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.
From matzah balls to Moroccan tagine, Jewish food connects us. This Passover, help The Nosher keep our recipes free for all. Your gift ensures everyone looking for a taste of home — or a new tradition — can find it here.
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