54 aubergine recipes

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Aubergine recipes
Vegetarian aubergine recipes
Vegan aubergine recipes

Why we love aubergines

Although it's technically a fruit, aubergines are popular around the world. Originally from Southeast Asia, the most common variety you’ll find in Europe has a deep purple, almost black skin, with creamy flesh and few seeds. But you can also find long, thin aubergines and small pea aubergines that are green and white. Look for unblemished, shiny, taut skin when buying.

Aubergines are good at soaking up flavours. You’ll find that after they’ve simmered in spices, they’ll be bursting with flavour, especially after giving them a good char at the beginning. Taste a bit before serving – you want them to be meltingly soft.

Health benefits of aubergine

Aubergines are a rich source of antioxidants – in fact, this is what gives them their purple colour. They also provide fibre and they're low in fat and sugar, making them a healthy choice for those managing diabetes. For those looking to loose weight, aubergines can be a good replacement for more calorie-dense foods, as they're incredibly versatile.

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 versatile and work well cooked in many different ways, but it's 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/180C fan/gas 6 until soft.

How to BBQ aubergine: Aubergine is also great barbecued 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.

Vegetarian aubergine recipes

Sweet-sour grilled aubergines

Aubergines are charred and dressed in an agrodolce (sweet/sour) dressing, served alongside walnuts, oregano, onion, feta, sumac and sesame seeds.

Got feta leftover? Put it to good use with our salty recipes.

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.

Next, try our homemade sweet potato and black bean burgers.

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.

We love lasagne in all forms – browse our recipes to find your favourite.

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.

For another next-level lunch, try our gochujang egg mayo sandwich.

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.

If warm salads are your thing, browse our recipes.

Healthy aubergine parmigiana

Here, a classic Italian aubergine recipe is made healthier with a few clever tricks. It's high in protein, low in salt and calories, and delicious too.

Check out our healthy dinner ideas for more weeknight inspiration.

Veggie moussaka

Make the most of meaty aubergines in this creamy moussaka, an ideal comforting recipe to feed the family midweek.

For another family-friendly meal without meat, try our vegetarian shepherd's pie.

Stuffed aubergine rolls

This recipe is inspired by involtini di melanzane, but with a melting mozzarella middle twist. You can make the sauce and grill the aubergines up to two days ahead and chill. Top with crunchy breadcrumbs and plenty of parmesan.

For more bellissimo ideas, try our top Italian-style recipes.

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.

Explore our other easy vegetarian pasta recipes.

Aubergine pilaf with crispy halloumi

A midweek winner with aubergine chunks, rice seasoned with ras el hanout, shards of golden halloumi and sesame seeds. Ready and on the table in 35 minutes.

If you're not veggie, try our healthy chicken pilaf traybake.

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.

Le Bab’s sabich

Spiced aubergine is layered with a peanut dressing and zingy relish to form the perfect veggie sandwich, brought to you by the chefs at Le Bab.

We're also big fans of a vegetarian Reuben sandwich.

Chargrilled baby aubergines meze

Check out this easy veggie meze with chargrilled baby aubergines. This simple and moreish recipe is ready in under an hour – perfect for your next dinner party.

We have lots more effortless summer dinner party ideas for you to try.

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 they're easy to prep and make a great side dish or snack.

We love using honey in all kinds of ways, check out our favourite recipes.

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.

Enjoy the fabulous flavours of Turkish cuisine with our easy recipes.

Spiced aubergine and tomatoes with yogurt

This vegetarian spiced aubergine and tomatoes dish is from Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell's new seafood-focused restaurant, Westerns Laundry. It's easy to make and packed with punchy flavours.

Check out Westerns Laundry's dinner party menu, created just for us.

Persian aubergine bake

Try our 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.

We have all the gluten-free recipes you'll need.

Melanzane parmigiana

An indulgent, cheesy vegetarian bake that's ideal for a midweek family meal. Aubergine is a great ingredient to use here because of its naturally meaty texture.

For a lighter summer version, try our courgette parmigiana.

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.

Sumac adds a tart, lemony flavour to dishes like our sumac-roasted chicken.

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, speedy meal for two. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve with crusty bread.

Explore more quick vegetarian recipes.

Gennaro’s Contaldo’s baked stuffed aubergines

Serve these baked stuffed aubergines alongside a fresh green salad for a satisfying lunch or supper.

While you cook, listen to Gennaro on the olive podcast.

Easy aubergine recipes

Ras el hanout spiced leg of lamb with aubergine pilaf

A spicy alternative to a traditional roast, this ras el hanout spiced leg of lamb with aubergine pilaf is perfect for soaking up Middle Eastern flavours.

Discover our lamb recipes.

Aubergine and ’nduja spaghetti

Fiery 'nduja and chunks of silky aubergine flesh take this tomato pasta recipe to the next level – ready in just half an hour, it's an ideal midweek meal for two.

Use up the rest of your 'nduja in our favourite dishes.

Lamb chops with aubergines and bloody mary salsa

We paired lamb chops, baked aubergine and a spicy bloody mary dressing in this cocktail-inspired recipe. You can make the salsa beforehand and adjust its flavour by adding hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

Make a classic bloody mary cocktail.

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.

We love salsa verde with everything, give it a go.

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 it's perfect for feeding a crowd, or you can freeze the leftovers for another time.

Here are our best pasta bake recipes.

Aubergine Thai jungle curry

Aubergine curry, anyone? Our aubergine Thai jungle curry is low in calories and ready in just 20 minutes, making it a satisfying option for midweek.

Enjoy our fragrant Thai-style dishes.

Spiced lamb cutlets with smoked aubergine

This recipe for spiced lamb cutlets with smoked aubergine is the perfect winter warmer recipe. It takes a while, but it's easy to make and ideal for entertaining.

We've got lots more dinner party mains to inspire you.

Classic moussaka

Make your aubergine shine in a moussaka, with layers of lamb mince, potato and aubergine, topped with a white sauce and baked to make the classic Greek dish, moussaka.

Greek salad is all you need on the side.

Vegan aubergine recipes

Sticky soy aubergines on gingery peanut fried rice

Packed with rice and sweet, sticky aubergines, this vegan dish is a great alternative to a classic stir-fry.

If you're not vegan, try our crispy soy salmon.

Vegan aubergine curry

Cook aubergine pieces with spices and red lentils for a hearty and healthy vegan curry.

We've got plenty more fragrant vegan curries for you to try.

Za'atar roasted aubergine with puy lentil salad

Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice mix. Use it in this roasted aubergine with puy lentil salad recipe, a dish that's vegetarian, under 300 calories and ready in just 30 minutes.

You could even make your own za'tar spice blend.

Aubergine chilli

Check out this vibrant vegan chilli, made smoky thanks to the charred aubergine. It's ideal for a midweek meat-free meal for the family, which will soon become a firm favourite.

We also have a hearty five-bean chilli.

Vegan kale caesar salad with aubergine ‘bacon’

Swap bacon for crunchy, paprika-smoked aubergine slivers in our vegan twist on the classic caesar salad.

For meat-eaters, there's our classic chicken caesar salad.

Smoked aubergine, pepper and walnut salad with pomegranate

Try out this simple and flavoursome smoky aubergine salad recipe with crunchy pomegranates, served with flatbreads for scooping.

We have plenty more vegetarian salads to keep you satisfied, too.

Aubergine teriyaki bowls

Give aubergines centre stage in this vibrant, 30-minute vegan recipe. It's packed with fresh flavours of crunchy radishes, fiery ginger and zesty lime.

If you love tucking into a nourishing bowl, try our salmon and avocado rice bowls.

Aubergine salad with mint and pine nuts

Golden, charred aubergines are paired with crumbled feta, olives and herbs in this summery salad. Soaking the sultanas in vinegar makes them extra-juicy.

Coconut and aubergine curry

Our 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.

If you like this, you'll love our sweet potato and lentil curry too.

Chinese fish-fragrant aubergines

The double cooking in this recipes transforms the aubergine’s spongy flesh into tender morsels, made heady with garlic, hot pickled chillies and ginger.

See the rest of our flavoursome Chinese-style recipes.

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.

Next, have a look at our healthy versions of takeaway dishes.

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 topping, is like a hug on a plate. This could be a main, starter or side dish – it's a really versatile recipe.

Browse our best vegetarian starters for your next dinner party.

Steamed aubergines with peanut dressing

Check out this quick and easy aubergine recipe with a punchy peanut dressing. Serve this simple vegan recipe hot or cold.

We've got lots of well-balanced, low-calorie vegetarian meals for you to enjoy.

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.

You can also use lentils to make our vegan lentil burgers.

Teriyaki aubergine

Try our vegan teriyaki aubergine recipe – it's easy, serves four as a side, and it's only 105 calories.

You could serve it alongside our watermelon and herb noodle salad.

Malay-grilled aubergine with kecap manis, lime and spring onion

This warm grilled aubergine salad is perfect as a side with grilled meats, or served as a vegetarian main. The sweet soy-chilli sauce is quick to make as a dressing.

Find out more about kecap manis and where you can buy it.

Cauliflower rice with aubergine ragoût

By blitzing cauliflower in a food processor and quickly cooking, you get the consistency and texture of rice, with fewer calories. It still fills you up and it’s quicker to cook, too.

Browse all our delicious cauliflower recipes.

Aubergine bhaji

Not to be confused with the 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.

You could also try our filling mushroom bhaji.

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.

For another moreish dip, serve up our vibrant green pea hummus.

BBQ aubergines

Sweet and smoky aubergines mixed with peppers, walnuts and fresh breadcrumbs make the perfect veggie side dish.

We have lots of veggie dishes you can cook on the barbecue.

Aubergine kebabs with charred onion salsa

A great way to cook aubergine on the barbecue. Here, slices are coated in pomegranate molasses, cumin, cinnamon, aleppo pepper and sumac before hitting the grill on skewers, and being served with an onion, garlic, chilli and lemon salsa. Swap the yogurt for a plant-based version and you've got a great vegan BBQ dish.

For something sweet, try our date loaf cake with pomegranate molasses.

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.

We love using antipasti ingredients to make a wholesome pasta dish.

Smoky miso aubergines

Miso and aubergine are a match made in heaven, and this recipe is perfect for the BBQ this summer. Make sure you check the miso is vegan before buying.

For another vegetarian side, try corn on the cob with lime and miso butter.

Burmese grilled aubergine

Dressed with shallot, chilli, lime and roasted peanuts, this really packs a punch in terms of flavour and texture. This grilled aubergine side dish comes from Burmese restaurant, Laphet.

We think you'll love our Thai-style peanut noodle salad with watermelon too.

Ratatouille

Packed with tomatoes, aubergine, courgettes and red pepper, this ratatouille recipe is easy to make and feeds up to four. Serve alongside toasted sourdough.

You can turn your ratatouille into a baked eggs dish with chorizo.