16 Eggplant Recipes That Celebrate the Gorgeous Summer Vegetable

For a quick, hearty, and meat-free meal, make this riff on caprese pasta. In addition to fragrant basil, creamy ricotta, and fresh diced tomatoes, sautéed, diced eggplant is added to the mix. It's a delicious way to elevate store-bought gnocchi in the summertime.

Vegetarian lasagnas are often loaded with so many varieties of vegetables that you can't distinguish one from the other. Here, we're only highlighting two—mushrooms and eggplants—and their meatiness is the perfect substitute for ground beef, veal, and pork.

Here's a lighter, low-carb version of eggplant parmesan. Instead of breading and frying slices of the purple vegetable, they are grilled. Top with mozzarella, return to the grill until the cheese melts, and then top with a tomato-shallot mixture, basil, and good-quality olive oil.

Yes, the charred roasted red peppers are delicious, the campanelle-shaped pasta is a unique choice, but the real star of the show is sweet sautéed eggplant. Make this for a casual summer potluck and watch as it disappears quickly.

This dip has it all—the fruitiness of good-quality olive oil, mild shallots, fragrant mint, sour lime juice, spicy hot chile peppers, and meaty eggplant. Serve it as an appetizer or main course—either way, it will disappear in a flash.

Perfect for an outdoor party, these layered eggplant and tomato stacks are sure to win the crowd over. Serve alongside warm pita bread or raw crudité for a full appetizer, or on their own as a vegetable side dish alongside grilled meat.

You've heard of vegetarian lasagnas, but have you ever heard of vegetarian meatballs? Tender puréed eggplant, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and an egg white are whirred together to create a paste, then rolled into large balls and pan-fried.

Talk about a restaurant-worthy starter! The only cooking required here is broiling the eggplant until it becomes juicy and crispy—the rounds are then topped with heirloom cherry tomatoes, mixed olives, parsley, feta, and a rich olive oil. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the juices.

You will not believe how delicious this recipe is. Start with homemade pizza dough, then add a homemade tomato-onion sauce, roasted eggplant, Swiss chard, and provolone. Each layer is totally unexpected and so flavorful.

This dish starts with an unconventional technique—roasting a whole eggplant directly on a gas stove. From there, a paste is made with onions, ginger, and garlic; sauté that with a diced chile pepper, cumin seeds, diced tomatoes, turmeric, and eggplant. Serve over rice for a flavorful entrée.

Refreshing and healthy, this charred, vegetable-based soba noodle salad makes a delicious lunch or side dish—and it's vegan!

Making this pizza takes less time than it would take to order one and pick it up from your favorite neighborhood spot—and it's so much more delicious. The variety of textures, colors, and flavors makes for an exciting meal.

When you're craving healthy comfort food, make this stuffed eggplant dish. The delicate flavor of ground lamb is a hearty complement to brown rice, fresh mint, and parsley for the filling.

Talk about a summer stunner. Large slices of eggplant are grilled, then topped with a Mediterranean-inspired combination of cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, pine nuts, and basil. It's just like your favorite caprese, but elevated with eggplant.

What would a list of eggplant recipes be without this Italian classic? There's nothing wild and crazy here—just classic, flavorful comfort food for a cold day.

No, those aren't rings of calamari in this Mediterranean dish. Calamarata is a type of pasta that just so happens to resemble calamari. Here, it's tossed with a variety of colorful vegetables and sweet Italian sausage.