Who knew this deep purple vegetable was so versatile? Continue reading to discover five revolutionary yet simple ways to cook eggplant. 

Eggplants come equipped with big umami flavor, little fat, and a firm, silky texture. They’re commonly used to replace meats in vegetarian dishes and are loaded with fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Although the tried-and-true eggplant parm is great, we highly recommend experimenting with these five different ways to cook eggplant.

1. Mash It

Eggplant is to baba ganoush what chickpeas are to hummus. Roast one large eggplant at 350 degrees until tender. Then, peel off the skin and mash or blend the flesh with 1-2 garlic cloves and a teaspoon of olive oil until smooth. Add the juice from one lemon wedge, garnish with chopped parsley, and enjoy!

2. Just Stew It

Add slices of eggplant to your sauces, soups, and stews for a vegan-friendly meaty texture.

Tip: Be sure to thinly slice the eggplant. Big chunks absorb a hefty amount of water and oil making them more dense.

Try our incredible Sicilian Eggplant Stew with Herbed Pork and Garlicky Ciabatta

3. Stuff It

Remember the squash boats from our list of 10 best Thanksgiving sides? Well, eggplant boats are just as fun and easy to whip up. Fill them with protein-packed beef or quinoa to help control your portions.

Get our recipe for delicious Moroccan beef-stuffed eggplant.

4. Slice A Pizza Eggplant

Make your own homemade mini pizzas by slicing an eggplant into rounds and topping with pasta sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. All of the cheesy, saucy goodness with none of the guilt makes this one of the BEST ways to cook eggplant.

5. Just Roll With It

You absolutely need these eggplant mozzarella rolls in your life. Trust us. The smoky wraps, oozing with cheese and pesto, prove that eggplants deserve their own corner on your grill the next time you fire it up.

If there’s one ingredient that all of these recipes have in common besides eggplant, it’s olive oil. So you definitely want to know the difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil before you get cooking.