Healthy Eggplant Recipes

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.

Smoky almonds, meaty eggplant and whole-grain couscous with herbs make this meal plenty satisfying. Harissa gives the creamy sauce a little kick.

Two favorite Italian dishes--lasagna and eggplant Parm--are rolled into one in this stuffed vegetable recipe.

Tuna casserole is a timeless comfort-food recipe; this one incorporates eggplant, artichoke hearts, oregano, olives and feta cheese for a Greek-inspired flair.

These hearty sandwiches may be assembled ahead of time and are perfect for a summer picnic

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.

This cheesy eggplant casserole has a light custard with deliciously tender and flavorful summer vegetables and fresh herbs. The cheese makes this easy dish creamy and decadent. Enjoy it for brunch or dinner with a green salad on the side.

Eggplant's meaty texture is a delicious vegetarian stand-in for the lamb that typically fills a gyro sandwich. The vegetable absorbs the lemony-herby-spicy marinade like a sponge, so if you have time, let it marinate for the full day.

In this quick shrimp recipe, shrimp is paired with a coconut curry and tender eggplant. Red, yellow or green curry works well in this quick dinner. To keep it fast, serve with precooked brown rice to sop up the sauce.

Tons of lightly cooked vegetables combine with white beans in this hearty vegetarian dinner recipe. It can also be served over bread, like bruschetta.

In this Italian stuffed eggplant recipe, fresh breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and parsley make a simple, yet delicious filling for an “inside-out” eggplant Parmesan. Serve these stuffed eggplants as a light dinner along with a big salad.

We cook the eggplant in the oven to speed up the recipe and keep things from getting too unruly on the stovetop. While the eggplant roasts, line up all of your ingredients and begin cooking to make this easy eggplant curry come together seamlessly. Any leftovers will hold up well and are great for taking to work for lunch.

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.

Eggplant, cauliflower, chickpeas and tomatoes are the basis for this rich Indian-spiced curry. Make it a meal: Serve with brown basmati rice or whole-wheat couscous.

This lightened-up version of the classic eggplant pasta dish swaps out some of the cheese and uses protein-rich lentil pasta.

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.

Eggplant Parmesan doesn't have to include layers of deep-fried eggplant and mountains of cheese. This healthy eggplant Parmesan recipe has is satisfying without piling on the calories and fat. Don't skip the step of salting the eggplant, especially if you want to freeze one of the casseroles. Salting helps to draw out extra moisture so the eggplant holds up better in the freezer. Serve with a salad of bitter greens tossed with a red-wine vinaigrette. This recipe makes enough for two 8-by-8-inch casseroles (four servings each)--have one for dinner tonight and freeze the other for a night when you don't have time to make dinner.

Classic eggplant Parm is filled with cheese, but this vegan eggplant Parmesan combines nondairy mozzarella cheese with nutritional yeast for a dairy-free cheesy substitute that gives you the comfort food factor without animal products. For the breading, use egg replacer, which you can find in natural-foods stores and the special-diet section of large supermarkets.

This easy roasted eggplant pasta dish is dressed with eggplant, fresh cherry tomatoes and plenty of fresh herbs. Feta cheese adds a savory note while the balsamic dressing brightens the flavor. It's the perfect summer vegetarian dinner.

This healthful and comforting vegetarian casserole is perfect on a cool night--or any time of year when you want to remember clear, brisk October evenings. Make It a Meal: Enjoy with a glass of Zinfandel and for dessert, Ida's Mandelbrot dipped in a fresh-brewed cup of coffee.

Sesame seeds add another layer of flavor to the coating on these crispy eggplant slices. If plums aren't in season, try another stone fruit for sweetness. Tomatoes are another good alternative.

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.

The lasagna that cuts carbs, boosts your veggie servings and is gluten-free: this easy dinner recipe uses slices of roasted eggplant and zucchini as the noodles in this healthy lasagna.

We took all the elements of a classic caprese--tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and balsamic vinegar--and stuffed them inside a fresh-baked eggplant. The result is a perfect vegetarian, late-summer dinner everyone will enjoy.