Recipes and Cooking Vegetables 15 Amazing Eggplant Recipes to Inspire Your Seasonal Menu By Katlyn Moncada Katlyn Moncada Instagram Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, photography, and video production. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 2, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Carson Downing The beautiful thing about eggplant is the fact that it inspires so many different dishes around the world. If you're one that considers the purple veggie (technically it's a fruit, but usually called a vegetable due to savory preparations) bitter or bland, we encourage you to try one of these eggplant recipes to convince you otherwise. Whether it's a classic like an eggplant Parmesan, a roasted eggplant recipe, or even a creamy dip, there are plenty of eggplant dishes including global flavors here that will make your stomach happy. 01 of 15 Stuffed Eggplant Caponata View Recipe Carson Downing Eggplant makes a wonderful plant-based meat substitute. This showstopping stuffed eggplant recipe will impress both meat lovers and veggie-only eaters in your life. The hollowed-out eggplant flesh becomes part of the irresistible stuffing that includes a savory blend of roasted bell pepper, raisins, capers, pine nuts, and fresh herbs. 02 of 15 Baba Ganoush View Recipe Jacob Fox If your garden harvest produced a lot of eggplants this year, consider turning them into this creamy spread popular in Mediterranean cuisine. Prepared similarly to hummus, this roasted eggplant recipe blends the veggie with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and oil. Serve on toasted baguette slices or warm pita bread. Buy It: Hamilton Beach Food Processor ($58, Target) 03 of 15 Eggplant Parmesan View Recipe Karla Conrad This list wouldn't be complete without an eggplant Parmesan recipe. The classic Italian dish features layers of breaded eggplant, herbed ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. Enjoy this baked eggplant Parmesan on its own for a light dinner or over your favorite noodles. In a Hurry? Try Our 30-Minute Easy Eggplant Parmesan Recipe 04 of 15 Moussaka View Recipe Blaine Moats This eggplant dish is traditionally served in Middle Eastern cuisine. Prepared similarly to lasagna, this classic recipe features layers of eggplant, ground lamb, and a creamy sauce. If you're not a fan of lamb, go for ground beef. 05 of 15 Grilled Eggplant Tartines View Recipe Carson Downing A meatless main that's like eggplant Parmesan, bruschetta, and Caprese salad all in one? Count us in! This easy grilled eggplant recipe only takes 25 minutes to make. Expect it to disappear fast at your next outdoor party. Buy It: Expert Gas Grill ($89, Walmart) 06 of 15 Lamb with Eggplant Relish Andy Lyons Sauteeing eggplant, onion, tomatoes, and garlic makes the perfect base for our homemade relish. A bit of shredded orange peel and orange juice added to the mix give a refreshing finish. Grilled lamb pairs beautifully with this eggplant recipe, but you can easily serve it alongside other meat such as beef kabobs or chicken. 07 of 15 Eggplant Panzanella View Recipe Andy Lyons If you ever spot Japanese eggplant at the store, grab them for this delicious take on Panzanella salad. You'll find the thinner, purple-hued veggies have more tender skins and sweeter flavor than regular eggplant. Paired with arugula, fresh mozzarella, and a tarragon vinaigrette, you'll be making this eggplant recipe on repeat. 08 of 15 Pasta with Eggplant Sauce View Recipe Peter Krumhardt Enjoy this eggplant pasta recipe the next time you need a summer dinner idea. The best part about this easy eggplant recipe is the fact the sauce is made in the slow cooker. That means less hands-on time and no oven required to heat up the house. Buy It: Crock-Pot Slow Cooker ($50, Target) 09 of 15 Saucy Beans and Eggplant Andy Lyons Have 20 minutes to spare? That's enough time to get this delicious eggplant dish on the table for a quick, nutritious dinner. Adding white beans to the meaty fried eggplant takes the plant-based protein count to a whopping 17 grams per serving. Enjoy over a bed of brown rice (use instant to keep the prep time down). 10 of 15 Ratatouille Cassoulet View Recipe Aubrie Pick Two famous French recipes (ratatouille and cassoulet) combine for this summer-perfect eggplant recipe. The purple vegetable joins layers of zucchini, summer squash, and red bell pepper in an unbeatable tomato sauce that gets Middle Eastern flair from za'atar seasoning. 11 of 15 Greek Eggplant Fries Blaine Moats If you're a fan of french fries, just wait until you try this healthier take on fries. To keep this eggplant recipe lighter on the calorie count (it's only got 187 calories per serving!), we coat the "fries" in panko and bake them at a high temperature to get them nice and crispy. Topped with Greek yogurt, fresh oregano, and feta cheese, this makes an excellent appetizer for at-home happy hour. 12 of 15 Eggplant, Garlic, and Herb Pasta Blaine Moats When you score a great deal on produce, keep this roasted eggplant recipe in mind. Three pounds of eggplant are needed to make the hearty pasta dish. To change things up, top your bowl of pasta with ricotta salata, an Italian sheep's milk cheese that's slightly drier than feta but packs the same salty punch. These Easy Pasta Recipes Will Be On the Table in Just 20 Minutes 13 of 15 Eggplant Parmesan Heros View Recipe Andy Lyons Our Test Kitchen turned an eggplant parmesan recipe into an incredible sandwich. The secret ingredient to our crispy baked eggplant is coating the slices in marinara and a breadcrumb mixture made from croutons. Serve with a side salad or chips for the perfect restaurant-quality lunch. 14 of 15 Mushroom-Farro Melanzane Andy Lyons Melanzane is simply the Italian word for eggplant. Here we turn it into a filling eggplant main dish by preparing it with meaty mushrooms and whole-grain farro. Bonus: This vegetarian dinner comes together in one skillet by starting on the stove top and ending in the oven. Buy It: Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Pan ($145, Williams Sonoma) 15 of 15 Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Spread Andy Lyons This roasted eggplant recipe blends the purple veggie with red pepper, and entire bulb of garlic, and chipotle pepper. Serve alongside deli meat, crackers, and cheese for a standout addition to your charcuterie board. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit