I love how the earthy roasted eggplant contrasts with the bright, tangy tomatillo sauce on top.Įggplant and Mushroom “Meatballs,” page 141 of The Love & Lemons CookbookĬalling all eggplant skeptics! You can’t detect the eggplant in these veggie balls, but it still contributes to their hearty texture and rich flavor. You can make these zesty tacos with almost any roasted veggies, but if eggplant’s in season, I always add it. It’s best enjoyed with fresh pita and crunchy veggies, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself standing at the counter, eating it out of the food processor with a spoon. Nope, that’s not hummus! It’s baba ganoush – a smoky, silky eggplant dip. When they’re golden brown and crisp, I layer them with homemade marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil to create a comforting, crave-worthy dish. My lighter riff on my mom’s classic recipe! Instead of frying the eggplant slices, I bake them with a panko and Parmesan coating. You’ll find both of these approaches in the baked eggplant recipes below. Chop it up and roast it briefly, until it’s golden brown and tender, or bake it whole, until it collapses to the touch. Baked Eggplant RecipesĬooking eggplant in the oven shows off its versatility. Then, toss them with fresh basil, sherry vinegar, and pickled onions for pop! Dinner=solved. Grill the veggies while you cook the pasta. It packs a huge punch of flavor, but it comes together in minutes. This grilled veggie pasta is the perfect meal for a slow summer night. Grilled Eggplant Pasta, page 139 of The Love & Lemons Cookbook In the grilled version, I stir fresh basil and arugula into the bulgur filling, and in the baked version, I smother the stuffed eggplant with crispy panko and pecorino cheese. No grill? No worries! You can make this recipe two ways: on the stove and in the oven. Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant, page 179 of Love & Lemons Every Day In late summer, I could eat this vibrant orzo pasta every night! It gets its bold, fresh flavor from simple ingredients like lemon, feta cheese, pine nuts, and grilled eggplant and zucchini. When it’s too hot to stand over a pot of ratatouille on the stove, I make these grilled ratatouille tartines instead! Pair them with your favorite rosé, and your guests (and you) won’t be able to get enough. It’s not hard to see why: it’s super easy, and it’s absolutely delicious! Enjoy it as a side dish on its own, or take it to the next level by piling a fresh couscous salad on top. When I was first learning to cook vegetables, grilled eggplant was one of my favorite things to make. I love how the outside of the eggplant gets nicely charred, while the inside becomes silky smooth. Of all the different kinds of eggplant recipes out there, grilled eggplant recipes will always be my favorite. Throw caution to the wind, and have fun exploring these tasty eggplant recipes! I bet you’ll find one you love. They include bright summer pastas, fresh grilling recipes, cozy casseroles, and everything in between.
To get you started, I’m sharing 12 easy eggplant recipes below. In short, I hope all you eggplant skeptics will give this controversial veggie another chance. Sure, you don’t like it one way, but if you cooked it differently, you could love it!
It might be meaty and smoky coming off the grill, rich and silky after it cooks in the oven, or crisp on the outside and tender in the middle after a few minutes on the stove. Plus, its character totally transforms depending on how you cook it. But when it’s done right, it’s delicious.
I’ve heard it called spongy, bitter, and bland, and to that I say, “Valid!” If it’s not prepared well, it can be all those things. And when I started to explore vegetarian cooking on my own, grilled eggplant was one of the first dishes I mastered.īut if I’ve learned one thing through writing Love and Lemons, it’s that not everyone likes eggplant. As a kid, I never wanted to stop playing at dinnertime, except when my mom was making eggplant Parmesan. Early on, this surprised me, because eggplant recipes have always been some of my favorite foods to eat. Of all the vegetable recipes I post, eggplant recipes are the most divisive.