It’s eggplant season! Here are my top 3 favorite eggplant recipes that you can enjoy with minimal effort and maximum deliciousness.
Original post August 2021, updated August 2023
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With farmers markets (and perhaps your own garden) coming into eggplant season, I’m more excited than ever! There’s something so beautifully meaty and savory about eggplant, and I often find that I’m having it multiple times a week (sometimes daily, there I said it!) Also, did you know eggplant’s peak season goes all the way until October? Which means you can I’m obviously in heaven about this. It’s been one of my favorite vegetables growing up, and I enjoy them more and more each year as I experiment with them. Here are my top 3 favorite eggplant recipes!
Versatile
I find eggplant so versatile. They can be baked, roasted, grilled, sautéed, simmered, steamed, made into a paste, tucked into a pita, layered in lasagna….honestly, they’re one of the most underrated veggies out there. I’ve also found that when they’re in peak season, especially these little fairy tale eggplants, they end up having a little bit of a sweet, creamy texture. While some people mention eggplant can be bitter, I’m convinced it’s all about when you harvest them and making sure they’re at their peak.
Eggplants are a natural palate for a lot of flavors: from indian cuisine to asian, moroccan, middle eastern, romanian, and so much more. Here are just several of my favorite eggplant recipes. Enjoy!
Steamed Fairy Tale Eggplants with Korean Sauce
This one is so good, as soon as my friend Sunny shared it with me, I ate the whole thing. As some of you may know, my Korean friend Sunny and I share a sort of food pen pal agreement. I often give her some of my food to try, and she gives me some of hers. I share garden goodies (harvest and plants), and so does she. She has a knack for mixing flavors together so they’re evenly paired, and she also excels in Korean cooking, which is one of my favorite culinary tastes. These fairytale eggplants make a quick, absolutely delicious side to include with rice or quinoa, tofu, tempeh, or your favorite dinner protein.
Steamed Fairy Tale Eggplants with Korean Sauce
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 14 fairy tale eggplants, trimmed of stem end and halved
Korean sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp korean hot pepper powder/flakes
- 1 tsp crushed garlic (I microplaned it super fine)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (toasted or raw)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
- 1 tbsp chives or green scallions, chopped fine
Instructions
- Wash, trim and slice the eggplants in half. They should be about the size of your finger, on the small side.
- Add to a steamer basket and cover. Once the water starts to boil, steam them for about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove them and let them cool down just a little.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together and combine with the warm eggplant, tossing gently. Try to retain the texture of the eggplant.
Simple Roasted Eggplant and Onions
When I first started eating more whole foods, heavy on the plant-based, this eggplant was on rotation on a weekly basis. I loved that it required no oil, but it was so flavorful and had a lovely texture. It was a comforting, sweet and savory way to prepare eggplant and make use of the summer’s harvest. It still remains one of my absolute favorite ways to prepare eggplant.
Roasted Eggplant and Onions
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant, cubed (I leave the skin on)
- 1 red onion, cubed
- quick spray of your favorite oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet (or you can also use a reusable Silpat sheet).
- Toss the eggplant and onions together. Keep them in a single layer if possible, so they don't steam.
- Add a quick spray of oil, and add some salt and pepper.
- Roast at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. Enjoy!
Oven Roasted Cast Iron Eggplant
There was something meaty and delicious about the eggplant, like I was eating something substantial (but it ended up being low in calories). This recipe was inspired by chef Marcy Ragan of “Relish Your Chef”, a meal order service in NJ. She recommends making a cross hatch patten on the eggplant before placing it on the cast iron.
The cast iron sears the eggplant beautifully. This method naturally brought out the sweetness of eggplant (it can be pretty bitter if not cooked properly). Fleshy, meaty, these eggplant steaks go great with any protein of choice from beans, hummus, tempeh, or cubed and added to curries. I especially love it with a green and vibrant cilantro & herb sauce.
Oven Roasted Cast Iron Eggplant
Equipment
- Cast iron pan large enough to fit two halves of an eggplant.
Ingredients
- 1 medium purple eggplant
- You’ll need a cast iron pan (I use one without sides like this one, or this one with sides also works)
- spray of oil
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- First preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place the cast iron in the oven as it’s heating up. The cast iron should have a small spray of oil on top, or should be seasoned well.
- Next, wash the eggplant. Dry it, and cut it in half lengthwise. When the oven is good and hot, place the eggplant in the cast iron.
- Roast for about 30 minutes (check it at 25 minutes, in case you have smaller eggplant, they can be done sooner)The top should have softened up, but the eggplant should still have a shape. You should be able to easily pierce the eggplant with a knife.
- Remove the eggplant and cut it into cubes or simply score the eggplant steak. This reveals some crevices that would easily be filled with some type of sauce, like a cilantro chutney (find it on the blog).
Notes
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Pre-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet Set
My favorite Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron, 10.5 inch (I use this for everything)
Oxo Steamer Basket (I’ve had many that have broken, and this one is very sturdy)
Silpat sheets for baking/roasting (I use these all the time)
Let us know if you enjoy these recipes!
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