Healthy Eggplant Side Dish Recipes

Find healthy, delicious eggplant recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Most Popular

Easy Eggplant Stir-Fry

Rating: 5 stars 3
This eggplant stir-fry is easy to make. We call for long and tender Japanese eggplant, but regular eggplant will work well too, cut into 1-inch pieces. Jalapeño peppers can vary from mild to very spicy. If you need to cut the heat, opt for small sweet peppers in their place.
By Ali Ramee

Sheet-Pan Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a type of veggie-forward, Provençal-style stew. Our sheet-pan ratatouille features tangy goat cheese and sweet balsamic glaze that complement the tender charred vegetables. Bake the tomatoes on a separate pan so that the steam from the tomatoes won't steam the other vegetables.
By Cooking Light

Air-Fryer Eggplant

Rating: 4 stars 1
This air-fryer eggplant is crispy on the outside with a tender middle. You can fit more slices in the basket when you use smaller eggplant. Dip these crispy slices in marinara or pesto, or drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Hilary Meyer
By Hilary Meyer

Grilled Eggplant Salad

Rating: 5 stars 1
This easy grilled eggplant salad is the healthy side dish you'll want to serve all summer long. It comes together in just 25 minutes and can be served warm or at room temperature, so it's equally suited to casual parties and weeknight dinners. The combination of eggplant, cherry tomatoes, red peppers, red onions and fresh herbs makes for a salad that's full of bright flavors and colors. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish or as part of a vegetarian mezze platter with dips like hummus and pita bread.
By Julia Levy

Grilled Summer Vegetable Panzanella

This grilled vegetable salad is filled with summer zucchini and eggplant that are marinated in an herby dressing. Crusty country-style bread helps soak up the flavors. The optional feta cheese adds a briny finishing note. To keep sodium in check, reduce the amount of salt in the salad if you opt to use the feta.
By Carolyn Casner

French Ratatouille

Ratatouille, a classic French dish with tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and onion, is frequently cooked low and slow until it turns silky and luscious. We kept the classic flavor but gave it a makeover by thinly slicing the vegetables and layering them in a cast-iron pan. We brighten up the flavor at the end with a splash of red-wine vinegar.
Hilary Meyer
By Hilary Meyer

Summer Vegetable Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Rating: 5 stars 1
Summer's harvest--eggplant, corn and zucchini--stars in this healthy, Mexican-inspired casserole that's perfect for serving a crowd or for a dinner with leftovers for the next day.
A portrait of Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Roasted Eggplant with Lemon

Rating: 5 stars 1
This simple recipe for roasted eggplant with lemon is both tangy and savory and is a delicious side dish to pair with chicken or salmon. In addition to lemon, we seasoned the eggplant with salt, pepper and the herbal, nutty flavor of za'atar. Za'atar is a seasoning blend that typically contains oregano and thyme (or similar herbs); sumac, which has a pleasant citrus flavor; and toasted sesame seeds. Chili powder, coriander and cumin may also be included in some za'atar blends.
Amanda Stanfield Headshot
By Amanda Stanfield

Grilled Baby Eggplant Agrodolce

Rating: 5 stars 1
In this vegetable side dish, the Italian sauce agrodolce translates to sour ("agro") and sweet ("dolce"). Pro tip: It's as delicious on grilled summer vegetables as it is on bitter greens and roasted winter squash. Here, grilled eggplant acts like a sponge, soaking in that addictive sweet-sour sauce as it rests. No baby eggplant? No problem. Cut large eggplant into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
By Julia Clancy

Sicilian Caponata

Rating: 4 stars 3
This caponata is a vibrant mixture of fresh vegetables, including eggplant, onion, celery and tomatoes. Olives, capers, basil and pine nuts makes it special. Serve it as a side with fish or as a spread on rustic bread. Prepare it the night before serving if you can; it always tastes better the next day.
By Sheilah Kaufman

Stir-Fried Japanese Eggplant with Garlic-Soy Sauce

If you like "eggplant in garlic sauce" from your favorite Chinese restaurant, this is the dish for you! It's spicy and slightly sweet, but not sticky-sweet like some restaurant versions tend to be. Keep some basic Asian condiments in your arsenal and you can easily and quickly pull off this garlic eggplant recipe at home! Also, because this whole dish comes together very fast, have everything ready to add to the pan before you start cooking.
By Ivy Odom

Summer Grilled Vegetables

Colorful grilled summer vegetables are served with a light and refreshing sauce in this easy side dish that pairs perfectly with just about everything.
By Jasmine Smith
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Inspiration and Ideas

Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Stacks
Rating: Unrated 12
You can grill the eggplant rounds up to a day in advance, then assemble the eggplant, tomato and mozzarella “stacks” at the last minute. To make the eggplant and tomato stacks look symmetrical, use eggplant and tomatoes with approximately the same diameter.
Southern Ratatouille
Adding okra to traditional ratatouille gives this French vegetable stew recipe Southern flair. It's delicious on the day it's cooked, but even better the next day. Serve as a side to grilled chicken or on top of thick, crusty bread.
Ratatouille
Rating: Unrated 1
Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Salad with Caramelized Lemon Dressing

When tomatoes and eggplant come into season, the team at Stone Acres Farm in Stonington, Connecticut, combines them in as many ways as possible. This salad is a celebration of these two vegetables. Caramelizing the lemon halves and squeezing their juice into the vinaigrette adds a level of depth you just wouldn't get from straight-up lemon juice. Serve with grilled bread so you can enjoy every bit of the delicious dressing. Read more about Stone Acres Farm here.