Lean into the creaminess.
Eggplant would be a challenging vegetable if you didn’t grow up in a family that cooked it. I never ate eggplant until I was almost 30 years old, Fortunately, when I was exposed, I had trained chefs on hand to teach me the secrets. The most important one, don’t undercook it.
The third recipe I have included is the way that I learned to eat eggplant, but the first two I have developed, specifically to convert people into eggplant cooks.
Cook it all the way.
Eggplant is a vegetable that should be mushy. If it squeaks when you chew it, you did it wrong.
There is no such thing as “crisp-tender” when it comes to eggplant.
I find that I have difficulty cooking it when I am in a hurry and not taking the time to prepare it properly.
Eggplant should be soft when it is done. Embrace the creamy texture.
Baba ghanoush exists because of creamy eggplant. It is the perfect medium to carry garlic and tahini to your lips.
It soaks up everything.
Eggplant acts as a sponge until it is thoroughly cooked.
If you sauté it, let it continue to cook before you keep throwing more oil in the pan. A nonstick pan helps.
Work with the absorbency instead of against it and let it soak up flavorful ingredients like soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Eggplant has a bland flavor and picks up the seasonings that you add to it.
The Simplest Recipes
I do make baba ghanoush, but the easiest way to cook eggplant is to roast slices in the oven. This way, I don’t have to look at it, and I can let it melt into a creamy, flavorful pillow, all on its own.
Just make sure to let it cook all the way.
I have included two different baked eggplant dishes and one with sauteed eggplant, which is a little more challenging.
You can use any of the varieties of eggplant for these recipes. If the eggplant is small, adjust the quantities to use more.
Sesame Crusted Eggplant
(adapted from momfoodie.com)
- ¼ cup raw sesame seeds
- 1 large eggplant or 2–3 small eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 400 °F. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread out the sesame seeds and cook in the oven for 6–8 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and set the pan aside to cool. Cut off the ends of the eggplant, and slice ½ inch thick. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, olive oil, sesame oil, miso paste, lemon juice, and salt. Brush all of the garlic-oil mixture on the eggplant slices. Pour the toasted sesame seeds carefully onto a plate or shallow pan. Replace the parchment on the baking sheet to reuse for the eggplant. Dip the eggplant slices into the sesame seeds on both sides and press gently, then place the eggplant slice on the parchment-lined baking sheet. After dipping each slice, sprinkle the eggplant with any remaining seeds. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, then flip each eggplant slice and cook for about 20 more, until the eggplant is soft.
Baked Eggplant Parmesan
- 1 large or 2 medium-sized eggplants
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh or dried Italian seasoning (basil, rosemary, thyme, and parsley)
Preheat oven to 400 °F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the stem and slice the eggplant into ½ inch slices. In a large mixing bowl add the eggplant slices, drizzle with the olive oil to coat as evenly as possible. Add the salt, pepper and garlic powder to the bowl and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese and herbs and lightly toss again. In one layer, place the seasoned eggplant slices on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Scrape the bowl and add any remaining herb-cheese mix to the top of each slice. Bake for 35–45 minutes or until the eggplant is tender. Serve with marinara sauce if desired.
Asian Style Garlic-Eggplant
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- 1–2 eggplant, cut into cubes, about 4 cups
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 red chile pepper finely minced
- ½ inch knob of fresh ginger peeled and finely minced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. When hot, add eggplant in a single layer. Cook 2 minutes and stir, cook another 2 minutes to develop browning. Then lower the heat to medium and occasionally stir until the eggplant is soft about 6–7 minutes more. Push eggplant to the side of the pan. In the empty space, add 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic, red chile pepper, ginger and green onion. Stir these aromatics until they become fragrant, about 1 minute, then combine with the eggplant. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar and stir to combine. Serve immediately.
To Salt or Not to Salt
Eggplant can be bitter, and the reasons for this range from storing too long, stress on the plant, or the varieties that are grown.
If you have time and plan ahead, slice the eggplant and sprinkle it with salt. Let it sit for an hour and then rinse it and dry it to absorb any remaining water.
I will salt it if I have time, but I don’t usually plan and have eaten it many times without salting.
The easiest way to store for a month.
You can cook whole eggplants on the grill or under the broiler. Peel off the charred skin and save the cooked flesh in the freezer for baba ghanoush later.
Enjoy them at their best.
I know you might never pick up an eggplant by your own choice, and that is okay too. But if you get one and give it a try, you might be surprised at what you were missing. Try one of these recipes and you can learn to love eggplant too.