Whether you call it aubergine or eggplant, this is one of the best vegetables in the world. When cooked properly, it has such a creamy, dreamy texture and can soak up almost any flavour you put it with. We love fried aubergine, baked aubergine, stuffed aubergine, roasted aubergine, marinated aubergine… you name it, we love it.
And aubergine is such a versatile vegetable! You can use aubergine in everything from curry recipes to vegan recipes, in noodle dishes and salads, in dips and threaded on skewers. Or stack it up with circles of goats’ cheese for a classy starter (try our best vegetarian entertaining recipes here).
When are aubergines in season?
UK aubergine season starts in May and ends in October. Aubergines are at their best between June and September.
How do you cook aubergine?
Aubergines are very versatile and are great cooked in many different ways – but its really important to cook them fully, you’ll know as the flesh will be meltingly tender.
How to grill aubergine: The best way to roast aubergine is to cut it into cubes, toss with a little oil, season and roast at 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 until really soft.
How to BBQ aubergine: Aubergine is also great bbq’d or griddled as it takes on the charred flavour really well. Slice into 1cm think slices, brush with oil (it can absorb a lot of oil so its best to give it a light brushing of oil) season and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until charred and really soft.
Can you eat the skin of an aubergine?
Yes you can, it’s not necessary to peel the skin from an aubergine.
Easy aubergine recipes
Ingredients
- aubergine
Warm aubergine, pomegranate and onion salad
A salad in a slow cooker? Once you’ve seen how easy it is to get squishy, soft aubergines without slaving over a griddle you’ll make this again and again. The sweet dressing made with pomegranate molasses and honey contrasts nicely with the salty feta.
Aubergine lasagne
A vegetarian take on a baked pasta classic, made with homemade white sauce (it's easy), lots of fresh basil and charred aubergine slices. A real crowd-pleaser.
Healthy aubergine parmigiana
Here, a classic Italian aubergine recipe is made that little bit healthier by using a few clever tricks. It's high in protein, low in salt and calories, and delicious to boot.
Sticky soy aubergines on gingery peanut fried rice
Packed with aromatic rice and sweet sticky aubergines, this vegan dish is a great alternative to a classic stir-fry.
Fish-fragrant aubergines
The reason this dish is called ‘fish-fragrant’ is because its flavours have traditionally been used in Sichuan cuisine when cooking with fish. It's actually a vegan recipe!
Aubergine dhansak
Cook aubergine pieces with fragrant spices and red lentils for a hearty yet healthy vegan curry.
Sabich with green tahini
A sabich is a warm pitta stuffed with grilled aubergine, boiled eggs, salad and tahini. This is our take on the Middle Eastern sarnie.
Aubergine and halloumi burgers
Make the most of aubergines by deep-frying in breadcrumbs until crisp and golden before stuffing in a bun with grilled halloumi and harissa mayo.
Vegan kale caesar salad with aubergine ‘bacon’
Swap bacon for crunchy, paprika-smoked aubergine slivers in our vegan twist on the classic caesar salad.
Veggie moussaka
We make the most of meaty aubergines in this creamy moussaka, an ideal comforting recipe to feed the family midweek.
Jerk ox heart and aubergine
Chef Chris Gillard of London restaurant EartH Kitchen has created a fiery jerk marinade for this full-flavoured lean meat served with aubergines, perfect for flash-frying or to cook on the barbecue. Check out our full review of EartH kitchen here.
Smoked aubergine, pepper and walnut salad with pomegranate
Most Middle Eastern nations seem to have a version of smoked aubergine. Try out this simple yet flavoursome aubergine salad recipe with crunchy pomegranates served with flatbreads. Plenty more veggie salad recipes here.
Aubergine teriyaki bowls
Put meaty aubergines at the heart of this vibrant vegan recipe. Our 30-minute vegan dish is packed with fresh flavours of crunchy radishes, fiery ginger and zesty lime.
Coconut and aubergine curry
This creamy coconut and peanut aubergine curry is vegetarian, under 300 calories and ready in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect comforting meal to make midweek. We have plenty of vegetarian curry recipes here, try them out.
Melanzane Parmigiana
A really indulgent Italian aubergine recipe. This delicious, cheesy vegetarian bake with aubergine is ideal for a family meal midweek. Aubergine is a great ingredient to use because of its naturally meaty texture.
Penne alla norma
Check out this easy gluten-free tomato pasta with aubergine topped with fresh basil. This simple recipe is veggie-friendly and low in calories. Make one of our easy vegetarian pasta recipes here...
Szechuan aubergines
This is a version of yu xiang qie zi, fish-flavoured aubergine. Buy Chinese black vinegar from Waitrose, souschef.co.uk, or Asian supermarkets. Leave the pork out to make this vegetarian. In the mood for stir fry? Try our easy stir fry recipes here.
Persian aubergine bake
Try our super easy layered Persian aubergine bake with crumbled feta. This vegetarian recipe is a simple and comforting one-pot to make over the winter months. Plus, it's gluten free.
Sweet soy aubergine noodles
A really easy aubergine recipe to try! Ditch the takeaway menu and grab a pan, these low calorie vegetarian noodles are a quick and mid-week meal idea guaranteed to hit the spot.
Aubergine stuffed with pisto
This recipe for stuffed aubergines with pisto comes from Pizarro restaurants. The slow-cooked vegetable stuffing in this recipe together with the crunchy, garlic migas topping is like a hug on a plate. This could be a main, starter or side dish, it's a really versatile recipe.
Aubergine slices with thyme and honey vinaigrette
Honey and aubergine work really well together, and this recipe for aubergine slices with thyme and honey vinaigrette is a great one to have on-hand. They take a little time but are easy to prepare and make a great side dish or snack.
Steamed aubergines with peanut dressing
Check out this quick and easy aubergine recipe with punchy peanut dressing. Serve this super simple vegan recipe under 100 calories for a delicious hot or cold side dish.
Chargrilled baby aubergines meze
Check out this easy veggie meze with chargrilled baby aubergines. This simple yet incredibly moreish recipe is ready in under an hour, a perfect dish to serve at your next dinner party.
Moussaka bowls
These easy vegan moussaka bowls are ready in just 15 minutes, an easy alternative to oven-baked moussaka. The moussaka bowls have the flavours and textures of a slow-cooked moussaka, without the wait.
Sicilian aubergine pizzas
These super-easy Sicilian aubergine pizzas are a great twist on a family favourite. They use crème fraîche instead of a tomato base, charred aubergines, sultanas and pesto, with rocket and pine nuts for a bit of extra crunch. Try our top pizza recipes here.
Grilled aubergine with red butterhead and salsa verde
Check out our grilled aubergine recipe with red butterhead and salsa verde. This recipe is super simple, low in calories and gluten-free. Packed with flavour and serving four, it's an easy midweek meal.
Teriyaki aubergine
Try our teriyaki aubergine recipe, it's easy, serves four as a side and is only 105 calories. This vegan recipe is sticky, sweet and perfect for brushing over grilled or roasted veggies.
Malay-grilled aubergine with ketjap manis, lime and spring onion
This simple recipe for a warm grilled aubergine salad is so delicious. Perfect with grilled meats or as a vegetarian dish, the sweet soy-chilli sauce is quick to make as a dressing.
Smoked aubergine and pepper salad with pomegranate molasses
Sabrina Ghayour's recipe for sweet and smokey aubergine salad would make the perfect addition to a generous sharing spread. Infused with the flavours of Persia, it's a little bit of Middle Eastern magic for you and your friends to enjoy.
Cauliflower rice with aubergine ragoût
A healthy aubergine recipe for you, our cauliflower rice with aubergine ragoût is really on-trend. By blitzing cauliflower in a food processor and quickly cooking, you get the consistency and texture of rice but without the carbs and with fewer calories. It still fills you up, and it’s quicker to cook, too. We have some fab cauliflower ideas here.
Spiced aubergine and tomatoes with yogurt
This spiced aubergine and tomatoes dish is from Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell's new seafood-focused restaurant, Westerns Laundry. This vegetarian recipe is easy to make and packed with punchy flavours. Check out Westerns Laundry's dinner party menu, created just for us.
Aubergine bhaji
Not to be confused with the ever-so-popular deep fried onion bhaji, this aubergine recipe is vegan, gluten-free and low in calories. Made with aubergines and packed full of spices, this dish is the perfect go-to dinner for Meat Free Monday.
Baba ganoush with cumin crispbreads
Serve this aubergine dip with cumin crispbreads as a meze starter with hummus, olives, lamb kofte or falafel. You can keep with crispbreads in an airtight container for up to three days.
Grilled aubergine sabich salad
Sabich is an Israeli sandwich of pita stuffed with fried aubergine and hard-boiled eggs. Our grilled aubergine sabich salad is a twist on this with bulgar wheat and greek yogurt. Serve with warm pita or flatbread.
Fried aubergine sticks with sumac and honey
Easy aubergine sticks: designed to impress your friends and family as a quick dinner-party starter, or as part of an easy lunch. With a minty yogurt dip, this Mediterranean-inspired recipe with sumac and za'atar just needs a drizzle of honey to finish it off.
Hot and sour aubergine with sticky rice
Sticky rice with aubergine in a hot and sour sauce, made from very simple ingredients: red chilli, soy sauce, vinegar and a little sugar.
Spiced lamb cutlets with smoked aubergine
Dan Doherty's recipe for spiced lamb cutlets with smoked aubergine is the perfect winter warmer recipe. It takes a while but is really easy to make, perfect for entertaining.
Marinated summer veg antipasti
The best antipasti recipes use a colourful mix of summer veg. This easy one is an easy sharing plate of aubergines, peppers, courgette and mushrooms. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Aubergine stacks with pesto, pine nuts and goat’s cheese
An easy meal for vegetarians: simple layers of aubergine, goat's cheese and pesto make a rich but fast meal for two. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve with crusty bread.
Classic Moussaka
Make your aubergine shine in a moussaka. Layers of minced lamb, potato and aubergine, covered in white sauce and baked to make the classic Greek dish moussaka. Greek salad is all you need on the side.
Za'atar roasted aubergine with puy lentil salad
Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice mix. Use it in this recipe for za'atar roasted aubergine with puy lentil salad, a dish that's vegetarian, under 300 calories and ready in just 30 minutes but still delivers on flavour. Perfect for 5:2-diet days.
Aubergine and lamb pasticcio
Our Greek-inspired aubergine and lamb pasticcio is easy to make but is packed full of fantastic flavours. It serves six, so is perfect for feeding a crowd, or freeze the leftovers for another time. Here are our best pasta bake recipes to try.
Aubergine and chilli pide
Pide is a Turkish flatbread which can be topped like pizza for a quick, easy meal. Make your dough, then top with aubergine, chilli and spices for a vegetarian lunch or supper.
Smoky miso aubergines
Miso and aubergine is a match made in heaven, and this recipe is perfect for the BBQ this summer. Make sure you check the miso is vegan. Our vegetarian BBQ recipes make great centrepieces and side dishes.
Za’atar aubergine steaks with sesame dressing and pomegranate
This recipe for za'atar aubergine steaks with sesame dressing and pomegranate makes for a quick, easy and delicious veggie dinner. Plus, it's under 300 calories and gluten free.
Aubergine Thai jungle curry
Aubergine curry, anyone? Our aubergine Thai jungle curry is low in calories and ready in just 20 minutes, making a great, satisfying option for midweek.
Nasu dengaku (miso grilled aubergine)
This riff on sweet 'n' sour miso grilled aubergine from Kurobuta, a tiny café-like space on Chelsea’s King’s Road, makes the perfect starter or side dish that looks impressive but is actually very easy.
