Look. If you’re someone who’s obsessed with eggplants—okay, aubergines, fine—and you want something different than the usual soggy bake or under-seasoned side dish, then pull up a chair. This one’s for you. I spent too many nights trying to get the flavor just right, and let me tell you: Jamie Oliver doesn’t mess around when it comes to pulling magic out of this purple-skinned wonder.
Here’s what stuck with me.
1. Charred Aubergine Parmigiana
Charred Aubergine Parmigiana The first time I grilled aubergine over open flame until its skin blistered and peeled back like charred paper, I wasn’t ready for how rich it smelled. Earthy. Intense. Then I dunked those slices in cheese crumb, layered with torn mozzarella, soft, sticky tomatoes, and a hit of basil. You barely need cutlery. That good.
2. Sticky Miso Aubergine
Sticky Miso Aubergine This one’s a trickster. Boiled, then steamed, and just when you think it’s done—you fry it. Each bite’s got that sweet-salty snap from the miso glaze. It clings. Coconut-lime rice on the side, if you can be bothered. Done in twenty.
3. Air-fryer Grilled Mediterranean Veg & Flatbread
Air-fryer Grilled Mediterranean Veg & Flatbread Okay, air fryers aren’t sexy. But this? Crisped aubergine and courgette that taste like they’ve been sunning in a Greek alley. You smash it into a flatbread with garlicky yoghurt and this tart, punchy olive-tomato thing. Eat it fast, it gets messy.
4. Smoky Tender Aubergine
Smoky Tender Aubergine Think campfire. The aubergine goes black, completely. Not burnt—transformed. Then the crunch of chickpeas, the cold-sour pop of quick-pickled radish. It’s bold and weirdly comforting. Took me twenty-something minutes and I didn’t want to share.
5. Sticky Aubergine And Peanut Salad
Sticky Aubergine And Peanut Salad Grill it till it almost collapses, then drown it in this maple-sriracha glaze that sticks to your fingers. Creamy peanut sauce, toasted peanuts, chilies. Chaos on a plate, but the kind that works. Best with rice. Or just a spoon.
6. Aubergine Flatbreads
Aubergine Flatbreads Soft flatbread. Smoky slices of aubergine. The salty-sharp hit of feta and olives. It reminds me of some late-night food I had in Istanbul, standing on a curb, wiping oil off my chin with a napkin. You get the idea.
7. Aubergine Parmigiana Burger
Aubergine Parmigiana Burger This one’s… wild. Slices fried and folded around oozy mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes. A hit of basil. Then, you smash the whole thing into a bun. Proper messy. Pure joy. I made this with friends and we just shut up and ate.
8. Aubergine Katsu Curry
Aubergine Katsu Curry Crunchy outside, silky in the middle. Like biting into a secret. The curry sauce—onion, sweet potato, carrot—warms you up from the inside out. Add quick-pickled radish and you’re laughing. We had it on a Wednesday, but it felt like a Saturday night meal.
9. Whole Burnt Aubergine
Whole Burnt Aubergine Yeah, you burn it. Really. The outside turns to charcoal, but the inside melts. Lemon-chili drizzle. Tahini whipped until it’s cloud-like. Optional egg yolk on top, still warm and glossy. It’s dramatic. Delicious. Made me feel like I knew what I was doing.
10. Moreish Aubergine Salad
Moreish Aubergine Salad Hot or cold. Doesn’t matter. The roasted aubergine softens into something dreamy. Then you smash it with a mint-almond dressing—lemon, honey, olives. Sweet-sour-salty all at once. Feta crumbles on top. It’s loud. In the best way.
11. Scruffy Aubergine Lasagne
Scruffy Aubergine Lasagne This is lasagne, but not neat. Aubergine cooked down with garlic, chili, sage until it sticks. Folded with broken pasta sheets, loaded with cheese—Cheddar, Parmesan—and a sprinkle of almonds that go golden and crunchy. One dish. One oven. Total win.
12. My Veggie Moussaka
My Veggie Moussaka Think of it as comfort food that doesn’t apologize. Charred aubergine, thin slices of potato, rich tomato. Then a creamy porcini and feta topping that bubbles and browns like a dream. Eat with a sharp green salad so you don’t pass out after.
13. Stuffed Curried Aubergines
Stuffed Curried Aubergines This one takes time, but god it’s worth it. Little aubergines filled with this dark, spiced tamarind-peanut paste. Coconut milk, fresh tomatoes, curry leaves. Everything simmers together and sings. I served it with rice and yoghurt and didn’t talk much. Too busy eating.
14. Aubergine & Tomato Rogan Josh
Aubergine & Tomato Rogan Josh Spice-heavy. In a good way. Aubergine soaks up all that rogan josh paste, and the tomatoes burst just enough. Pistachios on top give crunch. Coriander for freshness. Serve with rice. Or not. I ate it cold the next morning straight from the pot.
15. Joanna Lumley’s Aubergine Kuzi
Joanna Lumley’s Aubergine Kuzi Sweet, spiced, a bit surprising. Roasted aubergines in this lush masala sauce, then toasted sultanas, almonds, chili scattered over like confetti. I used roti to scoop it up, and it felt like a small celebration. Warm, generous, rich. Just like her.