aubergine recipes

Eggplant is such a versatile ingredient! It&#039;s delicious braised, fried, baked, and grilled! Tender and perfectly charred, this Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant is finished with a drizzle of olive oil. It&#039;s a warm and smoky appetizer you&#039;ll be making on repeat!

21+ Easy Eggplant Recipes You’ll Love: Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant

eggplant,

Kosher salt

extra virgin olive oil

garlic cloves, (minced)

lemon, (juice of)

jalapeno, (finely chopped (remove ribs and seeds if you need it to be more mild))

sumac

Slice and salt the eggplant. Lay the eggplant slices on a large tray lined with paper towel. Salt the eggplant generously and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes while you work on other things. Beads of water will form. Wipe the eggplant dry and remove excess salt before grilling.

Make the garlic, jalapeno and olive oil sauce. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, and jalapeno. Add a pinch of kosher salt and set aside. (The lemon and olive oil will tame the hot peppers and the pungent taste of garlic).

When ready, heat a gas grill or an indoor griddle over medium-high and lightly oil the grates. Make sure the grill is fully heated before adding the eggplant.

Brush the eggplant slices on one side with olive oil.

Arrange the eggplant on the heated grill, oiled side down first. Grill anywhere for 3 to 4 minutes on this side or until some char marks form on the bottom, then turn over and brush the other side of the eggplant with olive oil. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the eggplant is tender and good char marks have formed on both sides.

Arrange the grilled eggplant on a large platter and immediately season with sumac and drizzle the olive oil and jalapeno mixture all over. Add warmed pita bread for serving.

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Learn how to grill eggplant perfectly and serve it Mediterranean-style with whipped feta!

Grilled Eggplant with Whipped Feta

This great collection of easy Eggplant Recipes will give you tons of tasty new ways to cook your favorite purple veggie! Our favorite is this eggplant parmesan:

The 35 BEST Ways to Cook Eggplant

eggplants,

marinara sauce, divided

mozzarella cheese

mozzarella cheese balls

parmesan cheese

vegetable oil

Tbsp coarse salt

tsp table salt

tsp black pepper

Tbsp fresh basil,

Cut eggplants into ½-inch thick round slices, arrange...

Cut eggplants into ½-inch thick round slices, arrange on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle half of course salt on eggplant slices, flip and sprinkle remaining salt. Let sit 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet to...

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet to about 375°F. Fry the eggplant in batches until golden brown on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry using more paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Pour about 1 cup of marinara sauce into...

Pour about 1 cup of marinara sauce into a baking dish and spread evenly to cover the bottom of the dish.

Add eggplant slices (it’s okay if they overlap)...

Add  eggplant slices (it’s okay if they overlap) and cover with ½ cup of marinara. Sprinkle with a third of the fresh basil, then top with about a third of the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat to make 2 more layers. Finish with the fresh mozzarella cheese and a final sprinkling of Parmesan.

Bake for 30 minutes, until mozzarella is bubbling...

Bake for 30 minutes, until mozzarella is bubbling and golden brown.

Let cool 10 minutes, then serve garnished with...

Let cool 10 minutes, then serve garnished with fresh basil.

This vegetarian dish is packed full of great textures and tastes - smoky aubergine, nutty chickpeas and earthy walnuts

Grilled aubergines with spicy chickpeas & walnut sauce

olive oil

onion

ginger

½ tsp each ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon

can chickpeas

tomatoes

lemon

aubergines

tub Greek-style yogurt

garlic

walnuts

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, add the onion and fry until soft and lightly browned, about 10 mins. Add the chilli, ginger and spices and mix well. Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes and 5 tbsp water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins. Add a little salt and pepper and the lemon juice.

Arrange the aubergines over a grill pan. Brush lightly with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grill until golden. Flip them over, brush again with oil, season and grill again until tender and golden.

Mix the yogurt with the garlic, most of the walnuts and coriander and a little salt and pepper. Arrange the aubergine slices over a warm platter and spoon over the chickpea mix. Drizzle with the walnut sauce and scatter with the remaining walnuts and coriander.

Use up a glut of aubergines in this Indian-spiced chutney with tamarind, ginger and mustard seeds

Aubergine pickle

onions

chunk ginger

tbsp yellow mustard seed

tbsp cumin

curry leaves

tomato purée

tamarind paste

raisin

soft light brown sugar

milliliters malt vinegar

Put the onions, ginger and oil in a large saucepan and gently cook for 15 mins until soft. Stir in the spices and curry leaves and fry for a few mins, then add the tomato purée and tamarind and fry for a few mins more.

Stir in the aubergines, raisins, sugar and vinegar. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 20 mins until the chutney has thickened. Leave for 10 mins, then spoon into sterilised jars and seal. The pickle can be eaten straight away and keeps for up to 6 months.

This simple Chinese Aubergine Stir-Fry recipe is my favourite way to cook aubergine. It&#39;s packed with melt-in-your-mouth aubergine coated in a rich, garlicky, savoury, umami sauce. Perfect with a bowl of steamed rice!

Aubergine Stir Fry

Aubergine (Medium size aubergine

tbsp Cornstarch (To coat the aubergine)

Bell pepper

Garlic (Minced)

Spring onions (cut 2" pieces)

tbsp Soy sauce (regular soy sauce

tbsp Vegetarian stir fry sauce (Or oyster sauce

Sesame oil

Cooking oil

tsp Cornstarch (Mix it with 2 tbsp water)

Water

Salt and White pepper (to taste)

Cut the aubergine into thick strips. Add them to a bowl and sprinkle salt over them, toss well and let it rest for 15 minutes. 

Then rinse with cold water and Squeeze the excess water out. Then gently pat dry with kitchen paper. Toss and coat with cornstarch.

Cut and Prepare Aubergine

Heat 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a wok or large pan over medium high heat.Add the aubergine and stir fry until softened and lightly brown.

In the same pan, add minced garlic and sliced red bell pepper and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened but still vibrant. 

Stir Fry Aubergine and Peppers

Pour in a small splash of water along with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and white pepper. Stir well and bring everything to a gentle simmer.

Return the aubergine and bell pepper to the pan and toss gently so everything is coated in the sauce.

Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for another minute until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Turn off the heat and finish with spring onions and sesame oil.

Combine and Season the Dish

Making a great big batch of saucy aubergines is a great way to see in the week. This one is great as it is, or you can turn it into a chickpea bake, a pasta sauce, or a coconutty curry. Enjoy.

Aubergine Alla Norma

Aubergine

Garlic Clove

Basil

0.5tsp Chilli Flakes

Can Cherry Tomatoes

1tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

Olive Oil (to serve)

Black Pepper (to serve)

Salt (to serve)

Heat the grill to medium-high and dice the aubergine into 2cm pieces. Put the aubergine onto a tray and whack under the grill for 10 mins, then flip and grill for another 5-10 mins until charred and soft. Remove from the grill and season with salt and pepper.

Slice the garlic and finely chop the basil stalks. Heat a shot of oil in a large pan over a low-medium heat and add the garlic, chilli flakes and basil stalks, frying gently for 3 mins until just golden. Tip in the roasted aubergine and canned tomatoes, squashing the tomatoes down a bit. Simmer for 20-25 mins.

Tear the basil leaves and mix through the sauce along with the red wine vinegar, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cool and decant into an airtight container and store in the fridge or freezer.

go easy on the red wine vinegar. I did a big splash and had deep regrets. flavour was perfect before that 

definitely needs more flavour. desperately needs a stock cube or more herbs as it’s fairly bland. 

great and goes with pasta, beans, chicken sausage or fish. 

love this, I batch cook a load for the freezer

I added half an onion, sugar to balance the tomatoes and oregano and a bay leaf. 

Very easy to make. Make sure to get good tomatoes 

easy and very tasty, I  left it on a very low heat for about an hour. Had it as it was with some pasta and it went down well with my partner who is always skeptical about veggie food.

yum! added beef and potatoes to this to bulk it out and it was so tasty :)) has a homely feel to it and super easy 

first time I did this I grilled the aubergine, but found the skins a bit tough, second time I roasted it and loved it. 

Great as meal prep, quite cheap and very easy to make. 

simple and tasty, good meal prep kinda meal

Simple to make. I used a sandwich press to cook the eggplant in round slices as it was quicker. Easy, cheap to make, vego. Really enjoyed it. Made the pasta and shakshuka out of the base which were easy and fast on a weeknight, yum. Will be doing this one again! 

I used fresh chillies and added fresh cherry tomatoes & a drained can of cannellini beans - so yum! 

Simple & delicious. Versatile to use as a base for multiple meals. I added a bit of leftover anchovy oil which gave some delicious depth.

delicious, though needed quite a bit of salt and pepper. All of the nutritional information is wrong, however. This dish is nowhere near that amount of calories (it clocks in at around 130cals per portion of the base!) 

this is my most cooked in 2025, it’s soo simple & easy & is an absolute staple in my freezer for my work lunches & for helping my kids to enjoy aubergine! 

The aubergine cooking method is not great. Maybe add temperatures to the recipe? 

I made it and thought it was delicious. Great to plan ahead, added it to the lasagne and was a real crowd pleaser. The only changes I made were to add a little bit of water and also to add all three tins of cherry tomatoes (I actually used plum and chopped) when batch cooking, rather than adding the last tin (as instructed) before assembling the lasagne and it worked well. 

What’s the ideal cooking method if I don’t have a grill? Air fry? Cook in a pan? Roast?

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Aubergine skins stuffed with caponata and finished with grated cheese and a nutty sauce

Melanzane parmigiana with pistachio pesto recipe

Olive oil

Parmesan, grated, to serve

mint,

parsley,

red chilli, finely chopped

garlic cloves, grated

Lemon juice

onions, diced

garlic,

milliliters sherry vinegar

tomato passata

baby spinach

parmesan, grated

basil, leaves picked

pistachios, crushed

lemon,

Preheat the oven to 190C fan/gas 6½. Cut four aubergines in half down the middle. Score crisscrosses deeply into the flesh. Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside for 10 minutes.

Wash well, then place the aubergines on a tray and dress with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the skins are cooked and the centres feel soft. Leave to cool.

Once cooled, scrape out the flesh of the aubergines. Set the skins aside (you will need these later). Place the flesh on a board and chop well. This should take 6-8 minutes. Mix with the ingredients for the caponata.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions, garlic and ¾ tsp sea salt. Sweat this mix for 10-15 minutes until soft. Deglaze with sherry vinegar, then add the passata and simmer until the sauce has reduced by half. Blend with a hand blender.

Thinly slice (about 5mm) the remaining two aubergines lengthways. Season with olive oil and salt. Briefly cook in a hot pan to colour, then remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

Now make the pesto. Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 10-15 seconds, then immediately plunge into iced water. Once cold, drain well and squeeze out any excess water.

Add the garlic, parmesan and extra virgin olive oil to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add the blanched spinach and basil leaves, then blend again until completely smooth, taking care not to let the mixture heat up, as this will dull the vibrant green colour.

Transfer the pesto to a bowl. Fold through the crushed pistachios, ¾ tsp sea salt, the lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well and adjust the seasoning if required.

Fill each aubergine skin with 1 dsp caponata, then slices of aubergine, then tomato sauce. Repeat the process until the aubergines are nice and full. Transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper and top with grated parmesan. Bake at 180C fan/gas 6 for about 10 minutes. Serve on top of the pistachio pesto.

Imam Bayildi is a classic Turkish eggplant recipe made with tender eggplants stuffed with onions, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and olive oil. Serve it at room temperature as a vegan main dish, side dish, or part of a meze spread.

Imam Bayildi

eggplants ((9 to 11 oz / 250

extra virgin olive oil ((for frying the eggplants))

tbsp extra virgin olive oil ((for sautéing the onions))

onions ((2 large onions/500 grams))

garlic ((finely chopped))

lb finely diced tomatoes ((3 large tomatoes/500 grams))

½ TSP salt ((adjust it to your taste))

TSP black pepper

parsley

tomato paste

water

Peel the eggplants in stripes to resemble a zebra pattern.

Choose one of the following methods to soften the eggplants before stuffing.

Frying Method: Heat a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat.Add the olive oil and fry the eggplants until they start to soften but still hold their shape, turning occasionally.Transfer the eggplants to a colander or a plate lined with a paper towel to drain off the excess oil.

Oven Method: Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C.Brush the eggplants with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet.Roast for about 30 minutes, or until they start to soften but still hold their shape.

Air Fryer Method: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F / 200°C.Brush the eggplants with olive oil and place them in the air fryer basket.Cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning once if needed, until they start to soften.

Prepare the Eggplants

Use the same pan you fried the eggplants in, if you used the frying method. Pour away excess oil if there is too much left in the pan, or add 1 tablespoon olive oil if the pan is dry.

Place the pan over medium heat and add the onions. Sauté until soft and translucent, without browning them.

Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, salt, and black pepper.

Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften and the mixture starts to thicken.

Stir in the chopped parsley, then remove the pan from the heat.

Prepare the Filling

Preheat the oven to 356°F / 180°C.

Make a lengthwise cut down the middle of each eggplant, leaving about 1 inch / 2 cm at both ends. Do not cut all the way through the bottom.

Season the inside of the eggplants with a little salt and place the eggplants in a baking dish.

Carefully stuff the eggplants with the onion and tomato filling.

Mix the tomato paste with the water, then pour the sauce around the eggplants.

Cover the baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour.

Remove the lid or foil, add a little more water if the dish looks dry, and bake for another 30 minutes, or until the eggplants are completely soft.

Let the eggplants cool completely before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley and fresh tomato slices if you like.

Stuff and Bake the Eggplants

After filling the eggplants, place them in a wide pan, stuffed side up.

Add the tomato paste sauce, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for about 1 hour, or until the eggplants are completely soft.

Check the pan occasionally and add a little more water if it looks dry.

Pan-Cooked Method

Made this recently while in Cyprus and was so delicious!   I bought the thin stripey aubergines from a Farmers Market here which were perfect.   I crumbled some feta cheese over the top!

I make this dish 3-4x/year. This is the best pictorial and  practical advice recipe I have seen on line. Congratulations on all the work that went into explaining this dish and its step-by-step preparation. . It's essentially a vegan dish, but I will often add fresh chopped walnuts, or sunflower seeds to increase the protein content. As a vegetarian dish sheep cheese can be added as a garnish, and served with a cucumber/dill or mint/ cold yogurt side.
The preparation of this recipe using ground meat is a "sin" against aubergines! Glad to see that you stuck to the veg version! Very nice work.

This is really delicious and gets a lot of compliments. Made them the day before and that worked well too. Would definitely make again.

Delicious. Yum. Served with pitas, and a salad of cucumbers, yogurt and mint.

Top 8 aubergine recipes recipes from across the web

The most viewed aubergine recipes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

21+ Easy Eggplant Recipes You’ll Lo...

The 35 BEST Ways to Cook Eggplant

Grilled aubergines with spicy chick...

Aubergine pickle

Aubergine Stir Fry

Aubergine Alla Norma

Melanzane parmigiana with pistachio...

Imam Bayildi

Top 8 aubergine recipes recipes from across the web

The most viewed aubergine recipes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

21+ Easy Eggplant Recipes You’ll Lo...

The 35 BEST Ways to Cook Eggplant

Grilled aubergines with spicy chick...

Aubergine pickle

Aubergine Stir Fry

Aubergine Alla Norma

Melanzane parmigiana with pistachio...

Imam Bayildi

The most viewed aubergine recipes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine