Easy Eggplant Recipes: 22 Budget-Friendly Ideas
In the UK we call it aubergine, but if you’re searching for eggplant recipes, you’re in exactly the right place – it’s the same thing, just a different name. Aubergine is a vegetable people tend to either love or walk straight past in the supermarket, and I think it’s because they’ve never had it cooked well. At under £1 each in most UK supermarkets, it’s also a brilliant way to bulk out a meal without spending much at all.
Whether you need the best eggplant recipe for a quick dinner or just want to try something new, these easy recipes cover everything from Italian and Mediterranean classics to Asian-inspired dishes, curries, traybakes and hearty comfort food.
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What You Need to Know About Cooking with Eggplant
There is a very good reason aubergine sometimes gets a bad reputation. It really does need to be cooked properly to shine! Once you nail a few simple tricks, these eggplant recipes will easily become some of your go-tos.
- Salt it first: Giving sliced aubergine a quick sprinkle of salt for 20 minutes draws out all the excess moisture. This stops it from getting soggy in the oven and totally transforms your finished eggplant dishes.
- Don’t skimp on oil: Aubergine acts exactly like a sponge in the pan. Skipping the oil just makes it tough and dry, so make sure you coat everything really well to get that gorgeous silky texture!
- Turn up the heat: Always cook at 200°C or higher and give your veggies plenty of space on the tray. This is the absolute golden rule for most recipes with eggplant so they never turn out watery.
- It is incredibly cheap: You can grab one for under a quid at almost any supermarket. It is genuinely one of the best ways to bulk out a meal on a tight budget!
If you love cooking with roasted veg, you’ll want to try Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables, Baked Orzo with Halloumi and this Roasted Vegetable Soup.
Italian & Mediterranean Recipes with Eggplant
There’s a very good reason people in Italy have been cooking with aubergine forever – you’re going to be obsessed with these eggplant recipes! We’ve got everything from big cheesy classics to super light low-carb dinners, and they’re all ridiculously cheap to make.
1. Aubergine Parmigiana
The ultimate classic and possibly the best eggplant recipe! You just fry up slices until they get perfectly golden brown, then layer them in a baking dish with rich tomato sauce, loads of mozzarella, and crispy breadcrumbs. Baking it takes a little time, but honestly, it is SO worth it.
2. Aubergine Parmigiana Pasta Bake
Picture that classic eggplant parmigiana but loaded over a big bowl of pasta. You coat the aubergine in panko so it gets super crunchy in the oven, then just lay those crispy slices over tomato fusilli and smother the whole thing in cheese. This is one of my fave eggplant recipe ideas.
Aubergine Parmigiana Pasta Bake
3. Baked Cheesy Aubergines
This is my absolute go-to when I want something quick & easy. Just slice them in half, roast until tender, and top with garlic, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. Throw a quick side salad together & dinner’s done – literally one of the easiest eggplant dinner recipes.
4. Vegetarian Lasagne (Low Carb)
You honestly will not even miss the pasta in this one. We swap the sheets out for thin slices of roasted aubergine & grated courgette, and layer that up with tomato sauce and creamy mascarpone.
5. Quorn Bolognese
The secret trick here is dicing the aubergine super small. It cooks right down into this deeply rich sauce with plum tomatoes and veggie mince. The texture gets super meaty and soaks up all the amazing flavours.
Asian-Inspired Eggplant Recipes
Eggplant soaks up bold Asian flavours like soy, miso, and gochujang better than almost anything else. All the eggplant recipes here are totally vegan & work brilliantly for your weekly meal prep. They also happen to be super cheap!
6. Gochujang Eggplant
You score thick slices and brush them with a fiery mix of gochujang, soy sauce, & garlic. They bake up so tender in the oven with a quick second coat of glaze halfway through. Serving this over brown rice with plenty of spring onions and fresh coriander makes for one of the most exciting eggplant meals.
7. Miso Aubergine with Edamame Beans and Brown Rice
The miso and honey glaze seeps right down into the aubergine halves while they roast, and the edges come out deeply caramelised and sticky. I like piling it all onto brown rice with edamame and fresh red chillies.
Miso Aubergine with Edamame Beans and Brown Rice
8. Crispy Soy Tofu, Aubergine & Rice
This is absolutely the recipe you need to make for any tofu sceptics in your life. Dusting the tofu in cornflour makes it SO crispy in the pan. The tofu pairs flawlessly with sweet roasted eggplant rounds & a squeeze of fresh lime for a super quick lunch.
Moroccan & Spiced Eggplant Recipes
Aubergine is incredible at soaking up spiced sauces, and these eggplant recipes really show off how versatile it is!
9. Grilled Aubergine Curry
Getting a good sear on the eggplant first adds this gorgeous smoky flavour that balances out the creamy coconut base so well. You just blend the tomato sauce until it’s completely smooth before letting those charred veggies simmer away in it. It freezes well for later too!
10. Moroccan Inspired Veggie Aubergines
This one could not be simpler to make. You roast your eggplant halves while a mix of plant-based mince, zucchini, and warm spices bubbles away on the hob. Spooning that sauce over the veggie boats with some crumbled feta on top is PERFECTION.
Moroccan Inspired Veggie Aubergines
11. Moroccan Stuffed Aubergines
If you fancy a meaty version, you can easily swap in some turkey mince cooked with garlic & chopped tomatoes. The Moroccan spices do so much work here, and baking the aubergines turns the flesh so soft & creamy underneath all that filling.
If you’re into bold, spiced flavours, you’ll love these next: Spicy Korean Gochujang Noodles, Easy Red Lentil Dahl and a seriously good Creamy Halloumi Curry.
Traybakes & One-Pan Eggplant Recipes
These are the easiest eggplant recipes you’ll find on the list! You pretty much just throw everything onto one tray & let the oven do all the work for you. They’re defo my go-to meals whenever I just can’t be bothered.
12. Sausage Tray Bake with Vegetables
If you’re looking for healthy AND easy eggplant recipes, try this one. You literally just chop up some eggplant, zucchini & peppers to toss in a roasting tin with spicy nduja and chicken stock. The sausages get added halfway through so everything caramelises together – so so good!
Sausage Tray Bake with Vegetables
13. Halloumi Tray Bake with Roasted Vegetables
This makes a brilliant high-protein meal prep option as it keeps perfectly in the fridge for days. Roasting aubergine and broccoli in a spicy tomato sauce with olives creates the most amazing flavour base.
Halloumi Tray Bake with Roasted Vegetables
14. Crispy Roasted Gnocchi with Chorizo
While everything bakes, the spicy chorizo melts all its amazing oil right onto the tray, which makes the gnocchi edges super crispy. Just finish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some basil and thank me later!
Pasta Bakes with Eggplant
You just cannot beat a bubbling hot pasta bake, can you? I swear I make these eggplant recipes any chance I get. Both are vegetarian & very much inspired by Italian cooking.
15. Cheesy Tomato Gnocchi Bake with Hidden Veg
This is such a good trick if you’re cooking for fussy eaters! You just cook down cubed eggplant & grated courgette with passata until the veggies basically melt right into the sauce. Then you toss your gnocchi into the pan, cover it in mozzarella, and pop it under the grill until golden and bubbly.
Cheesy Tomato Gnocchi Bake with Hidden Veg
16. Healthy Baked Ziti
This take on the classic is unreal. Chopped eggplant and mushrooms melt right into the plum tomatoes to create the ultimate sauce, then you just layer it up with rigatoni, creamy ricotta, and heaps of mozzarella before popping it under the grill!
Comfort Food with Eggplant
These are the eggplant recipes you need when you’re craving something warm & comforting. They’re absolutely perfect for a chilly weeknight dinner!
17. Creamy Mushroom, Leek and Aubergine Pot Pie
This is honestly one of the best simple eggplant recipes you’ll ever make. Caramelised aubergine acts perfectly as a meat substitute to give the filling some body, and it cooks down with mushrooms, leeks & a creamy sauce before you top it with flaky puff pastry.
Creamy Mushroom, Leek and Aubergine Pot Pie
18. Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
The perfect vegan dinner! We toss the mushrooms & the eggplant with pasta shells and an unbelievable homemade cashew cream, and the result is out of the world honestly. Just remember to soak your cashews ahead of time and this dish is ready in minutes.
19. Cheese Toastie with Grilled Veg
Eggplant and zucchini are sliced thinly & charred on a griddle until smoky, then tossed with lemon juice and fresh basil before going into a toastie with grated mozzarella on brown bread. It sounds simple, but the charred veg makes it SO much more than a standard cheese toastie.
Meal Prep & Bowl Eggplant Recipes
These are the ultimate eggplant recipes to make on a Sunday when you want your lunches completely sorted for the week! They all hold up beautifully in the fridge and taste amazing whether you eat them hot or cold. And using eggplant is such a clever way to bulk out your meals on a budget.
20. Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Roasting chorizo right on the tray with aubergine and courgette is a total game changer. The spicy sausage releases all its amazing oils to create a completely effortless built-in dressing. It seriously tastes just as good cold from the fridge!
21. Ground Turkey and Rice
This is such a fun and spicy skillet dish. You cook down turkey mince and aubergine with black beans, sweetcorn, and plenty of taco spices. Stirring in brown rice and cream cheese makes it so nice and creamy. Then you finish it under the grill with heaps of cheddar & crushed tortilla chips for the best crunch.
22. Best Chicken Meal Prep
Roast your eggplant & peppers in a quick spicy tomato salsa while searing some chicken thighs in a pan. Once the chicken is perfectly golden, just pack everything into your prep containers. Top it all off with sour cream, cheddar, and a squeeze of lime for a super high protein lunch.
Tips for Cooking with Eggplant
- Salt it and pat it dry. Salting draws out excess moisture which prevents sogginess, which is especially important for larger aubergines. Give it 20-30 minutes then squeeze or pat dry before cooking your eggplant recipes.
- Don’t skimp on oil, since aubergine absorbs oil like a sponge. If you underoil it, it dries out and turns tough instead of silky and tender.
- Whether you’re roasting, grilling or frying, aubergine needs high heat to caramelise. Low and slow just makes it watery.
- Crowding the tray means the aubergine steams instead of roasts, so give it space. Use two trays if you need to.
- At under £1 each in most UK supermarkets, aubergine is one of the best value vegetables you can cook with, making it the ideal ingredient for recipes for eggplant on a budget.
Eggplant Recipes FAQs
Aubergine works in almost any cuisine – roast it, stuff it, fry it, bake it into a pasta sauce or use it to bulk out a curry. If you’re not sure where to start, the Aubergine Parmigiana and Grilled Aubergine Curry are the two eggplant recipes most people make first and immediately want to repeat.
A slightly soft aubergine is actually ideal for dishes where it gets cooked down, like a bolognese, a curry or a stroganoff. As long as there’s no mould and the skin isn’t shrivelled, it’s fine to use. Just avoid using it in recipes where you want it to hold its shape, like the stuffed aubergines.
Not always. Modern aubergines have had most of the bitterness bred out, so salting is less about bitterness and more about drawing out excess moisture. For roasting and frying it makes a real difference. For dishes where the aubergine cooks down into a sauce, you can skip it.
Aubergine is low in calories, high in fibre and contains a good range of antioxidants. At under £1 each, it’s also one of the most budget-friendly vegetables you can buy, which is why it features so heavily across these eggplant recipes. It adds bulk, texture and flavour without adding much cost at all.
Yes, though the texture softens on defrosting. It works best frozen in a sauce or stew, but dishes where the aubergine is meant to be crispy or hold its shape, like the Parmigiana, are better eaten fresh.
Looking for more meatless dinner inspiration? Try this Lentil Bolognese, Creamy Gochujang Pasta or Lentil and Chickpea Curry.
