Raw aubergine provides about 1 gram of protein per 100 grams, so it offers a light protein boost in mostly low calorie, high fibre bites.
Aubergine sits in that grey area of nutrition where it shows up in plenty of recipes, yet people are not always sure how much protein they actually get from it. If you are tracking macros, planning plant forward meals, or simply trying to see where aubergine fits beside beans, tofu, or meat, a clear view of the numbers helps a lot.
This guide breaks down aubergine protein numbers by weight and portion, compares raw and cooked forms, and shows how this mild vegetable can still help balanced plates when you pair it with stronger protein sources.
Quick Look At Protein In Aubergine
Most nutrient databases group aubergine under the name eggplant, and their values sit within a narrow range. Data based on USDA sources report around 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per 100 grams of raw aubergine, with only small shifts between databases and crop samples.
| Serving | Protein (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g raw aubergine | 0.8–1.0 | Standard reference value |
| 1 cup raw cubes (about 80 g) | 0.7–0.8 | Side portion in many recipes |
| 1 small aubergine (about 200 g) | 1.6–2.0 | Enough for one generous serving |
| 1 cup cooked cubes (about 100 g) | 0.8–1.0 | Water loss raises density slightly |
| 2 grilled slices (about 50 g) | 0.4–0.5 | Common amount in grilled platters |
| 1 heaped tbsp aubergine dip (about 30 g) | 0.2–0.3 | Depends on added tahini or yogurt |
| Portion in mixed vegetable stew (about 60 g) | 0.5–0.6 | Often paired with beans or lentils |
These numbers show that aubergine protein content stays modest across typical servings. A whole small fruit has a similar protein load to a couple of teaspoons of peanut butter or half a mouthful of lentils, which means you need other foods on the plate to hit a high protein target.
Protein Content In Aubergine Per 100g And Per Cup
When you read labels or track intake in an app, you will usually see protein given per 100 grams. For raw aubergine, those entries cluster around 0.85 to 1 gram of protein along with 2 to 3 grams of fibre and around 20 to 26 calories.
A standard cup of raw aubergine cubes weighs close to 80 grams, so that serving brings around 0.7 to 0.8 grams of protein. A cup of cooked cubes holds a little less water, so the same cup weighs closer to 100 grams and delivers just under 1 gram of protein.
USDA linked databases such as the eggplant nutrition data list raw eggplant at roughly 0.85 gram of protein per 100 grams. Public guides from USDA SNAP-Ed also place aubergine in the low calorie, low protein group while pointing out its fibre and mineral content.
How Much Protein Aubergine Adds To Your Day
Protein goals vary with age, size, and activity, but many adults land near 45 to 60 grams per day. Against that range, even a full cup of cooked aubergine brings less than 2 percent of the daily target. That does not make it useless; it just means you should treat it as a flavour and texture player rather than a protein anchor.
Think about a pasta bake with aubergine, a tomato base, some cheese, and chickpeas. The cheese and chickpeas carry most of the protein weight. Aubergine fills space on the plate, adds volume for few calories, and contributes a small extra gram or two of protein across the meal.
The same pattern holds for grilled vegetable platters, ratatouille, curry, and moussaka. The eggs, meat, beans, or cheese in those dishes do nearly all the protein work, while aubergine makes the dish more filling and satisfying with only a gentle lift to the protein count.
Raw Versus Cooked Aubergine Protein Levels
Cooking changes the water content of aubergine, which shifts protein values per cup or per slice even though the total protein in the fruit stays the same. Roasting and grilling drive off water, so cooked pieces weigh less than the raw starting amount.
If you start with 200 grams of raw aubergine and roast it down to 150 grams, the total protein stays just under 2 grams. The protein per 100 grams rises a little because the same amount of protein now sits in a smaller weight of food. On a plate, that shows up as slightly more protein per forkful, not a leap in total intake.
Boiling, stewing, and steaming keep more water in the vegetable, so numbers per 100 grams remain close to the raw reference figure. Sauces, breading, oil, and cheese change the picture more than the heat itself, since those additions often bring extra protein and calories.
Comparing Aubergine Protein With Other Foods
To judge the protein from aubergine in context, it helps to set it beside foods people often eat in the same meals. The table below uses typical values per 100 grams to show how thin the protein slice from aubergine looks next to beans, grains, meat, and tofu.
| Food (per 100 g) | Protein (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raw aubergine | 0.8–1.0 | Very low protein vegetable |
| Cooked lentils | 8–9 | Common base for plant dishes |
| Cooked chickpeas | 7–9 | Pairs well with roasted aubergine |
| Firm tofu | 12–15 | Soy option with mild flavour |
| Cooked quinoa | 4–5 | Higher protein grain choice |
| Grilled chicken breast | 30–32 | High protein animal source |
| Halloumi cheese | 20–22 | Salty cheese often grilled with aubergine |
Set against these foods, aubergine looks more like courgette or bell pepper than a legume or meat. That comparison is helpful when you build meals in a tracker. If you want a high protein dinner, the aubergine pieces in your stew hardly move the tally by themselves.
How Aubergine Helps Beyond Protein
Protein from aubergine stays on the low side, yet this vegetable still earns kitchen space through other nutrients. A typical 100 gram portion brings around 2 to 3 grams of fibre, along with potassium, manganese, and small amounts of several B vitamins, all for roughly 20 to 30 calories.
The skin holds many of the plant pigments and antioxidants, so dishes that keep the skin on give you more than recipes that peel every slice. Those compounds do not raise protein figures, yet they line up with advice to eat plenty of colourful vegetables.
That mix of fibre and volume keeps aubergine helpful for people who want plates that feel generous while still keeping calorie density low. When you pair it with grains, beans, and quality protein, you end up with meals that are both hearty and balanced.
Using Aubergine In Higher Protein Meals
The neat way to work with the numbers is to treat aubergine as a base or side that stretches stronger protein foods. Instead of expecting the vegetable to carry protein on its own, think about how it can soak up sauces, bring texture, and pad out dishes built around beans, tofu, eggs, fish, or meat.
Plant Based Pairings
Plant centred plates where aubergine shines include roasted aubergine with chickpeas and tahini, stir fried aubergine with tofu and brown rice, moussaka with lentils and a modest layer of cheese, and pasta with aubergine, white beans, and shaved hard cheese. In each of these dishes, the bulk of the protein comes from the beans, lentils, or tofu.
Animal Protein Pairings
If you eat animal foods, grilled aubergine beside chicken breast, lamb skewers, or fish fillets makes the plate feel fuller without sending calories through the roof. Curries with aubergine and paneer or fish stew with aubergine chunks follow the same idea, with the animal protein doing the heavy lifting and the vegetable filling the pan.
Who Might Track Aubergine Protein Closely
Most healthy adults do not need to worry about the tiny swings in protein that come from swapping 50 grams of aubergine in or out of a meal. There are a few groups who may still want the detailed numbers, though.
People following a strict plant based diet sometimes like to check that every meal includes a solid protein anchor. Looking at aubergine protein content on a chart confirms that they should keep relying on tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, lentils, and nuts for the backbone of their daily intake.
Anyone on a controlled protein plan guided by a clinician or dietitian may also want to see how low protein vegetables add up over a full day of eating. For those plans, aubergine usually sits in the low concern group, yet logging it can still help with accurate records.
Practical Takeaways On Aubergine Protein Content
Aubergine offers around 1 gram of protein per 100 grams, with minor changes between raw and cooked forms and between different nutrient tables. In realistic servings, that means a side dish or stew portion adds only 0.5 to 2 grams to a daily goal that may sit near 50 grams or more.
Used on its own, aubergine will not give you a high protein meal. Used alongside beans, tofu, cheese, eggs, fish, or meat, it helps you build plates that feel generous in size yet stay moderate in calories, with bonus fibre and helpful plant compounds along the way.