How Much Does an Eggplant Weigh? Eggplant Yield, Peeled or Not

An average eggplant weighs about 1 1/4 lb, and USDA’s nutrient database puts its usable part at 548 g (1.2 lb) unpeeled and 458 g (1 lb) peeled. Trimmed and peeled, a pound of whole eggplant gives about 0.81 lb ready to cook (USDA Food Buying Guide), the same 19% loss the nutrient database lists for ends, parings and trimmings. Unpeeled, USDA Handbook 102 keeps 97%, and steaming takes off only another 6–7%.

USDA yields for eggplant

From the USDA Food Buying Guide: how much ready-to-use or cooked product one pound as purchased gives. The figures work the same in metric: 0.81 lb per pound is 0.81 kg per kilogram.

As purchased (USDA description)	Result, as USDA states it	Yield	Source
Eggplant, fresh; Whole	1 lb AP = 0.81 lb ready-to-cook eggplant (ready to use, raw)	81%	FBG table

USDA preparation yields for eggplant (Handbook 102)

From USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 102, Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (1975): the weight left after each step, as a percentage of the weight before it. Percentages work the same in pounds and kilograms.

Before preparation (USDA description)	After preparation	Yield	Range	Item, page
Eggplant, raw, whole	Trimmed and cubed or sliced, unpared	97%	93–98%	No. 1030, p. 49
Eggplant, raw, whole	Trimmed, pared and sliced	81%	68–93%	No. 1031, p. 49
Eggplant, raw, unpared, sliced or cubed	Steamed	94%	87–98%	No. 1032, p. 50
Eggplant, raw, pared, sliced	Steamed	93%	92–94%	No. 1033, p. 50

How much is waste

USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 11209) lists 19% of “Eggplant, raw” as refuse: ends, parings and trimmings.

How much to buy

At 81% (ready-to-cook eggplant):

Ready to use	Buy as purchased
1.00 lb (0.45 kg)	1.23 lb (0.56 kg)
5.00 lb (2.27 kg)	6.17 lb (2.80 kg)
10.0 lb (4.54 kg)	12.3 lb (5.60 kg)
25.0 lb (11.3 kg)	30.9 lb (14.0 kg)

Cost per usable pound

At 81%, the price as purchased becomes, per pound and per kilogram:

Price as purchased	Cost per usable pound
$1.25/lb ($2.76/kg)	$1.54/lb ($3.40/kg)
$1.50/lb ($3.31/kg)	$1.85/lb ($4.08/kg)
$2.00/lb ($4.41/kg)	$2.47/lb ($5.44/kg)

Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.

The MiseKit app

USDA says 81% for eggplant. What does your last case say?

Book yields are averages. Your supplier, your cutter and your spec decide the real one. Run a yield test in MiseKit and it keeps every result, flags the cases that come in under your standard and costs each cut from what you actually got.

Every test kept, by supplier and date
Short cases flagged in dollars, not just percent
Cut costs flow straight into recipe costs

Start free Plans and pricing

Free for one location and one person. No card needed. Works on the phones your cooks already carry.

Run your own numbers

Food yield calculator, set to 81%

Good to know

Leaving the skin on saves most of that loss: USDA Handbook 102 loses only 3% to stems and calyxes when the eggplant is trimmed but not peeled (range 2–7%).

FAQ

How much does an eggplant weigh?

About 1 1/4 lb on average, per USDA’s nutrient database, which gives 548 g of trimmed eggplant with skin and 458 g peeled from one that size.

How much eggplant do I need for 5 lb ready to cook?

About 6.2 lb of whole eggplant (5 ÷ 0.81).

How much of an eggplant is lost when peeled?

About 19% of the whole eggplant for ends and peel, per both the Food Buying Guide (0.81 lb per pound) and the nutrient database. USDA Handbook 102 gives the same 81%, with a range of 68–93%.

How much does eggplant lose when steamed?

Only about 6–7%: sliced eggplant kept 94% of its weight steamed unpeeled and 93% steamed peeled in USDA Handbook 102.

Sources

USDA figures are averages; size, grade, trim, ripeness and cooking change them. Weigh your own main items before you cost a menu on them.

Last reviewed October 11, 2026.