My Slow Cooker Eggplant Tapenade will prove that your crockpot is eggplant’s best friend.
This warm slow cooker eggplant tapenade is perfect for summer dinner and it doesn’t heat up your kitchen. Eat it cold on crackers or in lettuce wraps.
Photo by Kate Lewis
Are You Feeling the Summer Yet?
The hot and humid North Carolina summer weather wears me out after a simple walk around my tiny garden or after a few hours working on the deck.
The heat makes me feel less motivated and more time thinking about napping than cooking.
That’s when it’s time to put my slow cooker back on the counter. I can throw everything in before it gets too hot and dinner will be ready when I’m hungry!
Do You Use Your Slow Cooker in the Summer?
This is the time of the year that slow cookers are made for. Make dinner while doing other, less heat-producing, chores.
While I’m writing this, I have 2 cooking away in the kitchen and it doesn’t heat the house up one bit. I’ll be posting more summer slow cooker recipes as the season wears on, so don’t put that slow cooker away!
I’ve been watching and waiting for my tomatoes to get ruby red and my eggplant to grow large enough to pick.
It will be a while before mine are ready, so I got some early tomatoes from the farmers market, and gave I in and bought an early eggplant at Trader Joe’s.
Don’t judge me – I really wanted to make the Eggplant Tapenade from my book Vegan Slow Cooking for Two.
It’s great straight from the slow cooker, but perfect for summer when you eat it cold from the fridge on crackers.
A Few of My Favorite Summer Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Pizza Rolls are a fun side for a large dinner salad. You get the best of both worlds and still keep the house cool.
Don’t forget dessert! You can make my vegan slow cooker pound cake. Enjoy it with a scoop of vegan ice cream.
Slow Cooking for Two
If you are a small household of one or two you need these fun and easy recipes!
Can I Freeze This Eggplant Tapenade Recipe?
This freezes great and is an easy way to preserve your summer harvest.
I like to thaw some out in the dead of winter to remind me that summer will eventually be back again.
Do I Have to Use Black Olives?
I love this veggie combo, but if you aren’t in love with olives, just leave them out. After all, this is your dinner, not mine!
My slow cooker recipes for two use a small 2-quart or 3-quart slow cookers. It’s the perfect size for 2 portions and you can usually pick one up on sale at a big box store.
Keep your eyes open at the thrift store too, because I see dozens cycle through over the course of a year.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
- Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
- Vegan Slow Cooker No-Honey Tofu
- Kung Pao Cauliflower
- Slow Cooker Veggie Loaf
- Whole Wheat Spelt Potato Rolls
- Vegan Thai Iced Tea Concentrate
Eggplant Tapenade from Vegan Slow Cooking for Two
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped eggplant
- 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes or a 14.5 ounce can – do not drain
- 1 6 oz can pitted green olives , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon capers
- 1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar , to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil ,or 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- salt and pepper ,to taste
Instructions
- Add everything above balsamic vinegar to the slow cooker and cook on low 7 to 9 hours.
- Before serving add the vinegar, basil, salt and pepper.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
The Peace Patch says
Thanks for the reminder about the goodness of summer slowcookery…and ohgoodgolly yes! on the chilled tapenade straight from the fridge! 🙂
mamapasta says
I’ve done it and it really comes out yummy!
Poppy says
Delicious! Thank you for joining the VVLP!
Kris says
Just took this out of the slow cooker. It smells amazing. I can’t wait to dig in. My sneak preview taste =two thumbs up. This is a great recipe for fresh eggplant. Salty delicious!
Carry says
We ended up making a version of this in the pressure cooker (my slow cooker is packed away in preparation for a move). The eggplant completely broke down to make a delicious sauce for pasta. Thanks for the inspiration!
Barbie says
So if you do not have a slow cooker how long would I cook this in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven in the oven??
Kathy Hester says
I can’t give you an exact time since I’ve never cooked it that way, but I’d say once the eggplant was tender and cooked through you would be good to go. You also might want to either cook it covered or add extra liquid. In fact I would go ahead and add a 1/4 water to begin with since you will use a pan larger than 2 quarts.
If there’s too much liquid at the end, just uncover and cook until it’s the way you’d like it to be.
Rachel @ athletic avocado says
this looks amazing!!! I love eggplant 🙂
Kathy Hester says
Me too!
Becky Striepe says
Oh yum! I love olive tapenade and can’t wait to try this eggplant one!
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen says
I love the idea of using my slow cooker for a light meal when it’s too hot to cook!
GiGi Eats says
Yum yum yum yum!! I am in love. I LOVEEEEEEE toppings like this! I put them on everything and…. Sometimes just eat it with a spoon 🙂
Karen says
Made this yesterday. Didn’t have quite enough eggplant so chopped up a couple of crimini mushrooms to make up the volume. Very tasty, both hot,last night, and cold for lunch today
Rach says
Could you add chicken?
Kathy Hester says
I don’t cook meat at all, so I’m not sure.
Lee Edenfield says
Peel the eggplant?
Kathy Hester says
I don’t, but you can if you’d prefer to.
Jules says
No need to salt and drain the chopped eggplant first???
Kathy Hester says
Nope.
Joan says
Can you add onion?
Kathy Hester says
Yes you can!
Lola says
Could I substitute black olives for green olives? Or you think it would ruin the flavor? I have all the ingredients except tor green olives…
Kathy Hester says
I think they could work.
Alyssa Beller says
Can i cook covered in the oven for shorter time? Do you think red wine vinegar could be subbed?
Kathy Hester says
Yes on both counts!
Dancin' Machine says
THANK YOU! A friend “gifted” me 5 large eggplants:). I was intimidated but found this recipe. I used more like 4+ cups of eggplant, set my crockpot on HIGH because I feared it wouldn’t be done in time for dinner with friends. Result: 4 hrs+ mostly on HIGH worked!) Inserted hand blender at hour 5 & all blended in a wink ! GREAT flavors – spreadable on crackers or bread, delicious.
Roberta says
The flavor is ahhhhmazing! I just cooked it in a dutch oven on the stovetop on low heat. Didn’t have capers or, believe it or not, basil – so I used dried oregano.
So happy to find this delicious, oil-free eggplant recipe. Yummy, yummy. Thanks!
Andrea Tersigni says
Oh My Goodness!!! I had a lone eggplant and I was struggling to find a recipe. I usually make a huge batch of ratatouille but I needed more than one. Scrolling through FB I saw mention of eggplant tapenade in an obscure sidebar in one of your posts.
What a chance happening. I didn’t want to wait for slow cook, so I followed the instructions exactly except I cooked it in my Instant Pot for 3 minutes; let it set 3 minutes then quick release. Added the balsamic, fresh basil. I had to restrain myself not to eat the entire pot before dinner. As always… Thank you. I have almost all your cookbooks but sometimes it helps to have our memory jogged.