Welcome to The Wonderful World of Eggplant

This eggplant dish from Michael Solomonov highlights classic Middle Eastern ingredients: carob molasses, tahini, and pomegranate. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/fried-eggplant-tahini-pomegranate-seeds-recipe/">Fried Eggplant with Tahini and Pomegranate Seeds</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
Mayonnaise ensures a creamy, smooth texture in this Midwestern riff on the classic Mediterranean dip by cookbook author Amy Thielen. Chopped cumin seeds add spice and a little crunch to the smoky eggplant. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/smoky-baba-ghannouj-oil-cured-black-olives-recipe">Smoky Baba Ghannouj with Oil-Cured Black Olives</a> (William Hereford/)
Fried eggplant is layered with homemade red sauce and two types of cheese—mozzarella and Pecorino Romano—in this family recipe. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/eggplant-parmigiana-recipe/">Eggplant Parmigiana</a> (Linda Pugliese/)
A tian is a type of gratin, typically vegetables baked in an earthenware dish. (The word "tian" also refers to the earthenware dish itself.) This classic Provençal version is made with alternating rows of sliced zucchini, eggplant, and tomato. The flavors meld as the vegetables cook together, somewhat like ratatouille. Seasoned simply with thyme, garlic, and good fruity olive oil, the dish is best served at room temperature. Lulu insists it tastes even better made a day in advance. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/provencal-vegetable-gratin-tian-recipe">Provençal Vegetable Tian</a> (Justin Walker/)
For this comforting roasted eggplant salad, Sergey and Ivan glaze the eggplant with kvass, a traditional Slavic drink made from fermented rye bread. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/eggplant-salad-hemp-seed-sauce-recipe/">Warm Eggplant Salad with Hemp Seed Sauce</a> (Simon Bajada/)
Thai-style dumplings add a nice, bouncy texture to this green curry. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/kaeng-khiaw-waan-green-curry-with-fish-and-eggplant">Green Curry with Fish and Eggplant (Kaeng Khiaw Waan)</a> (Joseph De Leo/)
Sliced, grilled vegetables served in a simple marinade or vinaigrette are a fixture at many Tuscan meals. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Grilled-Eggplant-with-Basil-Vinaigrette">Grilled Eggplant With Basil Vinaigrette</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
Charcoal-grilled eggplants are a common Greek meze dish. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/melitzanosalata-greek-eggplant-spread-recipe/">Greek Grilled Eggplant Spread (Melitzanosalata)</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
This simple pasta dish is made with tomatoes and eggplant. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Saveur-100-2011-Pasta-Alla-Norma-Pasta-with-Tomato-Sauce-and-Eggplant">Pasta Alla Norma (Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Eggplant)</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
These classic Georgian eggplant rolls are filled with a mixture of garlic, herbs, and ground walnuts. The savory bites are found throughout Georgia as part of the vegetable starters for a supra, but they also make a satisfying vegetarian snack with drinks before dinner. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/eggplant-rolls-recipe/">Eggplant Rolls (Nigvziani Badrijani)</a> (Kat Craddock/)
Steaming eggplant, as opposed to deep-frying it, lightens this fragrant stir-fry adapted from a recipe in Grace Young and Alan Richardson's <em>The Breath of a Wok</em>. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/chinese-spicy-garlic-eggplant-yu-xiang-qie-zi">Chinese Spicy Garlic Eggplant (Yu Xiang Qie Zi)</a>
This sweet and sour vegetable dish is incredibly versatile—it can be served on bread, in pasta, or as an accompaniment to meat. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/sicilian-caponata-recipe/">Sicilian Caponata</a> (William Hereford/)
Brighten up any day with this simple roast chicken and fresh eggplant and herb salad. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/simple-roast-chicken-eggplant-salad-recipe/">Rainy Day Chicken with Eggplant Salad</a> (Farideh Sadeghin/)
Akin to Puerto Rican <em>escabeche</em>, roasted, tender vegetables are marinated in a simple sherry vinegar dressing for an easy side dish to grilled fish, roast pork, or tender rib eye steak. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/escalivada-catalana-recipe/">Escalivada Catalana</a> (Farideh Sadeghin/)
The North African tradition of serving almonds in savory dishes is reflected in the pesto for this dish, in which the nuts are mixed with tomatoes and basil and tossed with <em>busiate</em>, the traditional corkscrew-shaped pasta from Trapani. Though we call for homemade pasta, you can substitute 12 ounces of dried <em>busiate</em>, or your favorite noodle. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/sicilian-almond-pesto-eggplant-pasta-recipe">Corkscrew Pasta with Eggplant and Tomato-Basil Pesto (Busiate con Pesto alla Trapanese)</a> (William Hereford/)
This recipe originated in the Ottoman palaces. Use small eggplants for a better eggplant-to-stuffing ratio, since the key is to bake as much vegetable and tomato flavor into the eggplant as possible. Feel free to play around with the filling: swap in vegetables like sweet corn or zucchini for a seasonal twist. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/turkish-stuffed-eggplant-imam-bayildi-recipe">Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Imam Bayildi)</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
Garlicky bell peppers laced with cumin, paprika, and cinnamon fill these roasted eggplants. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/turkish-stuffed-eggplants-recipe/">Turkish Stuffed Eggplants</a> (Simon Bajada/)
Charred until nearly burnt, then mashed with earthy paprika and sour sherry vinegar, we love this dish as a condiment on roast lamb or served as a dip with pita chips. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/twice-cooked-eggplant-with-sherry-vinegar-and-paprika-dip-recipe">Twice-Cooked Eggplant with Sherry Vinegar and Paprika</a> (Neal Santos/)
This hearty Azeri egg dish—which can be served in small pieces as an appetizer or side, or cut into larger wedges as a main—is loaded with ground walnuts, onions, and eggplant, giving it a nutty, meaty consistency and color. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/badimjan-kuku-eggplant-and-walnut-frittata-recipe">Eggplant and Walnut Frittata (Badimjan Kükü)</a> (Jason Lang/)
This eggplant dish from Michael Solomonov's Zahav restaurant in Philadelphia highlights classic Middle Eastern ingredients: carob molasses, tahini, and pomegranate. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/fried-eggplant-tahini-pomegranate-seeds-recipe">Fried Eggplant with Tahini and Pomegranate Seeds</a> (Matt Taylor-Gross/)
A creamy eggplant purée, enriched with béchamel and Gruyère cheese serves as a bed for meltingly tender lamb shanks, slow-braised in red wine and aromatics. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.saveur.com/braised-lamb-shanks-with-eggplant-recipe">Lamb Shanks in Red Wine with Creamy Eggplant</a> (Christina Holmes | Food Styling: Eugene Jho/)
Across the Levant, eggplants are grilled and mashed to make baba ghannouj, a silky, delicious dip for flatbreads and vegetables. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/baba-ghannouj-mashed-eggplant-dip/">Mashed Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghannouj)</a> (James Oseland/)
Eggplant is simmered to melting softness in a fantastically pungent curry fortified by shrimp paste. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/khayan-thee-hnut-burmese-eggplant-curry/">Burmese Eggplant Curry (Khayan Thee Hnut)</a> (Ingalls Photography/)
Crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside—this is eggplant at its best. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Fried-Eggplant/">Fried Eggplant</a> (Helen Rosner/)
Creamy, mild eggplant pairs with briny capers, floral basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction for a knockout appetizer or side dish. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/pan-fried-eggplant-with-balsamic-basil-and-capers/">Pan-Fried Eggplant with Balsamic, Basil, and Capers</a> (Landon Nordeman/)