Our 20 Favorite Eggplant Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to cooking eggplant? ›

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

Eggplant has antioxidants like vitamins A and C, which help protect your cells against damage. It's also high in natural plant chemicals called polyphenols, which may help cells do a better job of processing sugar if you have diabetes.

The Bottom Line. Eggplant is a high-fiber, low-calorie food that is rich in nutrients and comes with many potential health benefits. From reducing the risk of heart disease to helping with blood sugar control and weight loss, eggplants are a simple and delicious addition to any healthy diet.

Older recipes call for salting eggplant to draw out the bitter juices, but today's eggplants are less bitter (unless very large), so salting is largely unnecessary. It will, however, help the spongy flesh absorb less oil and crisp up like a dream.

Eggplants come with antioxidants and other possible benefits related to heart and brain health. They are also a low-carb option with fiber. There are risks of eating eggplants, like potential allergic reactions, kidney stone formation, and increased inflammation.

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

eggplant has exerted an antihypertensive effect via ACE inhibitory activity. Therefore, eggplant has been suggested as useful food for the management of hypertension and its complications in daily life (Figure 2). ...

Fiber in eggplant and other plants can help people control weight, prevent overweight and obesity. A person following a high-fiber diet will eat less of other foods because fiber makes people feel fuller for longer. Eggplants are high in fiber and low in calories - they can contribute to a healthy, low-calorie diet.

Chlorogenic acid, also found in eggplant, is an antioxidant that not only helps prevent cancer but is also antibacterial and antiviral. Chlorogenic acid may also help to lower LDL cholesterol levels ('bad cholesterol). High levels of LDL cholesterol are a risk factor for heart disease.

Both offer a range of healthy minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. The chickpeas in hummus have protein, insoluble fiber, and Vitamin B6. The eggplant is more nutritionally dense in vitamins B, E, and riboflavin because it cooks down much smaller than it starts.

Is it better to soak eggplant in milk or salt? ›

Soak it in milk.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

Submerge the pieces in the salted water. Use an upside-down plate or pot lid to weigh down the eggplant so it is fully submerged in the water. Let the eggplant sit in the brine for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Drain the eggplant and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towels.

However, eggplants also contain a substance, solanine, which is used to defend themselves against fungi and insects. It is precisely on this substance that the bitter taste of the eggplants depends. To eliminate it, the most common methods are soaking in water and vinegar and the salt technique.

Brining adds flavor and texture to eggplants. "Mix spices and salt with water, then soak sliced eggplant in the brine for 30 minutes before cooking.