Air Fryer Khoresht Bademjan / Bademjoon (Easy Persian Eggplant Stew)
Looking for an easy Persian dinner for a busy weeknight? This Air Fryer Khoresht Bademjan is a delicious shortcut to one of my favorite Persian comfort foods. Tender eggplant and sweet cherry tomatoes are air fried until beautifully browned, then simmered with golden onions, tomato paste, turmeric, and tart Persian ghooreh.
The best part? You don’t need to stand over a pan frying eggplant. The air fryer does the hands-on work while you prepare the rest of dinner.
Serve this easy Persian eggplant stew over white or saffron rice, add a side of Mast-o Khiar, and you’ve got a flavorful Persian-inspired meal that feels special without requiring hours in the kitchen. Pair with your cooked protein of choice or for a vegetarian/vegan option try tofu or chickpeas!
Total time: about 45 minutes
An Easy Persian Dinner for the Middle of the Week
I love Persian food, but I also know that traditional Persian cooking can sometimes feel like a weekend project.
That’s why I developed this air fryer version of Khoresht Bademjan.
Instead of frying the eggplant in a generous amount of oil, the air fryer gives the eggplant beautifully browned edges and a tender center with much less hands-on cooking. While the eggplant cooks, you can sauté the onions and start your rice.
By the time the rice is ready, your stew is ready, too.
This is the kind of Persian meal I love for a Tuesday or Wednesday night: comforting, flavorful and satisfying, but without making dinner feel like an event.
What Is Khoresht Bademjan?
Khoresht Bademjan, also spelled Khoresh Bademjan, is a classic Persian eggplant stew.
Khoresht means stew in Persian, while bademjan or bademjoon means eggplant. There are many variations of this dish, depending on the cook and the region, but eggplant and a flavorful tomato-based sauce are at the heart of it.
Traditional versions often involve frying the eggplant before adding it to the stew. This air fryer version simplifies that step while keeping the delicious combination of tender eggplant, tomatoes, onions and tart flavors that make this Persian stew so satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Khoresht Bademjan
It’s weeknight friendly
The entire meal comes together in about 45 minutes, and much of that time is hands-off.
The air fryer does the hard work
No standing over a skillet while eggplant absorbs oil and needs constant attention. Air fry the eggplant, toss in the tomatoes, and move on to the rest of dinner.
You can cook the rice at the same time
Start your Persian rice while the eggplant is in the air fryer. The timing works beautifully for a weeknight meal.
It’s flexible
Serve it with chicken, lamb or beef, or make it vegetarian with tofu or chickpeas.
It tastes like comfort food
Even though the method is simplified, you still get the rich, savory and slightly tart flavors that make Persian eggplant stew so delicious.
Ingredients
For the eggplant
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut in half lengthwise, then into approximately 2-inch batons
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
For the stew
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup ghooreh (unripe green grapes)
- 3 cups water or broth
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Turmeric, to taste
- Avocado oil, for sautéing the onions
For serving
- White Persian rice or saffron rice
- Maast-o Khiar
Optional protein
No ghooreh? You can substitute verjus (verjuice) or add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
How to Make Air Fryer Khoresht Bademjan
1. Start the eggplant in the air fryer
Peel the eggplant and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut each half into approximately 2-inch batons.
Toss the eggplant with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil.
Place the eggplant in your air fryer and cook at 375°F for 20 minutes, tossing 2–3 times during cooking.
While the eggplant cooks, this is the perfect time to start your rice and prepare the onions.
2. Add the tomatoes
After 20 minutes, add the cherry or grape tomatoes to the air fryer.
Toss the eggplant and tomatoes together and cook for another 10 minutes.
The eggplant should be tender and browned, while the tomatoes should be softened and beginning to blister.
3. Sauté the onions
While the eggplant and tomatoes are cooking, heat avocado oil in a large pan or Dutch oven.
Add the diced onion and cook until golden.
Add salt, pepper and turmeric.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for approximately 2 minutes.
This quick step helps deepen the flavor of the tomato paste and gives the stew a richer base.
4. Add the water or broth
Pour the 3 cups of water or broth into the pan.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan and loosen any browned bits.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
5. Add the eggplant, tomatoes and ghooreh
Arrange the air-fried eggplant and tomatoes in the pan with the onions and sauce.
If using ghooreh, add it now.
Let everything simmer together for 5–10 minutes so the flavors can come together.
Taste and adjust the salt, pepper and tartness.
If you aren’t using ghooreh and want more acidity, add a little lemon juice or verjus.
The Weeknight Dinner Shortcut
Here’s my favorite way to make this into an easy mid-week Persian meal:
Start the rice first.
While the rice is cooking:
- Peel and cut the eggplant.
- Put the eggplant in the air fryer.
- Dice the onion.
- Sauté the onion and make the stew base.
- Add the tomatoes to the air fryer.
- Combine everything and simmer.
By the time your rice is finished, the Khoresht Bademjan should be ready to serve.
Dinner is done.
What to Serve With Persian Eggplant Stew
The easiest pairing is Persian white rice or saffron rice.
The rice gives the flavorful tomato sauce somewhere to go—and a spoonful of Khoresht Bademjan over fluffy rice makes a wonderfully satisfying meal.
I also love serving it with Mast-o Khiar, a refreshing Persian yogurt and cucumber side dish.
For a busier weeknight, you can keep things simple with just:
Khoresht Bademjan + rice + Mast-o Khiar
That’s a complete Persian-inspired dinner without a lot of extra work.
Make It Vegetarian or Vegan
This Air Fryer Khoresht Bademjan is easy to adapt.
For a vegetarian version, serve the stew with your favorite protein or simply enjoy it with rice and Persian sides.
For a vegan version:
- Use vegetable broth or water.
- Serve with tofu or cooked garbanzo beans.
- Use plant-based yogurt if making Mast-o Khiar.
The eggplant and tomato stew itself is packed with flavor, so you don’t need meat to make it satisfying.
Want a Vegan Version Without an Air Fryer?
If you don’t have an air fryer—or you’d simply like to try a more traditional-style preparation—check out my Persian Vegetarian Eggplant Stew – Khoreshteh Bademjan.
This version is vegetarian and vegan-friendly and uses the oven broiler to char the eggplant instead of an air fryer. It has the classic Persian combination of eggplant, tomato, onion, turmeric, and tart ghooreh, and it’s delicious served over white rice with saffron tahdig.
No air fryer? No problem! → Try my Vegan Khoresht Bademjan
Easy Weeknight Tips
Prep the eggplant ahead
You can peel and cut the eggplant earlier in the day and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook.
Use the air fryer while you prep
The beauty of this recipe is that the eggplant doesn’t need your constant attention. Use those 20 minutes to get everything else ready.
Don’t skip the tomato paste
Cooking the tomato paste with the onions and turmeric for a couple of minutes adds depth to the sauce.
Taste for acidity
Ghooreh is naturally tart, which is part of what makes Persian stews so delicious. If you’re using lemon juice instead, add it gradually until the flavor is balanced.
Make extra rice
Leftover Persian rice makes the next day’s lunch incredibly easy. Reheat the rice and stew separately and you’ve got another meal ready to go.
Can I Make Khoresht Bademjan Ahead?
Yes!
In fact, like many stews, Khoresht Bademjan can be even more flavorful after the flavors have had time to mingle.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Keep the rice stored separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khoresht Bademjan the same as Persian eggplant stew?
Yes. Khoresht Bademjan, also spelled Khoresh Bademjan, is the Persian name for a style of eggplant stew.
Can I make Khoresht Bademjan in an air fryer?
Yes. In this recipe, the eggplant and tomatoes are prepared in the air fryer before being combined with the onion and tomato-based stew sauce on the stovetop.
Is this an easy Persian recipe?
Yes. Using the air fryer eliminates the traditional step of frying the eggplant in a pan, making this a practical option for an easy Persian weeknight dinner.
What is ghooreh?
Ghooreh is Persian unripe green grape. It has a naturally tart flavor and is used in many Persian dishes.
What can I use instead of ghooreh?
Use verjus (verjuice) or add fresh lemon juice to taste.
Can Khoresht Bademjan be vegetarian?
Absolutely. Use vegetable broth or water and serve it with tofu or cooked garbanzo beans for a vegetarian or vegan meal.
What do you eat Khoresht Bademjan with?
Khoresht Bademjan is delicious served over Persian white rice or saffron rice. Mast-o Khiar makes a refreshing side dish.
More Persian Recipes for an Easy Dinner
If you’re building a Persian-inspired weeknight dinner, try pairing this recipe with:
Persian Rice with Tahdig
Fluffy Persian rice with that irresistible crispy layer at the bottom.
Maast-o Khiar
A cool and refreshing Persian yogurt and cucumber side.
Salad Shirazi
A fresh Persian salad made with cucumber, tomato and herbs.
Braised Persian Chicken
A colorful Persian rice dish with dried fruit, nuts and aromatic flavors.
Air Fryer Khoresht Bademjan Recipe
Make this easy Air Fryer Khoresht Bademjan for a flavorful Persian weeknight dinner. Tender eggplant, tomatoes, golden onions and tart ghooreh served over rice.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 3 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup ghooreh
- 3 cups water or broth
- Salt
- Pepper
- Turmeric
Instructions
- Peel and cut eggplant into approximately 2-inch batons. Toss with 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
- Air fry at 375°F for 20 minutes, tossing 2–3 times.
- Add cherry or grape tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, sauté diced onion in avocado oil until golden.
- Add salt, pepper, turmeric and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add water or broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
- Add the air-fried eggplant and tomatoes.
- Add ghooreh, if using.
- Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
- Serve over white or saffron rice with Mast-o Khiar.
Notes
Serve as is with White or saffron Persian rice or pair with your cooked protein of choice. For a vegetarian/vegan option use chickpeas or tofu.