49 eggplant recipes (because everyone loves eggplant)

Luckily for us, eggplants have a long season in Australia so there are plenty of opportunities to work them into your culinary repertoire. Unleash the vegetable’s smoky, earthy flavours in a charred eggplant dip (we have three variations), or in our barbecued eggplant salad with goat’s curd, mint and pomegranate.

For longer cook times, the Sichuanese fish-fragrant eggplant braise swill have your lips tingling with lingering spice, while the impossibly soft eggplant parmigiana looks impressive, and tastes just so. Need a quick fix for your eggplant recipe cravings? We recommend the eggplant stir-fry with tamarind, or the stew of okra, turmeric and eggplant. Come picnic season, we make a bee-line for Danielle Alvarez’s summer vegetable tian (featuring eggplant, of course).

Carrot and chilli fritters with eggplant pickle and yoghurt

Carrot and chilli fritters with eggplant pickle and yoghurt

Harissa-roasted lamb rump with pomegranate and eggplant

Harissa-roasted lamb rump with pomegranate and eggplant

Palisa Anderson’s gaeng keow wan gai (Thai green chicken curry)

Palisa Anderson’s gaeng keow wan gai (Thai green chicken curry)

Eggplant and pineapple curry

Eggplant and pineapple curry

Smoky eggplant with sumac onions

Smoky eggplant with sumac onions

Dainty Sichuan’s fish-fragrant eggplant (yu xiang qie zi)

Dainty Sichuan’s fish-fragrant eggplant (yu xiang qie zi)

Smoky eggplant and capsicum dip with pita bread

Smoky eggplant and capsicum dip with pita bread

Tony Tan’s eggplant and broad beans with soy-sesame dressing

Tony Tan’s eggplant and broad beans with soy-sesame dressing

Dry curry of lamb and eggplant

Dry curry of lamb and eggplant

Good Luck Pinbone’s Sichuan chilli eggplant with wood-ear fungus

Good Luck Pinbone’s Sichuan chilli eggplant with wood-ear fungus

Capitano’s caponata

Capitano’s caponata

Barbecued eggplant salad with goat’s curd, mint and pomegranate

Barbecued eggplant salad with goat’s curd, mint and pomegranate

Hanuman’s eggplant pachadi

Hanuman’s eggplant pachadi

Calamari with spiced eggplant

Calamari with spiced eggplant

Dandelion’s Hmong spicy eggplant mash

Dandelion’s Hmong spicy eggplant mash

Bone marrow with pickled eggplant salad

Bone marrow with pickled eggplant salad

Pork and eggplant salad with salted chilli

Pork and eggplant salad with salted chilli

Brent Savage’s coal-roasted eggplant with black garlic

Brent Savage’s coal-roasted eggplant with black garlic

Sichuan braised eggplant

Sichuan braised eggplant

Butter-fried bread with eggplant and herbs by René Redzepi & Nadine Levy Redzepi

Butter-fried bread with eggplant and herbs by René Redzepi & Nadine Levy Redzepi

Spiced lamb with eggplant salad

Spiced lamb with eggplant salad

Lau’s Family Kitchen’s eggplant stuffed with taro

Lau’s Family Kitchen’s eggplant stuffed with taro

Roast eggplant, ’nduja and scamorza

Roast eggplant, ‘nduja and scamorza

Analiese Gregory’s flatbread with miso eggplant and urchin

Analiese Gregory’s flatbread with miso eggplant and urchin

Victor Liong’s grilled eggplant with sesame, cumin and chilli

Victor Liong’s grilled eggplant with sesame, cumin and chilli

Shane Delia’s poached chicken salad with harissa, eggplant, spring onion and tahini

Shane Delia’s poached chicken salad with harissa, eggplant, spring onion and tahini

Charred prawns, eggplant and chickpeas with roast tomato vinaigrette

Charred prawns, eggplant and chickpeas with roast tomato vinaigrette

Burrata with char-grilled eggplant

Burrata with char-grilled eggplant

Eggplant, tofu and sugarsnap peas with ginger and soy dressing

Eggplant, tofu and sugarsnap peas with ginger and soy dressing

Grilled eggplant salad with lentils and sesame yoghurt

Grilled eggplant salad with lentils and sesame yoghurt

Longsong’s eggplant salad with shallots and salted ricotta

Longsong’s eggplant salad with shallots and salted ricotta

Palisa Anderson’s yum makeua (grilled eggplant salad with prawns)

Palisa Anderson’s yum makeua (grilled eggplant salad with prawns)

Smoky eggplant and walnut dip

Smoky eggplant and walnut dip

Blue Nile’s Ethiopian eggplant dip

Blue Nile’s Ethiopian eggplant dip

Charred miso eggplant with nori and sesame

Charred miso eggplant with nori and sesame

Chickpeas with steamed eggplant and almonds

Chickpeas with steamed eggplant and almonds

Quick okra, eggplant and turmeric stew

Quick okra, eggplant and turmeric stew

Christine Manfield’s eggplant sandwich

Christine Manfield’s eggplant sandwich

Prime-rib minute steak, spiced eggplant and lemon couscous

Prime-rib minute steak, spiced eggplant and lemon couscous

Eggplant zaalouk

Eggplant zaalouk

Eggplant parma jaffles

Eggplant parma jaffles

Stir-fried eggplant with sweet tamarind sauce

Stir-fried eggplant with sweet tamarind sauce

Dan Hong’s crisp eggplant with fish-fragrant sauce

Dan Hong’s crisp eggplant with fish-fragrant sauce

Roast eggplant, tomato and basil spelt pasta

Roast eggplant, tomato and basil spelt pasta

Papoutsakia

Papoutsakia

Summer vegetable tian

Danielle Alvarez’s summer vegetable tian

Eggplant parmigiana

Eggplant parmigiana

Miznon’s eggplant lines

Miznon’s eggplant lines

Burnt honey and teriyaki Japanese eggplant

Burnt honey and teriyaki Japanese eggplant

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.