If you want inspiration for cooking with eggplant, get ideas from these 25 best eggplant recipes that are easy to make, family-friendly, and healthy.
This recipe collection offers a variety of inspiration, including sautèed, baked, stuffed eggplant, pasta, soup, salads with eggplant, and more.
With its rich flavor and meaty texture, eggplant is a nutritional powerhouse that deserves a place in every kitchen.
These health–conscious recipes transform the humble eggplant into mouthwatering dishes.
From quick weeknight meals to impressive entertaining options, these recipes prove that eggplant can be both easy to prepare and incredibly satisfying.
Whether you’ve been a long-time eggplant enthusiast or are just beginning to explore its potential, this selection offers something for everyone.
Our Best Eggplant Recipes
1. Eggplant Parmigiana
Eggplant parmigiana, or melanzane alla parmigiana, is a gorgeous Italian casserole dish adored for its rich flavors and comforting texture.
Simple Italian ingredients combine to create a triumph of flavors and textures in the comfort of your home kitchen.
2. Roasted eggplant
A tender and hearty way to make a vegetable side dish is roasted eggplant.
Cook this recipe, and you will have a base for many excellent meals: eggplant caponata, pasta salad, curries, parmigiana, and so much more.
3. Sautèed eggplant
Italian sauteed eggplant is a hearty and easy side dish to serve with your favorite pasta.
Combining fresh herbs, tender eggplant, and tomato will please everyone around your table. Best of all, it cooks in 20 minutes!
4. Caponata
If you love eggplant, you must try this Sicilian eggplant salad.
Caponata is made of olives, tomato, aubergine, and pine nuts with a sweet and sour flavor.
5. Air fryer eggplant
Ready in just 15 minutes, this air fryer eggplant recipe is perfect as a side dish and addition to pasta.
You can even serve this tender eggplant recipe as a quick appetizer on bruschetta.
6. Stuffed eggplant
These roasted eggplant boats cradle a savory chickpea filling and a creamy avocado spread.
This dish is a nutritious vegetarian meal and a colorful dinner, perfect for kids and grownups alike.
7. Baba ganoush
Endlessly creamy and smooth, this eggplant dip is a perfect dip, spread, and side dish.
Serve it as an appetizer with grilled vegetables or a healthy spread on a sandwich or pita bread.
8. Eggplant curry
Try this creamy curry with tender roasted eggplant paired with curry-spiced coconut sauce.
Serve eggplant curry with basmati rice, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon.
9. Eggplant soup
Roasted eggplant, garlic, and cherry tomatoes make a sweet, caramelized, and smoky flavor for this healthy soup.
Or make this recipe in one pot on the stovetop in just 30 minutes and top it with croutons.
10. Creamy eggplant risotto
This risotto dish can be made in just over 30 minutes and served for a delicious and comforting Italian dinner.
The creamy tomato risotto base and small pieces of eggplant make this dish a great way to eat more veggies (and camouflage them).
11. Breaded eggplant
It’s a perfect vegetable side dish and a base recipe for eggplant parm.
This breaded eggplant recipe makes tender and bready discs of eggplant, perfect with most main dishes.
12. Zaalouk
Zaalouk is a delicious Moroccan eggplant salad with tomatoes, garlic, cumin, and olive oil.
Learn how to make it in one pot in about 30 minutes.
13. Mutabal
Next on our list is an endlessly creamy dip made with charred roasted eggplant and Greek yogurt.
This velvety eggplant spread is an excellent Middle-Eastern recipe on a mezze platter as a starter or side dish.
14. Fried eggplant
This fried eggplant recipe is crunchy outside and tender inside.
It’s also suitable for vegetarians and vegans and works well as an appetizer or side dish with a serving of marinara sauce.
15. Vegetable stew
Our vegetable stew recipe combines colors, textures, and flavors into a hearty and satisfying meal for the whole family.
It is an excellent dish for a weeknight dinner or meal prep, as you can make it in 30 to 40 minutes with the veggies and chickpeas you have at hand.
16. Grilled eggplant
Smoky, tender eggplant slices are perfectly charred on a hot grill or skillet.
Drizzle with garlic-infused chimichurri sauce and sprinkle with fresh herbs for a beautiful summer side dish.
17. Barley salad
Mediterranean barley salad with roasted vegetables is a wholesome and nutritious plant–based meal with a lemon vinaigrette.
You can make it ahead and store it in the fridge for up to five days; it’s excellent as a lunchbox and potluck dish.
18. Vegetable couscous
Here is an excellent way to use veggie leftovers with this eggplant and zucchini couscous.
Serve it with a dollop of hummus for a satiating and protein-rich meal.
19. Thai red curry
Better than Asian takeaway, this homemade Thai red curry is an aromatic, creamy, and fresh Asian dinner idea.
We love it with white rice, fresh lime juice, and Thai basil.
20. Pasta alla Norma
Learn how to make this delicious Sicilian eggplant pasta recipe in about 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients and fresh eggplants.
Eggplant is incredibly well-suited to pasta, tomato, and fresh basil, and this simple dish is a guaranteed crowdpleaser.
21. Red pepper pasta
You can make the creamy roasted red pepper pasta sauce while the pasta cooks, which is convenient for a last-minute dinner.
Tip: to make this recipe even more delicious, add roasted or air-fried veggies like cauliflower, eggplant, or zucchini.
22. Eggplant bruschetta
Eggplant bruschetta is a delicious appetizer made with tender diced eggplant cooked with simple ingredients and served on crunchy bread.
Bruschetta is mainly served as an appetizer, but many Italians also eat it for dinner as a light meal with a salad on the side.
23. Mediterranean Farro salad
Earthy, chewy, and vibrant, this Mediterranean farro salad is packed with veggies and drizzled with a mustard dressing
It’s a wholesome grain and a guaranteed crowdpleaser – perfect for cookouts.
24. Italian rice balls
Eggplant–packed rice balls are made with leftover risotto, fried in vegetable oil (or air-fried), and served with marinara sauce.
They’re great as a party food, cookout meal, appetizer, and crowd–pleasing dish.
25. Eggplant pizza
We end this list with an easy eggplant recipe where eggplants are cut into slices, roasted, and topped with a rich tomato sauce and melty cheese.
This recipe is a sure hit with picky adults and kids as an appetizer or side dish.
What goes well with Eggplant
Eggplant (sauteed, grilled, air-fried, baked) is a tasty side dish that pairs perfectly with most sauces and protein:
- Serve with a sauce: choose between refreshing condiments and dressings, such as basil pesto, hummus, and mustard dressing.
- Use in salads: Eating eggplant in the air fryer or sauteed in a pan is excellent for salads. Add it to vegan pasta salad, this creamy tofu salad, and quinoa salad.
- Serve next to pasta: serve eggplant sides with one of these recipes.
- Serve with a protein-rich dinner, such as these chickpea recipes, high protein meals, or tofu recipes.
Easy Eggplant Recipes: Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- â…“ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the seasoning
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or other vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoons dried oregano
- â…› teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Wash and dry 2 medium eggplants, remove the stems, and cut them into ⅓ inch (1 cm) discs.
- Arrange the discs on the baking sheet, brush them with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and season with ⅓ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Roast 20 minutes, turn and roast 10 more minutes, then transfer onto a serving platter. Eggplant discs should be golden, slightly browned, and tender, but not dry.
- Drizzle with seasoning while they are still hot. Ideally set aside 15 minutes before serving, to allow the condiment to infuse the eggplants.
For the seasoning
- Do this while the eggplants bake. To a small bowl add, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic (minced), ¼ cup parsley (chopped), ¼ teaspoons dried oregano, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon salt.Stir well and set aside.
Notes
Nutrition
The best place to find eggplants? Well, some of the largest ones can undoubtedly be found in Sicily, Italy. Here, Louise works out her biceps when lifting heavy eggplant in Ortigia’s morning market.
If you liked these eggplant recipes, you might also enjoy:
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.
Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.
Easy right?