21 italian eggplant recipes

Classic Sicilian caponata with fried eggplant, plum tomatoes, green olives, capers, and pine nuts in a tangy vinegar-sugar agrodolce. Serve chilled as an appetizer or relish.

Eggplant manicotti stuffs pasta shells with garlic-roasted eggplant, charred red pepper, and tomato, then tops them with a creamy spinach-cottage cheese sauce. A lighter take on the Italian classic.

A rustic Sicilian appetizer of pan-fried eggplant simmered in a sweet-and-sour sauce with olives, capers, pine nuts, and tomato. Served at room temperature for bold Mediterranean flavor.

Concia is a Roman Jewish dish of fried zucchini layered with garlic, fresh basil, and white wine vinegar. A make-ahead antipasto that improves overnight.

Simmered Italian vegetable stew with eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers seasoned with a seven-herb blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and more. Vegetarian comfort in one pot.

Roman-style concia: zucchini slices fried golden in olive oil, then layered with garlic, basil, and vinegar. An old-world Italian appetizer that improves as it sits.

This version of the garlicky roasted eggplant dip does not have tahini in it as with a traditional version. While I really like an "authentic" baba ghanoush, I also enjoy the commercial Sabra brand, which uses mayo and some spices. It is slightly sweet and has a little kick. This is my rendition.

Italian vegetable brochettes with angel hair pasta: grilled eggplant, zucchini, fennel, bell peppers, and mushrooms over thyme-smoked coals, tossed with pasta in a tomato-thyme marinade sauce. Vegan, oil-free.

Fast and simple but simply delicious with few calories!!!!

Vegetarian eggplant tomato pasta sauce with dry sherry, red bell pepper, nutmeg, and fresh basil. A chunky, low-calorie sauce that simmers in under 30 minutes.

Moroccan-style sauteed eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes served room temperature on lettuce with olive oil and lemon. A vibrant, crisp-tender vegetable appetizer with a spicy kick.

Baingan Bharta is fire-roasted Indian eggplant charred over an open flame until completely blackened, then mashed and cooked with cumin, tomatoes, garlic, and garam masala.

Eggplant, tomato, and red pepper sauce simmered with garlic, tomato paste, and honey. A versatile, low-fat sauce for pasta, grilled fish, or chicken.

Grilled fish salad bruschetta piled onto garlic-rubbed Italian bread with charred zucchini, eggplant, peppers and a lemon-basil fish flake topping. Summer entertaining at its most relaxed.

Provencal vegetable ragout slow-roasted for four hours with eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, squash, potatoes, red wine, and twelve cloves of garlic. Vegan and deeply flavored.

Bring some exotic flavor to your crockpot with this succulent dish made with eggplant, zucchini and black olives.