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Makdous is one of those recipes that instantly takes me back home. If you grew up in Lebanon, you already know the excitement of opening a jar of these little stuffed eggplants at breakfast or as part of a mezze spread.
This is a traditional Lebanese makdous recipe, made with baby eggplants stuffed with a walnut and chili filling, then finished with olive oil. The flavors and process are exactly what I grew up eating, with storage adapted for modern home kitchens using refrigeration and freezing rather than room-temperature storage.
Makdous is best enjoyed as part of a mezze spread, alongside classics like labneh, baba ganoush, or hummus.
Table of Contents
What you’ll need
For the eggplants
- Baby eggplants: Use very small eggplants, ideally palm-sized or smaller. Smaller eggplants have fewer seeds, a milder flavor, and hold their shape better during cooking, pressing, and curing.
- Salt: Used to season the eggplants and draw out excess moisture during pressing. This step is about texture, not preservation.
For the stuffing
- Red peppers and chili or red chili paste: Traditionally, makdous is stuffed with finely chopped red peppers and chili that are very well drained to remove excess liquid.
If you want to save time, you can use a thick red chili paste with minimal added liquid instead. This keeps the filling concentrated and cuts the prep time significantly. Both options work well – choose whichever suits you. - Walnuts: Lightly toasted, then chopped coarsely. Walnuts add richness, texture, and depth to the filling.
- Garlic: Traditional, but optional. Use sparingly so it doesn’t overpower the filling.
- Apple cider vinegar (optional): A small amount helps balance the richness of the walnuts and chili and brightens the overall flavor.
- Salt: Added to the stuffing to taste. Go lightly – the flavors deepen as the makdous cures.
- Citric acid (optional): Just a tiny pinch, if using. This subtly brightens the filling and allows for slightly less salt. It should be barely noticeable.
To finish
- Extra virgin olive oil: Used for flavor and short-term refrigerated storage only. Choose a good-quality olive oil, as it becomes part of the final dish.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make makdous
Cook the eggplants
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baby eggplants. Cook for 15–20 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Drain well and let them cool until easy to handle.
Slit, salt, and press
Trim the stems, then carefully slice each eggplant lengthwise about halfway through, like opening a book. Lightly salt the inside of each eggplant and arrange them in a colander or on a tray lined with a clean towel. Place a flat surface on top and weigh them down with something heavy.
Press for 24–48 hours in a cool place or in the refrigerator, draining away the liquid occasionally.
This step removes excess moisture for texture, not all water.
Prepare the stuffing
If using fresh peppers and chili, finely chop or lightly pulse them, then transfer to a sieve and press out as much liquid as possible.
If using red chili paste, skip the draining step.
Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant. Let them cool completely, then chop coarsely.
Combine the peppers or chili paste with the toasted walnuts and garlic (if using). Season lightly with salt, then stir in 1–2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to balance the richness of the walnuts and chili.
Optional: Add a tiny pinch of citric acid to brighten the flavor and allow for less salt overall. This should be barely perceptible.
The mixture should be thick and spoonable, not wet.
Stuff the eggplants
Fill each pressed eggplant with the stuffing, pressing gently so it stays in place.
Short curing (without oil)
Arrange the stuffed eggplants snugly in a clean container without adding oil yet. Cover and refrigerate for 24–48 hours to allow the flavors to settle.
Portion, jar, and store
After the short curing period, portion the makdous based on how you plan to use it. Transfer a small batch to a clean, sterilized jar, cover the eggplants completely with extra virgin olive oil, seal, and refrigerate.
For longer storage, place the remaining stuffed eggplants without oil into freezer-safe containers, seal well, and freeze. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator, then transfer to a jar, cover with olive oil, and refrigerate before serving.
Samira’s tips
- Use the smallest eggplants you can find for the best texture.
- Drain the peppers thoroughly if using fresh.
- Toasting the walnuts adds depth and prevents a flat flavor.
- Don’t oversalt – acidity helps balance the dish.
- Always store makdous refrigerated or frozen.
- If anything smells off or looks unusual, discard it.
Storage and food safety (important)
- Pantry: Makdous is not suitable for pantry or room-temperature storage in a home kitchen and should not be kept at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: For short-term storage, transfer a small batch of makdous to a clean jar, cover the eggplants completely with olive oil, and store refrigerated at all times. Use within 10–14 days for best quality.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the stuffed eggplants before adding any oil, using freezer-safe containers. For best quality, use within 6 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator, then transfer to a jar, cover with extra virgin olive oil, and consume within 10–14 days. Olive oil is added for flavor and short-term storage only, not for preservation.
FAQs
No. For home kitchens, makdous should always be refrigerated or frozen (without oil).
Up to 10–14 days once covered with oil and kept refrigerated.
Yes. Freezing before adding oil is the safest way to store it long-term.
No. Pressing removes excess moisture for texture, but some water always remains.
More Lebanese favorites
If you try this makdous recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d also appreciate a rating on the recipe card.
Makdous (Lebanese Stuffed Eggplants)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby eggplants about 18
- 2 Tablespoons sea salt
Chili Option 1
- 2 red peppers
- 3 red chili peppers (to taste)
Chili Option 2 (shortcut)
- ¾ cup red chili paste
The rest of the stuffing
- 1 cup walnuts lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon citric acid optional
To finish
- Extra virgin olive oil for covering when refrigerating
Instructions
- Boil the eggplants for 15–20 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Drain and let cool.
- Trim the stems, slit each eggplant lengthwise, salt lightly, and press under a weight for 24–48 hours.
- Prepare the stuffing: drain the peppers well if using fresh, toast the walnuts, then mix with chili (or chili paste), garlic, apple cider vinegar, salt, and optional citric acid.
- Stuff the eggplants with the walnut mixture.
- Arrange the stuffed eggplants in a container without oil, cover, and refrigerate for 24–48 hours to allow the flavors to settle.
- For storage, transfer a small portion to a clean jar, cover completely with olive oil, seal, and refrigerate. Freeze the remaining stuffed eggplants without oil in sealed containers for longer storage. Thaw in the refrigerator before transferring to a jar and covering with olive oil.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi. Just wondering if the walnuts supposed to be raw or already toasted?
Hi Inara,
I use raw walnuts.
Hi…i don’t see the video here… how can i view it?
Hi Carolina,
The video is here on the blog, in the recipe card – https://www.alphafoodie.com/simple-stuffed-makdous-recipe-cured-eggplant/#recipe-video
Do you remove the seeds after boiling and slicing in half?
Hi Julie,
You don’t need to remove the seeds of the eggplant.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made my first small batch and my husband love it.
Thank you so much for your comment! Glad you liked it 🙂
My mom cried when I made these for her last fall, she said they tasted just like her great-grandmother’s. Making them again the year.
So happy to hear this, Tala! Thank you!
Love these! Making for the second time now and looking for tips to keep the makdous submerged in the oil. Mine kept floating to the top thus exposing them to air. Thanks!
Thank you for your comment, James. Happy you’ve enjoyed the recipe! To keep the makdous submerged, maybe place a small plate/cup saucer on top of them.
when I am fermenting I use a lid from a yogurt container and I recut the lid in flower like configuration larger than the opening of the jar. the flower configuration allows you fold the recut top so that it can get into a narrow mouth but open up to roughly the dimension of the wider part of the jar and it allows for the flow of liquid to come over the barrier it provides. It’s a recycle strategy that has worked for me. I am currently out of tops so I will cut my next barrier insert out of the sides of the yogurt container and I am sure it will work just fine.
Thank you for your tip, Marie!
This look so good thank you , you are amazing
Thank you for your comment, Alexa.
Thak you soooo much. My main worry was the length of time in boiling them.
Thank you for your comment, Sam. I hope you enjoyed the recipe.
Hi there, when you press the liquid from the eggplants and you say to keep it in a ‘cool’ place overnight, do you mean like the fridge? Or just a kitchen countertop?
Hi Hanady, I normally leave it on my kitchen counter (and so does my mother too). My kitchen is about 21 deg Celsius. You can place it in the fridge if you prefer but since it’s cured with salt it should be perfectly fine outside of the fridge. Hope this helps,
Are the red peppers spicy? Im not sure what Im buying, the small red peppers look like red jalapeños, the long ones could be red hatch chilis? Whats the goal here?
Hi Kay, normally you pick your favourite peppers and traditionally they’re the spicy ones. My mom makes mixes it up so it’s not super super spicy and that’s what I did. I mixed the long sweet red peppers and the very spicy red jalapeños so it was spicy in the end but not burning? My aunt only puts jalapeños since she prefers it that way :-). You can always taste a bit of the mix before you stuff the eggplant and add more or less depending on your preference :). Hope this is helpful
I really love to eat this makdous. If goin home i dont want to miss this. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Thank you for your comment, Leonora.
Thank you for your recipe. I’ve read different recommendations on using raw garlic unrefrigerated in the olive oil (concerns re botulism). What is your opinion? Have you ever used pickled garlic instead of raw garlic?
Hi Angela, thank you. I followed my mother traditional Lebanese recipe. We have been doing it for centuries and it’s always using raw garlic. But I think pickled garlic should work too. I just haven’t tried it myself. It might just a slight influence on the taste.
Why, oh, why did I read this when I haven’t eaten in a day and a half? I want a whole jar now.
Haha – I don’t blame you! I may be known for stealing one (or 3) from the jar as a snack when I have snack cravings!
Hi there. I want to use the slender Japanese eggplants growing in my garden for this recipe. Is that okay?
Hi Elizabeth, Sorry for the late reply. Yes these would work great too. Try to use the small size ones. Hope you’re gonna like the recipe.