Classic Eggplant Recipes: 8 Ways to Serve Eggplant

Eggplant (Solanum melongena), also known as aubergine and brinjal, is a perennial, warm-season vegetable from the nightshade family. Eggplant come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. The most common eggplant variety in the US is the globe eggplant: This hefty variety has glossy, deep-purple skin and spongy fruit. Other commonly cultivated varieties include white eggplants (used in Middle Eastern dishes like baba ganoush), Thai eggplants, Black Beauties, Ichiban, Rosa Bianca, and Little Fingers.

From grilling to baking, frying to roasting, learn how to make eight eggplant dishes:

1. 1. Baba ganoush: Baba ganoush is a Lebanese roasted eggplant dip that's popular in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. For baba ganoush, grilled eggplant is combined with tahini, olive oil, and seasonings like garlic, za’atar, and sumac to form an eggplant dip. It can be served with pita bread or other flatbreads as an appetizer or side dish.
2. 2. Caponata: Caponata is a Sicilian dish with eggplant, zucchini, tomato, and red peppers cooked in oil and vinegar, and flavored with raisins, olives, capers, and pine nuts. Caponata is sweet, tangy, crunchy, and salty. You can serve caponata as a side dish or on top of pita or other flatbreads as an appetizer.
3. 3. Eggplant parmesan: Eggplant parmesan, also known as parmigiana di melanzane or eggplant Parmigiana, is a southern Italian casserole consisting of layers of crispy, fried eggplant slices baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, topped with breadcrumbs. Eggplant parm is a popular entree in Italian-American cooking.
4. 4. Miso-glazed eggplant: Also called nasu dengaku, miso-glazed eggplant is a Japanese dish consisting of grilled or roasted eggplant slathered in a salty-sweet miso glaze. Nasu dengaku can be made using long, slender Asian eggplant cultivars, like Chinese eggplant or Japanese eggplant, or smaller varieties like Italian eggplant. This dish can be eaten as an appetizer or side dish.
5. 5. Moussaka: Moussaka is a Greek entree that typically features layers of eggplant and potato slices with a meat sauce made with either ground lamb or ground beef, but it can also be made with other vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms. Traditionally, moussaka is also topped with a béchamel sauce before being baked in the oven. This dish—somewhere between a casserole, a shepherd’s pie, and lasagna—is beloved across Greece, Turkey, and Egypt.
6. 6. Ratatouille: Ratatouille is a French stew that combines tomato sauce with summer veggies such as onions, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, bell peppers, and garlic. Fresh herbs like fresh basil, bay leaf, oregano, and fresh thyme flavor the entree dish.
7. 7. Roasted eggplant salad: For this roasted eggplant salad, roast eggplants in an oven until they are golden, then toss with a dressing of fresh herbs (such as dill, parsley, and basil), lemon juice, maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and olive oil. You can top the eggplant with a mild cheese such as feta or ricotta, and serve it as an appetizer or side dish.
   
8. 8. Roasted Japanese eggplant: Japanese eggplant is a long and slender cultivar of eggplant with delicate skin and a mild, sweet flavor. The ideal preparation for Japanese eggplant is to slow roast in the oven until its flesh is soft and creamy. You can then top the eggplant with a flavorful sauce—like an herb-based chimichurri, salsa verde, or drizzled with a savory tahini sauce made from sesame seeds.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Gordon Ramsay, Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Dominique Ansel, Yotam Ottolenghi, Alice Waters, and more.