet Chili Sauce: Adds sweetness and a mild kick to the eggplant basil stir fry recipe. You can find sweet chili sauce at Asian grocery stores and most major grocery stores.

🔪 How To Make Thai Basil Eggplant

Here are the instructions on how to make this vegetarian Thai dish:

Make The Sauce: In a small mixing bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.

Cook The Eggplant: Heat the oil in a large skillet or in a large non stick pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the eggplant slices in a single layer if possible. Add a little water to help the eggplant to cook through. Remove the cooked eggplant from the skillet. 

Cook Peppers And Onion: Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, add the peppers and onion, and sauté until soft. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes more, or until fragrant.

Return Eggplant To Pan: Add the cooked eggplant back to the dish and stir to combine.

Cook Sauce: Pour the sauce mixture into the cooked vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and coated all of the vegetables. 

Add Basil & Serve: Add the torn Thai basil leaves to the vegetable mixture and toss them in with the stir-fry. Stir to combine. Let cook for 1 minute then remove from heat. Serve this Asian eggplant dish with quinoa, white rice, or brown rice.

💭 Expert Tips

• Eggplant Prep: Cut the eggplant pieces into similar sizes. Irregular shapes are alright as well, as long as they are about the same size. This will ensure they all cook evenly for this Thai eggplant basil stir fry.
• Eggplant Cooking Tips: Eggplant requires a lot of liquid to cook through, add a tbsp of water at a time to the skillet and cover with a lid helps to speed up the cooking process. The eggplant is cooked when it’s tender, don’t overcook as this will make the eggplant mushy.
• Keep The Stir-Fry Sauce Smooth: Whisk the cornstarch with the water before adding the cornstarch mixture to the rest of this Thai eggplant stir-fry recipe. Otherwise, it can get lumpy. 
• Check The Sauce Label: Some hoisin sauce brands aren’t vegan, so just double check the label of the brand you buy to ensure it’s vegan hoisin sauce (if you want to keep this recipe vegan friendly).

📖 Variations

• Add Protein: If you’d like to add meat, consider sauteed and sliced chicken breasts or sauteed ground chicken. You can also stir-fry a block of firm tofu cut into bite-sized pieces to turn this into a eggplant tofu basil stir fry.
• Make It Gluten-Free: To make gluten-free Thai basil stir-fry, substitute coconut liquid aminos, gluten-free soy sauce, or tamari for the soy sauce and a gluten-free hoisin for the traditional hoisin.
• Try Different Vegetables: Try making this Thai basil eggplant stir fry recipe with American or Italian eggplants, mushrooms, green beans, carrots, cabbage, daikon, and other veggies. 
• Thai Spicy Eggplant Stir-Fry: Enjoy this homemade spicy eggplant recipe by stirring red chili pepper flakes or Thai chili paste into the stir-fry sauce.

👨‍👩‍👧 Serving Suggestions

This Thai eggplant stir fry recipe goes well with so many dishes! Here are some great examples. 

• Pair it with this hearty tofu fried rice.
• Make this eggplant Thai stir fry a side dish for a larger spread that includes these creamy vegan peanut noodles and this sweet and sour tofu!
• Make the Thai basil eggplant the main dish and serve it with this air fryer tofu or my eggplant fries!

🫙 Storage Directions

To Store: For best results, serve this vegan eggplant recipe fresh. Leftovers, however, can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe, as the leftovers don’t freeze well, and change texture when thawed and reheated.

To Reheat From The Fridge: Reheat the dish in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through.

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🍲 More Delicious Vegan Thai Dishes!

• Vegan Satay Noodles
• Tofu Yellow Curry 
• Thai Peanut Curry
• Vegan Thai Green Curry 
• Thai Vegetable Coconut Curry Soup

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