Instant Pot Eggplant Chickpea Stew Recipe

As a longtime Simply Recipes contributor and Instant Pot expert, I’m so happy to share this recipe from The Instant Kitchen Cookbook. The book contains recipes for both Instant Pots and air fryers (both basket and toaster oven style), so you can make use of the latest kitchen technology to get meals on the table quickly and easily, every day of the week. 

This stew is so adaptable and easy to love. It’s gluten-free and vegetarian as written, and easily made vegan/dairy-free by subbing in vegan feta cheese for the dairy kind. I sometimes make my own (there’s a recipe for almond feta in my vegan Instant Pot book), but now that I am kept busy by two young children, I am grateful for store-bought options, too. My favorite vegan feta is the one from Trader Joe’s―it has all the brininess and tang you expect from the real thing. 

Speaking of adaptable, that was one thing I kept at top of mind while writing this cookbook. Whether you want to make a dish in your Instant Pot or air fryer (or use both on a given night, for a main dish and a side), and whatever dietary preferences or restrictions you may have, you’ll find lots to love and make in The Instant Kitchen Cookbook. Every recipe containing meat has a plant-based option, and there are gluten-free and dairy-free substitutions offered as well. I also made sure to test out the air fryer recipes in both a basket-style and toaster oven-style air fryer, since they each have their own quirks. 

But back to today’s recipe. It’s a one-pot Instant Pot dish (save for the rice you’ll want to serve alongside), with silky eggplant, bell pepper, and tender chickpeas in a rich, herbed tomato broth. The whole thing comes together in a little over a half hour and relies on mostly pantry ingredients, so it’s become a weeknight go-to in my house. The feta on top absolutely makes it for me – you can add an extra drizzle of olive oil when serving if you like for more richness, too! It also keeps well as a meal prep dish, to be enjoyed for lunches throughout the week.

More of Coco Morante’s Instant Pot Recipes

• Easy Instant Pot Cheesecake
• Pot Roast with Balsamic and Rosemary
• Instant Pot Egg Bites
• White Chicken Chili
• Instant Pot Porcupine Meatballs

Salt the vegetables:

In a mixing bowl, toss the eggplant and bell pepper with the salt. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Saute the garlic and onion:

Select the SAUTÉ setting on the Instant Pot and heat the olive oil and garlic. When the garlic begins to bubble, add the onion and sauté for about 2 more minutes, until just softened.

Add the salted vegetables, chickpeas, seasonings, and water:

Add the eggplant and bell pepper, chickpeas, mint, oregano, cumin, and water and stir to combine. Dollop the tomato paste on top, but do not stir.

Pressure cook the stew:

Secure the lid and set the pressure release to Sealing. Press the Cancel button to reset the cooking program, then select the PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL setting for 3 minutes at high pressure. (The pot will take about 5 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking program begins.)

Release the pressure:

When the cooking program ends, perform a quick pressure release by moving the pressure release to Venting, or let the pressure release naturally. Open the pot, then stir in the tomato paste.

Serve: 

Spoon the stew onto plates or serving bowls. Top with the crumbled feta and serve right away, with rice alongside.

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