6 Delicious Italian Eggplant Dishes You Need to Make ASAP

A staple of Sicilian cuisine, eggplants originated in India and China and were introduced to Eastern and Southern Europe by the Spanish Moors. Also known as melanzane, derived from the Latin mela insana (“mad apple”), Sicilians were originally cautious, if not fearful, of the bulbous vegetable in part due to the fact that it can be poisonous if consumed raw in large quantities. However, Sicilian chefs over the years have experimented and perfected cooking with the versatile vegetable.

Today, Sicily is among the world’s largest producers of eggplant and the vegetable is a star ingredient in several appetizing dishes, including those listed below.

Eggplant Parmesan

No dish is as synonymous with Sicily as eggplant parmigiana, an Italian casserole that includes layers of tomato and cheese along with thick slices of eggplant, about 3–4 millimeters. Other variations include vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, and leeks. Vincenzo Corrado, a Puglia cook in the 18th century, is credited with preparing the first parmigiana, although he used zucchini fried in lard as opposed to eggplant.

The modern authentic Italian parmigiana, however, features a base layer of tomato sauce topped with fried eggplant and more sauce, followed by fresh mozzarella, sauce, and parmesan cheese. This process is usually repeated two or three more times, following which the casserole is put in the oven to bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes.

Before placing the eggplant in a casserole dish, it should be salted and left to dry out for about an hour. Putting a weight, such as a heavy pan or skillet, on the eggplant will help push out the vegetable’s bitter-tasting liquid. The mozzarella should also be left out for about 30 minutes to remove excess moisture. The sauce, made from sautéed onion and peeled whole tomatoes, should simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Eggplant parmesan can also be baked, grilled, or prepared in an air fryer.

Grilled Eggplant Caprese

Caprese salad is a traditional and simple Italian dish composed of sliced tomato and mozzarella, fresh basil, and reduced balsamic vinegar. This can be plated in a variety of ways or served with the addition of grilled eggplant for an appetizing side.

To prepare grilled eggplant caprese, mix olive oil, garlic, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Grill eggplant slices on an outdoor grill or stovetop for about 4 minutes while brushing with the oil mixture. Place a slice of tomato and fresh mozzarella on each piece of eggplant and cook for about 3 minutes until the cheese has melted. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately. You can also try this dish with roasted eggplant.

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma is one of the most popular eggplant dishes in Sicily. There are many variations of the dish. Some versions incorporate ricotta salata and other vegetables, such as hot peppers, and the eggplant can be either fried or roasted. The most basic and traditional version of pasta alla Norma, however, features just pasta (usually rigatoni, spaghetti, or ziti), eggplant, marinara, basil, and cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or Grana Padano).

For the roasted eggplant version, start by preparing a marinara sauce. Then, peel strips off the eggplant, slice them into rounds, and brush with oil before roasting until golden. Cook the pasta in salted water, reserving some to add to the mariana to help bind the pasta and sauce. Add the pasta, reserved water, roasted eggplant, fresh basil, spices, and cheese to the sauce and serve.

Pasta Melanzane

This popular pasta dish includes cubed eggplant as opposed to sliced and fresh spinach. It’s also best served with small pasta, such as rotini or bowtie. Cook the pasta until al dente and set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil and cook finely chopped garlic until fragrant. Add in the eggplant cubes and cook for about 10 minutes until tender. From here, add in spinach until wilted, drained pasta, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Serve with more Parmesan and cracked black pepper.

Sicilian Grilled Vegetable Salad

Perfect as a summer salad or side for a steak dinner, the Sicilian grilled vegetable salad features eggplant, sweet onion, red and green bell peppers, and zucchini. To prepare the salad, cook these vegetables on an outdoor grill for about 15 to 30 minutes and then cut into cubes and place in a large bowl. Add in fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving. This mixture also goes well on a bed of lettuce or crusty bread.

Eggplant-Stuffed Zucchini

This dish combines three traditional Italian ingredients: eggplant, zucchini, and tomato. To prepare, start by halving the eggplant and scoring the pulp before brushing with oil and baking for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once cooked, hollow out and chop the eggplant, combining it with mint leaves, capers, coarsely chopped olives, and black pepper. Place this filling in halved and hollowed out zucchini and top with thinly sliced tomatoes and Grana Padano cheese. Bake for 8 minutes and serve.