Aubergine and Sweet Potato Casserole
Aubergine and Sweet Potato Casserole is perfect if you’re looking for something easy to cook but also full of sweet jerk spices reminiscent of the Caribbean. Gluten-free and vegan too.
Timings
Prep Time
10 mins
Cooktime
1hr
Total time
1hr 10 mins
Servings
4
Aubergine and Sweet Potato Casserole
I found i’ve become a bit obsessed with the Caribbean as of late. Not just the food but also the culture. Island life, and yes, I know the U.K is an island but tropical island life in particular, seems idyllic. Imagine waking up to calm, blue waters and being able to saunter down to the beach and enjoy rum cocktails whenever you want! It’s the dream!
Why should I make this casserole?
- Makes for an easy, one-pot dinner
- The spices.. the sugar.. the pineapple… need I say more?
- Transport yourself to the Caribbean with one bite!
- It’s really healthy!
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp chopped garlic (I use a jar of lazy garlic for quickness)
- 1 tsp grated ginger (I use frozen chopped ginger for ease)
- 1 aubergine, chopped into small cubes
- 1 sweet potato, chopped into small cubes
- 1 tsp all-spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 400g tin of chickpeas
- Handful of chopped pineapple
- Handful of chopped parsley
Throw it all in one pot!
This aubergine casserole makes for an easy, family-friendly dish as well. You can throw it all in one pot and get on with your day. My little one loves it, so yours might too.
Equipment Needed
- Medium casserole pot
- A wooden spoon
- A chef’s knife for chopping
- Measuring spoon
- Chopping board
Tinned or fresh is fine
I used an already chopped, pineapple in juice for this recipe as it saved me a HUGE amount of time. You can use tinned pineapple or fresh, it really doesn’t matter. Just make sure you drain the juice if using tinned.
Step-by-step method
Step 1 – Fry the onions and garlic Step 2 – Mix in spices and sugar Step 3 – Stir in aubergine and sweet potato Step 4 – Add chickpeas and tin of tomatoes Step 5 – One can of water Step 6 – A handful of pineapple Step 7 – Bake in the oven with a lid on for 1 hour
Inspired by Antigua and Barbuda
This recipe was, like I said above, inspired by the fruits and vegetables eaten frequently on the island of Antigua & Barbuda: sweet potatoes, sweet corn and of course pineapple, as well as jerk spices renowned for being from the Caribbean.
Recipe Variations
Can I use any sugar in the casserole?
Yes you can use any sugar however brown sugar will give a more caramelised flavour.
What other vegetables can I add in?
As this is a rather sweet casserole, I think root vegetables may go nicely. Try adding parsnip or carrots if you have any.
Can I use mixed spice instead of all-spice?
yes as they are pretty much the same.
Could I add beans instead of chickpeas?
Oh yes, I think butter beans would go really well with this casserole. However yes, any beans would go well as a replacement to the chickpeas.
When is aubergine in
season in the UK?
You’ll find that aubergines will be at their best from around July to September. It’s quite a short window! Thankfully they are usually found throughout the year in supermarkets. Why not try and grow your own with this helpful guide from the RHS?
Tips
This recipe works really well in the slow-cooker as it was previously as slow-cooker recipe before the website got updated. I’ve now updated it for cooking in an oven, however slow-cooking will produce lovely flavours. It’s a good idea if you want to use dried beans as a replacement to the chickpeas.
Aubergine and Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp garlic crushed (or lazy garlic)
- 1 tsp ginger grated (or frozen chopped ginger)
- 1 tsp all-spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
- 1 aubergine chopped into small squares
- 200 g sweet potato chopped into small squares
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 400 g tin of chickpeas or dried but soaked and cooked beforehand
- pineapple chunks a handful
- 1 handful parsley chopped
Instructions
- Fry the onion and garlic in oil in a casserole pot until starting to brown.
- Add the spices and sugar and stir.
- Add the aubergine and sweet potato and combine. Stir in the chickpeas and tin of tomatoes. Leave to simmer.
- Add the pineapple chunks and cover with a lid. Cook in an oven at 200°/180 fan for 1 hour. Stir in the parsley and serve with rice.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
It would also be nice to serve this dish with couscous, bulgar wheat or quinoa. A dollop of yoghurt with a squeeze of lemon to offset the sweetness, or sour cream would go well too.
Why not serve your Caribbean casserole with some Algerian semolina flatbread known as Kesra. The pair are a match made in heaven. So good!
If you’d like to know more about Antiguan food, see my post on How To Eat Like An Antiguan.
More one-pot recipes –
- This Catalan-style rigatoni stew is super comforting and hails from Andorra.
- To warm up on a winter’s eve, my Afghan lamb and spinach stew is perfect.
- Looking for something vegan, try my aubergine and kidney bean pasta The roasted aubergines are divine!
- If you’re a fan of peanuts, my African chicken muamba is peanut-heaven!
