30 Eggplant Recipes That Make The Most Of Our Favorite Purple Veggie

This simple summery pasta has it all: tender, garlicky morsels of eggplant, a cheesy panko topping, and lots of fresh basil. Just add your favorite pasta and you've got dinner!

Get the Garlicky Feta Eggplant Pasta recipe.

Despite the name, there is no trace of fish in this delicious dish. Originating from the Sichuan province in China, 魚香 (yu xiang) describes a flavor profile that was originally used in preparing fish dishes from the region. Now these pickled chiles, fermented bean paste, green onions, garlic, ginger, and punchy spice blend are used to season vegetables, like this eggplant, too.

Get the Sichuan-Style "Fish-Fragrant" Eggplant recipe.

This dish has all the eggplant Parm flavors you love—including sliced rounds of tender eggplant, tangy marinara sauce, and plenty of cheese. Instead of breading each slice of eggplant, though, you'll top the entire skillet with panko bread crumbs, making it easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Get the Skillet Eggplant Parm recipe.

This labor of love marries classic Greek eggplant moussaka with baked ziti, turning it into an eye-catching beauty of a pasta dinner that's easy enough for weeknights, but special enough for guests too.

Get the Pasta Moussaka recipe.

Moussaka is a Greek eggplant-based dish that is traditionally made with ground beef. Here we swapped the meat with lentils to make this an even heartier vegetarian dish. The creamy béchamel sauce on top of this is INCREDIBLE.

Get the Vegetarian Moussaka recipe.

We like our eggplant-based baba ghanoush GARLICKY. If you don't, skip grating the raw clove in at the end. Without it, you'll have a more subtle (slightly sweet) garlic flavor that will still make everyone very, very happy. Accompanied by crudités and pita chips, you really can't go wrong.

Get the Baba Ghanoush recipe.

Layers of crispy fried eggplant, smothered in rich marinara, and topped with gooey mozzarella and Parmesan make eggplant Parmesan a classic that never gets old. It might take a little extra time and effort, but it’s SO worth it.

Get the Eggplant Parmesan recipe.

When you don't feel like setting up a dredging station, your air fryer can still give you that slightly crunchy outside with the much-loved creamy inside. Plus, it only needs a little bit of oil to help all of the seasoning stick. Serve it with your favorite marinara!

Get the Air-Fryer Eggplant recipe.

Pasta all Norma is an easy Sicilian pasta dish with pan-fried eggplant, lots of ricotta salata, and a quick marinara sauce. The homemade sauce incorporates the oil that the eggplant in cooked, which adds incredible flavor and mouthfeel.

Get the Pasta Alla Norma recipe.

One of our favorite sandwiches is the Italian hero, a sandwich filled to the brim with all manner of cured meat, cheese, and refreshingly crisp vegetables. We set out to make a vegetarian versus just as good as the original, with planks of zucchini and eggplant instead of meat. (Hint: We succeeded—this sandwich is delicious.)

Get the Vegetarian Italian Sub recipe.

This colorful classic French countryside dish is chock-full of healthy vegetables like eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini! Serve with crusty bread for best results.

Get the Ratatouille recipe.

Five cups of this classic Sicilian dish may seem like a LOT, but when you realize it's the perfect condiment, toast-topper, pasta mix-in, and chicken and seafood accompaniment (among many other things), you'll be wishing you made double of this irresistible antipasti.

Get the Classic Caponata recipe.

Eggplant is infinitely better grilled, and this one comes with a simple yet addicting tahini dressing too. These are best served fresh off the grill when they are still warm, but you won't have to wait long—slices that are about 1/4" to 1/2" thick grill up perfectly in roughly 6 minutes!

Get the Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant recipe.

Classic eggplant Parm is one of our favorites dishes in the world, but it's definitely a labor of love. If we're being honest, we're not always down to put in the work. Enter this healthier, easier bake. Instead of frying each individual piece of eggplant, you bake them all at once until they're nice and crispy. 😍

Get the Baked Eggplant Parm recipe.

The key to eggplant steak frites' success is to prep in the kitchen while the grill preheats. In the kitchen, salt and drain the eggplant, boil the potatoes, then toss or brush with oil. Then head outside with just one task left to do: grill. Also, make sure to prep the sauce so the meal can go directly from the grill to the table: Chimichurri sauce tastes even better as the flavors meld, so don’t be shy about making it in advance.

Get the Eggplant Steak Frites with Chimichurri recipe.

This hearty vegetarian dish is based on a traditional Iraqi breakfast, and is popular among Iraqi-Israelis. With flavorful seared and marinated eggplant slices, fresh cucumber salad, and creamy tahini sauce, this juicy sandwich is great for any meal.

Get the Sabich Sandwich recipe.

Everything you love about eggplant Parm, melted together in one super cheesy dip. (Extra credit for serving with grilled bread.)

Get the Eggplant Parm Dip recipe.

This hearty dinner clocks in somewhere between lasagna and eggplant Parm, and it might just be better than both. It's the perfect comforting recipe to add to your Meatless Monday rotation.

Get the Vegetarian Eggplant Lasagna recipe.

Love eggplant Parm, but don't want to make an entire casserole dish's worth? These are your answer. They're light but rich and, so, so crunchy. Meaty without the meat. Otherwise known as perfection.

Get the Eggplant Cutlets recipe.

In this recipe, eggplants are sliced thin, breaded, and fried to golden perfection, rolled with creamy ricotta filling, then baked, surrounded by delicious red sauce and a generous sprinkling of melty mozzarella and nutty Parmesan. 😍

Get the Eggplant Rollatini recipe.