Healthy Eggplant Side Dish Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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