Aubergine recipes

Here are 3 easy to make aubergine recipes that are easy to make and showcase how wonderful Aubergines can be. We make an easy to make aubergine curry, aubergine bacon sandwich and Baba Ganoush and fabulous roasted aubergine dip.

Prep time : 5 mins | Cook time : 30 mins | Total time 40 mins Makes: 10 Servings | Difficulty: Medium

Aubergine recipes

Aubergine also known as egg plant got its name as one of the original varieties is small and white and literally looks like an egg growing on a plant hence the name eggplant. Aubergine is part of the nightshade family and many years ago it was believed to be poisonous, even the Italian word for Aubergine is Melanzana which directly translates as “apple of madness” as it was believe if you ate some aubergine you would go mad as its closely related to many poisonous nightshade plants. 

Botanically, Aubergine is actually a berry. Information would classify it as a fruit but wisdom would not include it in a fruit salad! Gastronomically it’s classified as a vegetable. Another strange use of aubergine in 5th century China is that aubergines were used to dye teeth to give them a metallic look that made them gleam and shine!

In terms of cooking, aubergines are very divided, some people love them and others despise them, even a friend Niall refers to them as “devils food!”. We believe that the reason many people hate aubergines is that they have not been cooked properly. A badly cooked aubergine is undercooked and rubbery or even chewy in mouthfeel, however when an aubergine is cooked properly it is soft, melts in your mouth and almost explodes with softness and flavour. An aubergine is quite spongy inside so its the perfect vessel for soaking up flavour. Some of our favourite ways to cook aubergine is to roast them with simply olive oil and salt or add a splash or olive oil and tarmari/ soy sauce or olive oil and a splash of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Below we cook aubergines 3 ways to showcase its versatility and how wonderful it can be. 

We charr it and fry it to make some aubergine bacon to show that it caramelises great and then add a smoky, sweet umami dressing to showcase how it functions as a wonderful carrier for flavour. 

We roast it whole and scoop out the flesh to use to make one of our favourite dips Baba genoush. 

We braise it in to show how it can be cooked quickly to make a beautiful aubergine and butterbean curry.

Other Aubergine recipes that you will love

Some serving suggestions for these Aubergine recipes

An image of Braised Aubergine and butterbean curry

Braised Aubergine and butterbean curry


This low-calorie, super easy dahl is one of our most popular recipes! Serve with toasted pitta breads and some brown rice for a wholesome, satisfying meal.

Takes 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
 

  • 1 aubergine
  • 1 white onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • ½ thumb sized piece of ginger
  • 1 red pepper
  • 3 tbsp of tamari (or soy sauce)
  • 3 tbsp of water
  • 1 x 400g tin of butter bean or bean of choice
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 x 400g tin of coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp of curry powder
  • ½ head of pak choi
  • ½ a lemon

For serving

  • Toasted wholemeal pittas (or fresh coriander)

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Vegetables:
    Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cut the aubergine into 1 cm cubes. Slice the red pepper into thin strips and finely slice the pak choi. Drain and rinse the butter beans.
  • Sauté the Onion:
    Heat a large, wide-bottomed non-stick pan over high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for about 4 minutes, stirring regularly, until it starts to turn golden.
    Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Cook the Aubergine:
    Add the cubed aubergine with a pinch of salt to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
    When the aubergine begins to release moisture, add the sliced red pepper and continue cooking.
  • Braise the Vegetables:
    In a small mug, mix the Tamari and water. Add this mixture to the pan and cover with a lid to trap the steam, transitioning from frying to braising.
    Stir occasionally. If the aubergine starts to stick, add an additional 2-3 tablespoons of water and scrape up any bits sticking to the pan.
    Cook for approximately 6-8 minutes, until the aubergine becomes soft and tender (it should not be rubbery—if it is, cook for a bit longer).
  • Add the Liquid Ingredients:
    Once the aubergine is soft, add the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, butter beans, and curry powder.
    Stir well and cook for about 3 minutes to combine all the flavours.
  • Finish the Curry:
    Add the pak choi and the juice of half a lemon.
    Stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the pak choi to wilt slightly.
  • Adjust the Seasoning:
    Taste the curry and adjust the seasoning to your liking by adding more salt, black pepper, lemon juice, chilli, or any additional aromatic spices.
  • Serve:
    Serve the curry with toasted wholemeal pittas or fresh coriander, or alongside your favourite grain such as brown rice. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 842kcalCarbohydrates: 166gProtein: 52gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 3754mgPotassium: 5161mgFiber: 58gSugar: 52gVitamin A: 13368IUVitamin C: 330mgCalcium: 570mgIron: 22mg

Video

Print Recipe
An image of Aubergine bacon Sandwich

Aubergine bacon Sandwich


The idea of aubergine bacon might sound a little far fetched however here we use aubergine as the main carrier of the typical smoked, umami, maple flavours. We use a griddle pan however a flat frying pan will work fine too.

Takes 15 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients
 

  • 1 Aubergine
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 3 tbsp tamari/ soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 slices of sourdough bread or bread of choice
  • 4 tbsp vegan mayo
  • 2 slices of vegan cheese of choice
  • 2 tbsp of sauerkraut we use red sauerkraut

Instructions
 

  • Slice the aubergine in half lengthwise and place each half face down and slice into thin ½ cm slices. Add to a bowl and sprinkle with ½ tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of olive oil and mix well.
  • Heat a griddle pan or non stick frying pan and once hot add the aubergines and cook for a 3-4 mins on each side until they have char lines and the colour of the flesh changes from white to an almost translucent light brown colour or beige. If in doubt taste a little and it should be a melt in your mouth texture. In a mug mix together the tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika and 1 tbsp of oil. Once the aubergine are cooked, turn off the heat and add the dressing it should have enough residual heat to caramelise the dressing, spread the dressing around so that each aubergine is well coated on both sides. Repeat with any remaining aubergines and once cooked and dressed remove from the pan and set aside to assemble your sandwich.
  • Take the 2 slices of bread and spread the vegan mayo on both sides. Add the vegan cheddar and the sauerkraut and add a number of slices of the aubergine bacon, bring the sandwich together and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 9gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 2024mgPotassium: 680mgFiber: 10gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 302IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 3mg
Print Recipe
An image of Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush


This is one of our favourite dips, it’s so easy to make and the wonderful notes of charred aubergine flesh mixed with tahini, lemon, garlic and olive oil make it burst with flavours from the Middle east. The beautiful thing is that you don’t need a blender to make, you can just simply mix with a fork in a bowl, this will last 5 days in the fridge but realistically you will devour it before then.

Takes 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients
 

  • 2 medium aubergines
  • 70 g Tahini – 2-3 tbsp
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 Garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Pinch ground pepper
  • ¼ tsp Sumac or chilli powder- optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 220 C fan, cut eggplant in half lengthways, rub a little oil on the inside of the aubergine and place on a baking tray flesh side down, sprinkle with salt and cook for 40 mins until the aubergine is charred and collapsed and is super soft. Or if you have a gas stove you can cook the aubergine directly on an open flame, turning occasionally, for approx 15 minutes or until charred and collapsed and super soft inside. Allow to cool for a few minutes until you can handle them, into a medium mixing bowl, scrape out the soft flesh from the aubergine ( it should come away easily from the skin. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste and season with lemon, salt or heat to your preference. Serve in a bowl with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle on some sumac or chilli powder and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 593mgPotassium: 682mgFiber: 9gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 76IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 2mg
Print Recipe

1 Comment

  1. Mhairi Williams says:

    5 stars
    Made the aubergine coconut curry, absolutely divine. I added some crushed cashews on top for texture. Will definitely make this again & yes it does taste as good as the picture looks! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.

5 from 1 vote

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




1 Comment

  1. Mhairi Williams says:

    5 stars
    Made the aubergine coconut curry, absolutely divine. I added some crushed cashews on top for texture. Will definitely make this again & yes it does taste as good as the picture looks! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.

5 from 1 vote

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Recipe Club

Image of chickpea curry

Unlock the Ultimate Plant-Based Culinary Experience with The Happy Pear Recipe Club!

Dive into 600+ mouthwatering recipes designed to nourish your body and tantalise your taste buds. Join our ever-growing, supportive community of food enthusiasts and take the first step on your journey to a healthier, happier you.

Your Membership Includes:

  • Recipes: Access 600+ delicious, health-boosting recipes.
  • Community Connection: Share cooking tips, get inspired, and support each other.
  • Wellness Resources: Unlimited HIIT workouts, guided meditations, yoga lessons, and breathwork sessions.
  • Eat Well. Feel Good. Live Better. Join The Happy Pear Recipe Club today and transform your culinary and wellness journey.
  • Join Now! Choose between monthly or annual membership and get access to all our incredible recipes and resources in one place.


Image of chickpea curry

Plant Based Recipes

View All

Recipe Club Pricing

Whether it's monthly or annual, our Recipe Club membership gives you access to all our recipes in one place

Annual

€35.99

Monthly

€3.99