How long does eggplant last?

Eggplant keeps about 1 day at room temperature and 4 to 7 days in the fridge from the day you buy it. Cooked or blanched, it keeps 6 to 8 months in the freezer.

Food	Fridge	Freezer	Pantry
Eggplant	4–7 daysfrom purchase	6–8 monthsfrom purchase	1 dayfrom purchase

Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.

How to tell if eggplant has gone bad

Soft, mushy or wrinkled skin, or dark sunken spots.
Brown, slimy flesh, or mold on the skin or stem.
A sour or rotten smell. Light brown flesh around the seeds is normal, and browning after cutting is oxidation.

How to store eggplant

Keep eggplant whole and unwashed in the crisper drawer, wrapped in a paper towel inside a loose bag.
It's sensitive to cold, so use it within 4 to 7 days; the coldest spots in the fridge can damage it.
Keep it away from bananas, tomatoes and melons, whose ethylene speeds up spoilage.
Cut it just before cooking: the flesh browns quickly.

Can you freeze eggplant?

Not raw, but cooked or blanched eggplant keeps 6 to 8 months. Slice it, blanch it or grill or roast it, cool it and freeze it in a single layer before bagging. Use it in moussaka, curries, pasta sauces and dips.

Questions

Should eggplant be refrigerated?

Yes, unless you'll cook it the same day: the USDA gives it about 1 day at room temperature and 4 to 7 days in the fridge.

Is brown eggplant flesh safe?

Browning around the seeds or after cutting is normal. Brown, slimy, soft flesh with a bad smell means it's spoiled.

How long does cooked eggplant last?

3 to 4 days in the fridge, like other cooked vegetables.

Add eggplant to ShelfLife, and get a reminder to cook it within the week.

▶ Coming soon toGoogle Play Coming soon on theApp Store