Even eggplant skeptics will fall for these 15 tasty eggplant recipes! With tacos, pasta, salads, and extra, they embrace one thing for everybody.
Of all of the vegetable recipes I put up, eggplant recipes are essentially the most divisive. Early on, this stunned me, as a result of eggplant recipes have at all times been a few of my favourite meals to eat. As a child, I by no means needed to cease enjoying at dinnertime, besides when my mother was making eggplant Parmesan. And once I began to discover vegetarian cooking alone, grilled eggplant was one of many first dishes I mastered.
But when I’ve discovered one factor by writing Love and Lemons, it’s that not everybody likes eggplant. I’ve heard it known as spongy, bitter, and bland, and to that I say, “Legitimate!” If it’s not ready nicely, it may be all these issues. However when it’s performed proper, it’s scrumptious. Plus, its character completely transforms relying on the way you prepare dinner it. It is likely to be meaty and smoky coming off the grill, wealthy and silky after it cooks within the oven, or crisp on the surface and tender within the center after a couple of minutes on the range. Certain, you don’t prefer it a technique, however in the event you cooked it otherwise, you may like it!
Briefly, I hope all you eggplant skeptics will give this controversial veggie one other likelihood. To get you began, I’m sharing 15 simple eggplant recipes beneath. They embrace brilliant summer season pastas, recent grilling recipes, cozy casseroles, and all the pieces in between. Throw warning to the wind, and have enjoyable exploring these tasty eggplant recipes! I guess you’ll discover one you like.
Grilled Eggplant Recipes
Of all of the completely different eggplant recipes on the market, grilled eggplant recipes will at all times be my favourite. I really like how the surface of the eggplant will get properly charred, whereas the within turns into silky easy.
Grilled Eggplant
Once I was first studying to prepare dinner greens, grilled eggplant was certainly one of my favourite issues to make. It’s not arduous to see why: it’s tremendous simple, and it’s completely scrumptious! Take pleasure in it as a facet dish by itself, or take it to the subsequent degree by piling a recent couscous salad on high.
Eggplant Salad
This eggplant salad recipe is a celebration of summer season produce! Gentle, smoky grilled eggplant performs off tender peppers, juicy tomatoes, and recent herbs.
Grilled Ratatouille Tartines
When it’s too sizzling to face over a pot of ratatouille on the range, I make these grilled ratatouille tartines as a substitute! Pair them together with your favourite rosé, and your company (and also you) gained’t be capable of get sufficient.
Zucchini Lemon Orzo
In late summer season, I might eat this vibrant orzo pasta each night time! It will get its daring, recent taste from easy elements like lemon, feta cheese, pine nuts, and grilled eggplant and zucchini.
Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant, web page 179 of Love & Lemons Every Day
No grill? No worries! You can also make this recipe two methods: on the grill and within the oven. Within the grilled model, I stir recent basil and arugula into the bulgur filling, and within the baked model, I smother the stuffed eggplant with crispy panko and pecorino cheese. Each methods are scrumptious!
Grilled Eggplant Pasta, web page 139 of The Love & Lemons Cookbook
This grilled veggie pasta is the right meal for a sluggish summer season night time. It packs an enormous punch of taste, but it surely comes collectively in minutes!
Baked Eggplant Recipes
Cooking eggplant within the oven reveals off its versatility. Chop it up and roast it briefly, till it’s golden brown and tender, or bake it entire, till it collapses to the contact. You’ll discover each of those approaches within the baked eggplant recipes beneath.
Eggplant Parmesan
My lighter riff on my mother’s traditional recipe! As a substitute of frying the eggplant slices, I bake them with a panko and Parmesan coating. Once they’re golden brown and crisp, I layer them with do-it-yourself marinara sauce, recent mozzarella, and basil to create a comforting, crave-worthy dish.
Oven Roasted Eggplant
This straightforward roasted eggplant is crisp and golden brown across the edges and melt-in-your-mouth tender within the center. I like it as a facet dish with recent herbs and lemon juice, but it surely’s additionally a beautiful addition to salads and pastas.
Eggplant Caponata
One other method to make use of roasted eggplant? In caponata! This Sicilian dish is tangy, briny, and calmly candy with a mouthwatering silky texture. Serve it with crostini for a sublime summer season appetizer.
Baba Ganoush
Nope, that’s not hummus! It’s baba ganoush – a smoky, silky eggplant dip. It’s greatest loved with recent pita and crunchy veggies, however in the event you’re something like me, you’ll end up standing on the counter, consuming it out of the meals processor with a spoon.
Vegetarian Tacos with Avocado Sauce
You can also make these zesty tacos with virtually any roasted veggies, but when eggplant’s in season, I at all times add it. I really like how the earthy roasted eggplant contrasts with the brilliant, tangy tomatillo sauce on high.
Eggplant Rollatini
Like eggplant Parm? You’ll love this recipe too! Delicate planks of roasted eggplant encompass a wealthy mix of ricotta, lemon zest, and pecorino cheese. Baked in marinara sauce, these little roll-ups are consolation meals at its most interesting.
Sautéed and Fried Eggplant Recipes
In these simple eggplant recipes, I prepare dinner the eggplant on the range. This fashion, it absorbs taste from different elements like olive oil, garlic, vinegar, and herbs because it cooks.
Ratatouille
No record of eggplant recipes could be full with out ratatouille, a Provençal stew produced from eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes. In my recipe, I sauté the veggies on the range till they soften. Then, I switch them to the oven, the place they soften right into a wealthy and tangy stew that’s unbelievable with a drizzle of olive oil and many crusty bread.
Zucchini Noodle Puttanesca, web page 177 of Love & Lemons Every Day
Sautéed eggplant acts like a sponge on this bight and briny pasta recipe. Because the eggplant cooks, it soaks up taste from sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, and white wine. If you sit all the way down to eat, it’ll be wealthy, tangy, and tender – ensure that to get some in each chew!
Air Fryer Eggplant
As a substitute of frying this eggplant in a pan, I prepare dinner it within the air fryer! The nutty Parmesan coating will get fantastically crisp and golden brown, whereas the eggplant inside turns into smooth and silky. Serve it over pasta with tomato sauce and cashew cream for a flavorful, satisfying meal.
Extra Favourite Summer season Recipes
If you happen to love these wholesome eggplant recipes, try these scrumptious summer season recipes subsequent:
Eggplant Recipes: Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Serves 6 to eight
This baked eggplant parmesan is certainly one of our favourite eggplant recipes!
- 2 giant eggplant, minimize into ¼-inch thick rounds
- 2 eggs, overwhelmed
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 tablespoons recent thyme
- ½ teaspoon purple pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, extra for sprinkling
- Freshly floor black pepper
- Additional-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 28 ounces Marinara Sauce
- 2 giant balls recent mozzarella, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup recent basil leaves
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a medium-sized shallow dish, whisk the eggs and almond milk.
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In one other medium-sized shallow dish, mix the panko, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, purple pepper flakes, salt, and several other grinds of pepper.
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Dip the eggplant slices into the egg combination after which into the panko combination. Place onto the baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 18 minutes or till tender and golden brown.
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In an 8×12 or 9×13-inch baking dish, unfold ½ cup marinara, layer half the eggplant, and high with 1 cup of marinara and half the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, the remaining marinara, and the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a couple of extra pinches of sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes or till the cheese is properly melted. Flip the oven to broil and broil for two to 4 or till the cheese is browned and effervescent.
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Take away from the oven and high with recent basil.
