Eggplant has a long and complex Jewish history. “In central and northern Italy and other parts of western Europe,” writes Ronnie Fein, “the eggplant — and the Jews — did not fare so well. In most of Italy the strange, unfamiliar vegetable was associated with the clannish non-Christians, who were despised, and so was “their” vegetable. In Italy, “eggplant eyes” was a pejorative term for Jews.”
Despite these bitter realities, Jews have succeeded in turning this nightshade into a myriad of delicious dishes. I’ve rounded up some of the best of them here — from the iconic Israeli street food, sabich (a pita sandwich filled with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, salad and all sorts of other tasty things) to a vegetarian take on shawarma. Jewish cooking is often deeply rooted nostalgia, which you can see in two grandma-inspired eggplant salads: Romanian potlagela and a meltingly creamy baba ganoush (don’t throw those charred eggplant skins away, though! They’re perfect for the smoky black tahini sauce in entry #5).
Explore the versatility of this long misunderstood vegetable with these 14 Jewish eggplant recipes, and don’t forget to rate and review any you try!
Vegetarian Mushroom Moussaka
A hearty meat-free main that’s destined to become one of your favorite comfort foods.
Potlagela
This Romanian eggplant salad is fresh, zingy and grandma-approved.
Eggplant Casserole
Mayim Bialik’s Passover go-to.
Veggie Shwarma Pita Sandwich
A delightful anytime sandwich.
Iraqi Shabbat Breakfast
A spread fit for a king. From Baghdad, with love.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Smoky Black Tahini
Use the leftover charred eggplant skin from baba ganoush to turn regular tahini black and give it a smoky flavor.
Sabich
This iconic vegetarian Israeli sandwich is worth every minute of cooking time.
Passover Eggplant Parmigiana
A perfect dish for Passover, or year-round.
Vegetarian Shawarma
This easy vegetarian main is one of our favorite ways to feed a crowd.
Spiced Lamb Stuffed Eggplant
Fire-roasted eggplants stuffed with a spiced, fragrant lamb filling.
Grilled Kofta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Turkish-style lamb and beef meatballs paired with flavorful veggies for a grill-happy meal.
Grilled Eggplant with Chermoula
This is the salad you want to take to a pot luck.
Eggplant with Mayonnaise
The perfect addition to your weekend spread.
Baba Ganoush
This smoky, meltingly creamy recipe is a tribute to Alon Shaya’s safta.
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