Persians love their pickled vegetables and this pickled eggplant with pomegranate (torshi bademjan ba anar) is thick, incredibly delicious and super easy to make. Find more of my pomegranate recipes.

Eggplants are some seriously under appreciated vegetables here in the US. As a kid, I didn’t care much for eggplant. But as I got older, I couldn’t get enough of it. I love eggplant parmesan and Persian eggplant stew (khoresh bademjan).
In fact, the Middle East and Mediterranean use eggplant in all aspects of cooking. This incredible vegetable is so full of flavor and really worthy to be on your menu. And today, I am sharing with you another eggplant recipe: pickled eggplant with pomegranate (torshi bademjan ba anar)
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What is torshi?
The term “pickle” means something here in the U.S. It’s a cucumber, that has been soaking in brine or vinegar to create a delicious condiment for a hamburger, sandwich or barbecue. Here in the US we also have pickled cabbage, pickled okra, pickled onions, pickled tomatoes and maybe a handful other sour delights.
Persians love pickling, too, especially our vegetables. And these pickled vegetables are called torshi, which translates basically to “sour stuff.” If it’s torsh, it’s sour. We also have our pickled cucumbers, but we really love our pickled vegetables.
The most common torshi is chopped vegetables like carrots and cauliflower, in a herb rich vinegar bath. The varieties of torshi are endless, and include a variety of different herbs. My aunt makes a torshi with mango, too.
Ingredients you need
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- Italian eggplants: I choose to use the smaller varieties of eggplant for torshi. It has less water and is more firm than the big varieties. Other varieties include baby eggplants, ghost eggplants and Chinese/Japanese eggplants.
- White wine vinegar: Pickling vegetables requires vinegar. You can use regular white vinegar or go fancier with apple cider, champagne or sherry vinegar.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is added to the pickling vegetables for flavor as well to eat.
- Pomegranate concentrate: This is different from pomegranate molasses, as it does NOT have sugar added to it. You can make your own concentrate by simmer pomegranate juice and reducing it to syrup consistency.
- Other vegetables: Firm vegetables are added for variety, flavor and crunch. I like to use carrots and cauliflower.
- Herbs: I use dried fenugreek, tarragon and mint in this mixture. You can use fresh if you have it on hand.
- Salt and pepper
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Step-by-step directions
- Combine in a pot. In a small pot over medium heat combine eggplant, garlic, vinegar, pomegranate concentrate, salt and pepper.
- Boil mixture. Bring mixture to a boil and continue boiling for 20 more minutes.
- Finish the torshi. Remove from heat and stir in remaining vegetables and herbs.
- Jar the torshi. Divide mixture into jars.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
If you are canning your pickles, click here for hot water canning instructions. Store in a dark cool place. Pickles will be ready in 2-3 weeks.
If you are not canning, let jars reach room temperature, seal and place in the refrigerator. Pickles will be ready in 2-3 weeks.
Torshi is typically served on the side, as a condiment. We eat torshi with everything: kabob koobideh, lubia pollo and especially abgoosht.
Storing Instructions
TO STORE: You can store your torshi in the refrigerator where it will last for months. If hot water canned, it can last for at least a year.
Persian Pickled Eggplant with Pomegranate (torshi bademjan ba anar)
Ingredients
- 2 Italian eggplants halved and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cup white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 cup pomegranate concentrate
- ½ cup carrots halved and cut into small pieces
- 1 cup cauliflower chopped into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek
- ¾ teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried mint
Instructions
- In a small pot over medium heat combine eggplant, garlic, vinegar, pomegranate concentrate, salt and pepper.
- Bring mixture to a boil and continue boiling for 20 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in remaining vegetables and herbs.
- Divide mixture into jars. If you are canning your pickles, click here for hot water canning instructions. Store in a dark cool place. Pickles will be ready in 2-3 weeks.
- If you are not canning, let jars reach room temperature, seal and place in the refrigerator.
- Pickles will be ready in 2-3 weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
My husband’s family is from Gilan province and they use specific “Rob-e anar”. It is very thick and sour. We tried to cook some of their food with Sadaf concentrate and it did not work. The taste was not even similar. It was awful.
Very interesting. I have been very disappointed with the rob-e anar I find here in the US. It is thick, but super sweet. All I taste is sugar and no pomegranate. As I have not tried the original recipe, I made this torshi based on my and my husband’s personal preferences. We prefer low sugar and we like the pomegranate flavor in the Sadaf brand of concentrate. And of course, homemade rob-e anar is always our first choice!
I love eggplant, how tasty!
This looks like a very tasty accompaniment. I laughed about not getting between an Iranian and his comfort food. My Italian husband is the same. You don’t muck around with the classics.
I didn’t know pomegranate concentrate existed! I need to find that! We don’t do a lot of pickling (souring) but are getting into it more and more. I love the flavor note pickled things bring to the table! And this dish looks superb – love it. Really good stuff – thanks so much.
I love pickled eggplant! I never tried this dish though, but I’m a big pickle eater and this sounds delightful. I see a lot of Indian dishes use fenugreek but didn’t know you use this herbs too!
I adore pickled “stuff” and my mouth is watering for some of your torshi – let’s have a party and make some!
Never tried torshi.. Need it try it out.. =)