Recipe Search: Eggplant

In an attempt to widen my palate, I have been asking folks on Permies to share how they utilize a variety of vegetables.

Today's recipe search is an attempt to find uses for Eggplant!



I can't say I even know where to start trying to cook one so any advice is appreciated.

The video below came across my feed and inspired this thread.

Recommend to check out Mediterranean countries for recipe ideas.  My go to is Moussaka which I believe is originally Greek.   It involves slicing the eggplants into 1 cm thick slices  - sometimes recommends salting/rinsing/draining before frying (ostensibly to remove the flatulence factor) but I usually just slice, brush with oil and grill, to no ill effect!  Then the slices get layered with a flavoured mince mix, and whatever else, (perhaps potato) and topped with a cheesy white sauce that includes an egg, then baked in the oven.  Quite a performance, but it's worth it.  It's a bit like a lasagne, but veggies instead of pasta.  Need I say, I'm not a purist
https://www.recipetineats.com/moussaka-greek-eggplant-beef-bake/#wprm-recipe-container-19656

There are also recipes for curries,  char grilled eggplant and baba ghanoush (eggplant based dip)    eggplant (perhaps where the flatulence rumour comes from?) also known as aubergine, so that's worth a look too.

Edit - your grill may not be my grill!  I mean the part of the kitchen stove that browns the tops of stuff, not the BBQ grill.  Although that works too- grilled eggplant goes will with a steak.

Eggplant Parmesan.Something like this.

It is a lot of work, so I will do the battered and fried eggplant as a side dish, with some meat. Having made enough extra to use the next day or thrown in the freezer for making the casserole next week.

Once, I just ladled some seasoned tomato sauce over the fried eggplant and pretended it was the Parmesan recipe. Not as good, but the guys took seconds.

Brushing sliced eggplant with olive oil and a seasoning blend and broiling it as a side works well too.

EDITED: I just reread the recipe. I use cornmeal with seasoning instead of bread crumbs.

I prefer the longer skinnier varieties.

Slice in half the long way. Toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill, pan fry, oven roast or broil. Start with cut side down. Eat as is or top with whatever you like. Roast with a bunch of garlic. Add more olive oil and some tahini and blend or mash into dip (baba) for bread or crackers or sandwich spread.

KISS is best for me. I've made all the other delicious involved recipes and while good, they are not always practical for getting the eggplant in my belly. The dip freezes very well too. I just ate a 2 year old jar from the freezer that was just as tasty as when I lost it in there.

Hi J

Welcome to Permies.

My fave that I've made is baba ganoush. Basically eggplant (grilled/smoked is best) and lemon and garlic and tahini and parsley, which is great, but to make an upscale version, use basil and pistachio butter.
I also like moussaka without potatoes, some Japanese recipe involving grilling with some miso inclusion somewhere, and a Chinese recipe with oyster sauce and/or hoisin and lots of garlic.
And very simply, olive oil and oven roast and put on pizza with lots of garlic

Grew up with mom fixing eggplant by slicing, dipping in egg, then in bread crumbs and baking. Recently tried a ratatullie (spelling) option...... Eggplant, summer squash, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and simmered. Yum.

Cube it, peel it if it’s a big one, sauté it with most anything. Eat it plain or crack an egg on top. Freeze dry it about half way done and it rehydrates just like fresh.

Also known as "brinjal" in some parts of the world.
My favorite is a "one pot stovetop lasagne" that I have adapted from Jamie Oliver's "scruffy aubergine lasgane" I use the same ingredients, but I chop the aubergine and onions into chunks and fry in olive oil before adding all the other ingredients. He uses fresh lasagne pasta but I just make the sauce a bit sloppier and poke halved, dry lasagne through the mix, cover and simmer on low for 20 -30min. I rarely bake it as suggested as I try use as little energy as possible. I just poke a spatula under the mix every now and then to keep it from sticking and burning. It's nice because it's vegan but being a pasta dish, most people eat it.
On occasion, I have layered the sauce between pasta like a regular lasagne -again, wetter sauce and I leave it to soak for several hours/overnight before baking. I find this softens the dry lasagne sheets and you don't get tough, uncooked pasta with an overcooked /burned top. Of course, if using fresh pasta you don't need to let it soak before cooking

Here's a good vegetable lasagne recipe... https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/6688-vegetable-lasagna

Welcome to the forum~

I grew eggplant so I could make meatless lasagna.

Never found a way that I like it...

My understanding is that salting/draining/rinsing eggplant is to reduce bitterness, not flatulence.  But most modern eggplants aren’t very bitter, so you can skip it.

Fuschia Dunlop wrote the first Western cookbooks of Szechuan cuisine, and this is her favorite recipe: https://andrewzimmern.com/recipes/fuchsia-dunlops-fish-fragrant-eggplant/

(Fish-fragrant is a weird Chinese term and has nothing to do with fish.  She explains it in the recipe.)

A very simple recipe:
Bake halved eggplant in the oven sliced side down...350 for half an hour?  Scoop out the flesh and spread on toast.  Add salt and pepper and enjoy!
I always bake a number of them at a time and have the scoopings ready to use

My go to when I'm busy is to use the slow cooker. I make enough to freeze leftovers.

1 Slow Cooker/Crockpot Set for 4-5 hours on medium

Ingredients
3-4 cups split or whole lentils (if using whole it takes longer to cook
2-3 onions divided into 8 portions
2 x cans chopped tomatoes or equivalent of fresh tomatoes
1 large eggplant or equivalent in smaller eggplants (it doesn't matter what type they all work)
1-2 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste

Method
Put lentils in slow cooker
Add water or stock of choice at least 4-5 inches above lentils
Add rest of ingredients
Cook

Keep an eye on cooker towards end of cooking, if you like lentils with some texture, taste to see if they are to your exact liking, if they need more cooking or need more water added do so. When ready turn off and serve, cool rest and freeze.
If you like your lentils mushy or accidentally overcook them, no worries; eat as it or serve in pita wraps, wheat or corn tortillas or on toast.
A very forgiving cooking method whichever way you like, you can't muck it up.

If you don't have a slow cooker you can cook this recipe in a Dutch oven but you will need to keep an eye on the mix and stir occasionally.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:Eggplant Parmesan.Something like this.

It is a lot of work, so I will do the battered and fried eggplant as a side dish, with some meat.

Many years ago, I watched a chef on PBS making Eggplant Parmesan. She said you don't need to fry the battered eggplant, but roast it instead. It turns out just as crispy and is so much easier.

I started a thread (https://permies.com/t/126364/vegan-sandwich-stew-suggestions) five years ago asking for vegan sandwich ideas. My favorite was a suggestion for an ELT (eggplant, lettuce, and tomato). You fry some eggplant marinated with liquid smoke and soy sauce and substitute it for bacon.

Sounds delicious, however, I remember hearing that Liquid Smoke was not so good for us--although I still have a bottle of it in the fridge!  I just did a search on chatGPT and this was what came up:  (Please understand that I'm not trying out for the food police; I just think it is a good thing to be informed and I'm hoping that others do too.)

Is liquid smoke dangerous to consume?
ChatGPT said:
Liquid smoke is generally safe to consume in moderate amounts. It is made by condensing smoke from burning wood, then filtering out harmful compounds like tar and ash. However, there are some considerations to keep in mind:

Potential Carcinogens – Some studies suggest that liquid smoke contains small amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known carcinogens. However, high-quality brands often filter out most PAHs, making them much safer than direct smoking or grilling.

Sodium Content – Some liquid smoke products contain added salt, which can be a concern for those watching their sodium intake.

Moderation is Key – As with many processed flavor enhancers, consuming large amounts regularly might not be ideal. However, using it occasionally in cooking is unlikely to pose significant health risks.

If you're concerned about PAHs or other compounds, check for brands that explicitly state they filter out harmful substances.

Randy Eggert wrote:I started a thread (https://permies.com/t/126364/vegan-sandwich-stew-suggestions) five years ago asking for vegan sandwich ideas. My favorite was a suggestion for an ELT (eggplant, lettuce, and tomato). You fry some eggplant marinated with liquid smoke and soy sauce and substitute it for bacon.

Timothy Norton wrote:The video below came across my feed and inspired this thread.

Great video, thanks!

Pattie Whitehurst wrote:My fave that I've made is baba ganoush. Basically eggplant (grilled/smoked is best) and lemon and garlic and tahini and parsley, which is great, but to make an upscale version, use basil and pistachio butter.

Baba ganoush is excellent.  I didn't used to like, until I bought some fresh made in a local Middle Eastern diner.  Based on that experience, my observations are that getting a strong smokey flavor from flame-grilling the eggplant is key.  Also, avoid recipes that include mayonnaise, which I'm pretty sure my preferred example does not use.

One of my go-to treatments for eggplant is to cube it, sauté with some loose Italian sausage and some diced onion.  Stir the result into some pasta sauce and serve with spaghetti.

Do I peel my eggplant for this recipe?  Usually not, especially when cubing it small.  But that also depends on the eggplant.  Larger eggplants have thicker skins.  I have noticed that Asian eggplants have more delicate skin.

Morfydd St. Clair wrote:My understanding is that salting/draining/rinsing eggplant is to reduce bitterness, not flatulence.  But most modern eggplants aren’t very bitter, so you can skip it.

Fuschia Dunlop wrote the first Western cookbooks of Szechuan cuisine, and this is her favorite recipe: https://andrewzimmern.com/recipes/fuchsia-dunlops-fish-fragrant-eggplant/

(Fish-fragrant is a weird Chinese term and has nothing to do with fish.  She explains it in the recipe.)

You are correct about the bitterness vs flatulence.  I've neither heard nor experienced any link between eggplants and flatulence.  Also, my observation is the same as yours: I've not really encountered a bitter eggplant.

Fish-Fragrant Eggplant is one of my favorites!  My recipe is slightly different.  Don't recall where I picked it up.

• Yield:  Makes 3-4 servings.

This recipe calls for Asian eggplants, or Japanese eggplants.  They are long and thin compared to a European or globe eggplant, and much more tender and delicate.  If you can't find them you can substitute globe eggplant, but the dish is really best with the Asian eggplant.

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 lb Asian eggplant
• high heat oil for stir frying, such as peanut oil or refined avocado oil
• ¼ C chicken stock
• 2 tsp sugar [I subb'ed honey]
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1½ TBS chili bean paste*
• 2 tsp crushed Sichuan peppercorns**
• 3 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 2 tsp Chinkiang black vinegar [can sub other rice vinegar if needed, but black vinegar is very flavorful]
• 4 scallions, roughly chopped
• 2-3 small, mild chili peppers, julienned
• cilantro for garnish (optional)
*chili bean paste (pixian doubanjiang) is a mixture of preserved chilies with mashed, fermented, broad beans.
**Sichuan peppercorns aren't spicy, but rather have a citrusy flavor and induce a tingly, numbing sensation like a carbonated drink.  Optional, but inauthentic without.

DIRECTIONS:
1 Quarter the eggplant lengthwise and chop into large batons and set aside.
2 In a small bowl, mix together the chicken stock, sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, and soy sauce.  Set aside.
3 In another bowl, mix together the chili bean paste, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns.  Set aside.
4 Heat the oil in a wok or large sauté pan over high heat until almost smoking.
5 Stir fry the eggplant, allowing it to sit for a few seconds each time you move it to allow it to brown and blister.  Stir fry in batches to ensure all eggplant
   get well browned and blistered.
5 Add the scallions and chilis to the last batch once well cooked; stir fry for 1 additional minute.
6 Add the chili bean paste bowl and sauté until fragrant, another minute.
7 Return all eggplant to wok and add the chicken stock mixture, turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens a bit.
8 Serve with rice.  Garnish with cilantro.

This was a good pasta salad with air-fried eggplant I made up one day some years ago.  I make my own bone-and-veggie-scrap broth, which I always use to cook pasta, rehydrate grains and beans, etc.  If you don't, just boil pasta in water.  My air frier has a front door and multiple trays like an oven (it's the best!).  If yours has just a basket, you may need to air-fry the eggplant in batches.  Or, just bake in an oven for, I'm guessing, double my indicated time.

This recipe would also adapt to make an excellent grain salad.  Substitute your favorite whole grain, cooked al dente, for the pasta.  I am particularly fond of grain salads with purple hull-less barely.  It's so chewy and flavorful!  I often tend to make whole grain salads whenever I'm in the mood for a pasta salad - similar culinary experience with a lower glycemic index.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta Salad
• 1 box small pasta, such as elbow macaroni [I used Banza brand chickpea Cavatappi]
• bone broth sufficient to boil pasta
• large handful cherry tomatoes, halved [could sub 1 large beefsteak-type tomato, chopped, but would produce a lot of juice]
• handful black olives, sliced [use California ripe olives for a milder salad; something like pitted kalamatas for more zip]
• 2 forkfuls capers, drained
• small bunch scallions, chopped
• 6 large sprigs parsley, leaves picked and coarsely chopped
• 3 sprigs mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
• Ricotta Salata cheese, shaved [I've also used Pecorino Romano, which is easier to find at the grocery]
Roast Eggplant
• 1 medium-to-large globe eggplant, unpeeled, chopped into ¾”-1” cubes
• high temp oil [I used ghee]
• large pinch salt
• large pinch cayenne
• pinch white pepper
• pinch turmeric
• pinch ground cumin
• pinch ground coriander
• pinch ground fennel seed [can powder whole fennel seed in the spice grinder if necessary]
Dressing
• several glugs good olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• several TBS roasted red pepper pieces, minced [leftover from a jar of roast red pepper]
• 1 tsp minced garlic [could sub a couple cloves of roasted garlic, squeezed out; would be great!]
• scant 1 tsp anchovy paste
• scant 1 tsp honey
• large pinch salt
• pinch red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:
1. Stir eggplant-roasting seasonings into high temp oil in a large bowl (if using ghee, give it 20 seconds in the microwave first).
2. Toss eggplant chunks with the seasoned oil, let soak in for a couple minutes, then spread onto air-frying baskets.
3. Air fry 14 minutes at 400 F (preheated) in the bottom and middle racks.  Flip top and bottom trays at midpoint.  When finished, let cool to room
    temperature or, at most, slightly warm.
4. Meanwhile, boil pasta in broth per package directions for al dente.  Drain, rinse well, drain again, and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, thoroughly whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth in texture.
6. Add pasta and all other pasta salad ingredients, save cheese, to a large bowl.
7. Pour dressing over, then gently fold in the eggplant chunks with a spatula (avoid smooshing the eggplant overly much!).
8. Serve garnished with the cheese shavings.

I quite like Thai Basil Eggplant. I have made a homemade version modified from the web to use ingredients I already had (I'm not buying a whole bottle of Oyster Sauce for 2 Tablespoons when I already have Hoisin Sauce, which Hubby loves, open in the fridge.)

So it ended up being more of a Asian Fusion Eggplant Stir Fry, but I liked it, and that's all that matters!

I'm a bit twitchy about eggplant since I've had done bad reactions to it in the past.My mother loves it however and especially the shrimp stuffed Chinese style.

A few years ago, I tracked down this recipe and it is very good. Its a lot of work, so I suggest going a double batch but it reheats just fine.

Shrimp stuffed eggplant.

Another recipe:-
https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/vegan-pizza-eggplant/fn0myes8l?dlb=[2025/04/02]%20del_fd_bau_01&did=DM47101&cid=food:edm:acfood:relation:foodedm:na:na
I'm adding this one to my book of will cook this one day!  Cheese not mentioned, but we have minds of our own.

We do eggplant several different ways following the Middle Eastern and Italian recipes noted above, but my favorite is the Thai Basil preparation and also what I've generically seen called "Garlic Eggplant" at Asian restaurants.  As you might expect, there are many variations, but here is a link to a simple version of it for testing out:

https://omnivorescookbook.com/chinese-eggplant-with-garlic-sauce/#recipe