This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
Russian ikra or eggplant caviar is a zippy vegetable spread that packs a punch of flavor for the perfect appetizer!
Not too different from Sicilian caponata, Middle Eastern baba ganoush, or French ratatouille, ikra features eggplant in a beautifully balanced tangy, sweet, and savory spread.
If you like eggplant, this will be your new favorite way to eat it!
What is Ikra?
Ikra is an eggplant spread that’s popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other Slavic countries. With Turkish origin, the word ikra actually means fish eggs in Russian. In the U.S.S.R., this dish was called “poor man’s caviar” (baklazhannaia ikra) during Soviet times because sturgeon roe was hard to come by, and the eggplant seeds’ resembled caviar.
Russian eggplant caviar (or aubergine caviar) is a vegan recipe with a base of smoky roasted eggplant and sweet roasted bell peppers. In this recipe, the roasted veggies are peeled, pressed to remove excess liquid, and chopped. They’re then combined with a mixture of slightly caramelized onion, tomato, carrot, and garlic. Vinegar and sugar create a harmonious balance, and the flavors of the vegetables really shine. Simple seasonings are all you need: salt, black pepper, and fresh herbs like parsley or dill.
I’ve seen versions of this dish that puree the mixture until smooth, and others that leave the vegetables chunky and rustic. I prefer it with texture (and so I can see the variety of gorgeous vegetables), but you can serve it how you like it.
Eggplant caviar is typically served on sliced bread (such as rye or baguette). You can toast the bread if you like a little crunch, or if the bread is a day or two old and starting to get stale. Talk about a money-saving recipe – no waste!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Affordable – With a base of eggplant, this dish is a prime example of how using the right cooking techniques and combining flavors that blend well can transform humble ingredients into something truly special. If you need a budget-friendly appetizer to feed a crowd, this recipe is perfect!
- Versatile – Serve this hot or cold along with bread for a beautiful appetizer. However, the options don’t stop there! You can also enjoy this as a spread on a sandwich or wrap for lunch, as a dip with vegetable sticks or pretzels for a healthy snack, or as a warm chopped salad or side dish along with just about any main course for dinner. It’s also delicious tossed with pasta for a vegan meal!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Eggplant – A globe eggplant works well here. In this recipe, we roast the eggplant but you could also grill it for a beautiful smoky undertone. After cooking, we peel the eggplant and press it to remove as much of the eggplant’s bitter liquid as possible.
- Bell peppers – Use red and/or orange bell peppers for gorgeous color in this stewed vegetable appetizer.
- Olive oil – Sunflower oil is more traditional in this recipe, but I don’t keep it in my pantry. You can use it instead of olive oil if you prefer.
- Onion – Use a yellow or red onion here. We cook the onion down in oil until it starts to caramelize and develop rich, sweet flavor.
- Carrot – Carrot is optional, but I like to add it for more color and natural sweetness.
- Tomato – I’ve seen recipes that use ketchup, but in this recipe I opt for fresh tomatoes and tomato paste instead. Fresh tomato adds to the balanced sweet and tart flavor we’re developing in this recipe.
- Garlic – Some recipes keep the garlic raw, but here we briefly cook it. Either way, it adds a zippy bite to this spread.
- Tomato paste – Instead of ketchup, we use tomato paste paired with vinegar and sugar. The tomato paste adds rich, deep flavor and also helps thicken this spread.
- Apple cider vinegar – Vinegar adds a tartness that we need for balance in this recipe. You can also use red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Sugar – The sugar is optional, but recommended to help create the perfect sweet and tangy flavor profile.
- Salt and black pepper – These simple seasonings are all it takes to make this dish sing.
- Parsley – Fresh herbs add a pop of green color and burst of bright flavor. Parsley or dill are both great here, and you can use what you have on hand.
Tip: How to Make This Paleo
This recipe is naturally gluten free and vegan. To make it paleo, use a paleo-friendly sweetened instead of regular sugar, such as coconut sugar or honey.
How to Make Ikra
Prepare the Eggplant and Bell Peppers
- Rinse and pat dry the eggplant and bell peppers. Poke a few holes in the eggplant. Place the eggplant and bell peppers a foil-lined baking tray and bake until they’re collapsed and browned in spots on the outside, about 45 minutes, flipping everything over once halfway through.
- When the eggplant and bell peppers are out of the oven, transfer them to a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let them sit until they’re cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes, and then peel them.
- Discard the skin, and put the eggplant and bell pepper flesh in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Chop the eggplant and bell peppers as coarsely or as finely as you like. I like this spread with a chunky rustic texture, but if you want it velvety-smooth you can puree it.
Lightly Caramelize the Onion & Add the Other Ingredients
- While the eggplant and bell peppers are roasting, start on the other vegetables. Add the olive oil to a large, deep skillet with a heavy bottom (such as cast-iron) over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until it’s softened and starting to brown in spots, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the heat down as necessary so it doesn’t cook too quickly and burn.
- Stir the carrot and tomatoes into the skillet with the onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add in the chopped eggplant and bell peppers, and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from the heat.
- Add the parsley (or dill).
- Serve hot or cold along with fresh or toasted sliced bread.
Storage
Store this spread covered in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
This freezes well for up to 3 months; after thawing, you can drain off any excess liquid, taste, and add seasonings as desired (specifically, salt, vinegar, and/or sugar). After freezing, another option is to puree this spread if you want a smooth, velvety texture.
Pro Tips
- For the bell peppers, technically any color bell pepper will work here. However, bright red, orange, or even yellow bell peppers add a pretty pop of color and slightly sweeter flavor than their green counterpart.
- You can serve this spread hot or cold. I like the flavor even more the next day after the flavors have had the chance to marry in the fridge overnight.
- This isn’t a fast recipe, and it’s not one of those recipes that calls for just a couple ingredients. It takes time (around 2 hours), but it’s not difficult to make. And it’s worth it; this recipe transforms ordinary, humble vegetables into something that tastes incredibly special.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eggplant caviar is eaten similar to fish caviar: serve it in a bowl along with small slices of toasted baguette slices for a lovely appetizer. Other cold appetizers like pickles and salads are traditional accompaniments. Instead of bread, crackers also work well, and if you’re feeling fancy you can whip up blini (aka Russian pancakes).
This dish also makes a great light lunch. Serve it on sourdough, pumpernickel, or rye toast, topped with a generous sprinkle of fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. You could even add a poached egg if you like!
There are different methods you can use to reduce the bitter flavor of eggplant.
For example, there’s the salting method. In this method, you slice and generously salt eggplant, and then let it sit. The salt draws out the liquid, and much of the bitter flavor with it. After that, you rinse the salted eggplant and squeeze out as much of the excess liquid as possible before cooking.
In this recipe, we cook the eggplant whole, so we use a different method to remove the bitterness. After cooking, the eggplant is pressed to remove as much of the excess liquid as possible.
Another way to avoid bitter eggplant is to select younger, smaller eggplant as opposed to more mature, larger fruit. An eggplant should feel heavy for its size, and be firm with a slight give when you press it.
More Eggplant Recipes to Try
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!
Ikra Recipe (Eggplant Caviar)
Email This Recipe
Get this recipe link emailed straight to your inbox!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplant about 1 medium-large eggplant
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil see Notes
- 2 1/2 cups chopped onion about 1 large onion
- 1 cup shredded carrot about 1 large carrot
- 1 1/2 cups chopped tomato about 2 medium tomatoes
- 5 large cloves garlic crushed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar optional
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Roast the Eggplant and Bell Peppers: Preheat the oven to 400F. If desired, line a baking tray with foil (for easy cleanup). Rinse and pat dry the eggplant and bell peppers. Poke a few holes in the eggplant. Place the eggplant and bell peppers on the prepared baking tray and bake until they’re collapsed and browned in spots on the outside, about 45 minutes, flipping everything over once halfway through.
- Peel, Strain, and Chop the Eggplant and Bell Peppers: When the eggplant and bell peppers are out of the oven, transfer them to a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let them sit until they’re cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes, and then peel them. Discard the skin, and put the eggplant and bell pepper flesh in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and then chop.
- Lightly Caramelize the Onion: Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a large, deep skillet with a heavy bottom (such as cast-iron) over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until it’s softened and starting to brown in spots, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the heat down as necessary so it doesn’t cook too quickly and burn.
- Bring It All Together: Stir the carrot and tomatoes into the skillet with the onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in the chopped eggplant and bell peppers, and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
- Serve: Serve hot or cold along with fresh or toasted sliced bread.
Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups or 14 (1/4-cup) servings.
- Storage: Store this spread covered in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: This freezes well for up to 3 months; after thawing, you can drain off any excess liquid, taste, and add seasonings as desired (specifically, salt, vinegar, and/or sugar). After freezing, another option is to puree this spread if you want a smooth, velvety texture.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
