You bought too many eggplants. Or, you have an extra one that you have no idea what to do with. Or, your family always makes the same dish and you want to switch it up. That’s where these 35 recipes come in handy. From yogurt-y dips (hello, Saturday picnic) to chocolate cake (yes, seriously), these are some of our favorite ways to use one of summer’s favorite vegetables fruits.
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Our Best EggplantRecipes
1. Mapo Eggplant
There are layers upon layers of savory, spicy flavor in this tofu-eggplant hybrid dish, inspired by Sichuan mapo tofu. Both elements get stir-fried in a wok, then simmered with peppercorns, chili powder, doubanjiang, soy sauce, wine, dark soy sauce, and sugar.
2.
“Layers of thin, flaky phyllo hold a filling of tender charred eggplant, blistered shish*tos, and fragrant chard,” writes recipe developer Pierce Abernathy. This savory vegetarian pie is a summer stunner that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
3.
Rather than using up the remains of a jar of tomato sauce for pasta, whip up this delicious dip that meshes roasted eggplant, tahini, and homemade (or store-bought!) sauce together.
4.
Grilling eggplant in the summer is a must, but what do you do with it once it’s ready? Cut it into slices, serve it over a lemony whipped ricotta, and garnish with sumac and chopped pistachios.
5. Seasoned Steamed Eggplant
Think of this as a back pocket eggplant recipe (bet ya didn’t know you needed one!). If you prefer lighter, brighter vegetable dishes, this steamed preparation will hit the spot.
6.
The thing that’s great about grilled eggplant is that yes, it’s an excuse to grill and indulge in charred, summer flavors. But it’s the specific cooking technique that absolutely transforms eggplant from a tough and spongey into a soft, silky vegetable.
7. Eggplant Confit
You know and love duck confit and garlic confit and even tomato confit. Enter: eggplant confit. “Just as special as the silky, oil-preserved slices of eggplant is the infused olive oil they’re kept in. Use it to fry eggs or pour it on a bunch of other summer produce,” writes recipe developer Rebekah Peppler.
8. Eggplant-Harissa Sandwiches With Tahini
Yes, you can totally eat these piping hot, but we honestly kind of love them wrapped up and placed in a picnic basket for eating on the beach or in the park. Even leftovers are top-notch.
9. Eggplant Caponata
Caponata wants to be plopped on ricotta-smeared bread or tossed with hot pasta. It’s all about the vinegar-sugar contrast, with lots of peppy mix-ins, like capers, olives, and pine nuts. I like to add raisins, too.
10. Romanian Eggplant Spread
Roasted eggplant and bell pepper, raw onion and garlic, and not much else—this recipe is simple cooking at its finest. Serve with salty pita chips.
11. Eggplant Dip With Yogurt
Yogurt turns eggplant into something creamy and lush. Use whole-milk for the best results and don’t skip on the lemon juice or fresh herbs.
12.
Brown mustard, cumin, coriander, and garam masala help eggplant live its best life. If you have a low spice tolerance, remove the pith and seeds from the serrano, and plop some yogurt on top.
13. Israeli Eggplant
A one-pot recipe: Pan-fry eggplant in plenty of olive oil, invite along onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, then canned tomatoes and a smidge of sugar. Bread on the side is a must.
14. Sweet Corn Polenta With Eggplant Sauce
A summery spin on wintry polenta. Sweet corn instead of cornmeal and ripe eggplant instead of a braised meat. Yes, please.
15.
A weeknight take on the low-and-slow braise. Eggplant gets to know creamy coconut milk, while shiitakes and scallions make the whole dish ultra savory. Best with fluffy rice.
16.
“Sambhar is a South Indian red lentil–based vegetable stew from Tamil Nadu that is eaten daily, all the way from Mumbai to Bangalore,” cookbook author Meera Sodha writes. “[It] puts vegetables front and center and surrounds them with a sharp, clean dal flavored with curry leaves, tamarind, tomatoes, and chiles.”
17.
A seductive—yes, seductive—tofu recipe, co-starring eggplant (aka aubergine!), lentils, and sweet-tangy pomegranate molasses.
18. Zhajiang Noodles With Eggplant
Gingery, onion pork sauce. Thick, chewy noodles. You’re already sold, I’m sure, but you know what makes it all better? Eggplant!
19. Spicy Eggplant Pasta
Two teaspoons of red pepper flakes give this pasta plenty of kick. Feel free to dial that back and increase to taste if spicy isn’t your thing.
20. Eggplant-Porcini Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Vegetarian meatballs often apologize for not being meat—but why don’t meat meatballs apologize for not being eggplant-porcini? These are that good.
21. Easy Summer Pasta
Halfway to ratatouille, this easy-breezy pasta has eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. We love the rustic additions of herbes de Provence and crème fraîche.
22. Eggplant Parmesan
This classic recipe, by way of Nancy Jo’s nonna, has been a community favorite since 2009.
23. Hasselback Eggplant Parmesan
Hasselback-ing an eggplant (cutting slices across but not all the way through) makes the cheesy bread crumbs even happier.
24. Unfussy Eggplant Parmesan
Low on time or energy? You still deserve eggplant Parm. This shortcut approach halves the eggplant and piles everything on top.
25. Fish Sauce–Simmered Eggplant
As cookbook author Nancy Singleton Hachisu puts it, “Eggplant and fish sauce are a perfect match, since the bland eggplant always seems to want some punch.” Serve with lots of rice.
26. Stir-Fried Garlic Eggplant With Pork
Read the recipe all the way through and get your ingredients ready-to-go before cooking. From there, this should take 10 minutes or less.
27. Marinated Eggplant
Marinate eggplant in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Then microwave it. Wait, what?
28. Breaded Eggplant Cutlets
Like a chicken cutlet, but eggplant. The crispy coating is extra flavorful, thanks to Parmesan, panko, oregano, garlic powder, and hot paprika.
29.
Roasted eggplant and hard-boiled eggs meet up in a pita pocket, then fall in love. Tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, and yogurt sauce attend the wedding.
30. Eggplant Miso Tahini Toast
Roasted eggplant, mixed with miso, tahini, and maple syrup, is good enough to eat with a spoon. But just wait: It’s even better on yogurt-smeared toast.
31. Grilled Eggplant Agrodolce
Next time you grill an eggplant, dress with a sugar, vinegar, and olive oil dressing. It’s a game-changer warm or at room temp.
32.
Eggplant and mint, olive oil and lemon juice. Not much else. You could serve this simple salad as a side, but I’d gleefully turn it into dinner with a hunk of bread.
33.
In this newfangled take on the caprese salad, eggplant and peaches join forces with burrata and basil. (You can swap in mozzarella, too.)
34.
Eggplant and broccoli with coriander and sesame seeds is probably enough to hook you. But what about the gingery miso dressing on top?
35. Chocolate Eggplant Cakes
Inspired by applesauce in desserts, this recipe takes advantage of eggplant’s high moisture content to create a never-dry, very-fudgy chocolate cake.
