Beautifully rich and colourful, pisto is a Spanish vegetable stew with eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and peppers. Learn how to make this recipe at home for a perfect side dish or a main.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt for eggplant
- olive oil cold-pressed, good quality
- 1 large onion peeled and diced
- 1/2 long red chilli diced (or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes)
- 1 red bell pepper capsicum, diced
- 1 green bell pepper capsicum, diced
- 2 garlic cloves chopped (can be omitted, this is my personal addition)
- 1.5 cans crushed tomatoes or tomato passata, organic, if possible
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar honey or coconut sugar (optional, omit for Whole30)
- 2 small to medium zucchini peeled and diced
Instructions
- Dice the eggplant into cubes and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave for 15-20 minutes. This removes some of the bitterness from the eggplant and draws out the moisture so that the vegetable doesn't need as much oil to fry in.
- Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep frying pan or a casserole dish and heat over medium heat. Add the onions, chilli and diced peppers. Cook over medium heat for 12-14 minutes until well softened. Then, add the garlic, tomatoes, salt and sugar or honey and cook for 10 minutes covered with a lid, stirring a couple of times. In the meantime, dice the zucchini and set them aside.
- Rinse the eggplant under water and pat dry slightly with the kitchen towel. In a separate frying pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway, until slightly browned off.
- Remove the eggplant and add a little more olive oil. Add the zucchini and cook for 4-5 minutes as well, stirring a couple of times.
- Finally, add the pre-fried eggplant and zucchini to the pot with the tomato mixture and stir through. Cook together for 25 minutes over medium-low heat, covered with a lid. Stir a few times.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes after cooking before serving. You may garnish pisto with fresh parsley, basil or coriander if you wish.
Notes
Store leftover pisto in an airtight container for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 2 months. It can be reheated or enjoyed cold the following days.
Nutrition
Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 727IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
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