10 Spicy Eggplant Recipes That Bring the Heat

Little Lamb Meatballs in a Spicy Eggplant Tomato Sauce

Chef John's lamb meatballs (flavored with cumin, cinnamon, and coriander), are covered in a spicy eggplant marinara sauce. Serve over your favorite pasta or rice.

• Meatball Recipes

Szechuan Spicy Eggplant

There's a lot going on in this spicy dish and we're not mad about it. Shrimp and ground beef pair perfectly with eggplant flavored with soy sauce, chile sauce, and garlic.

Spicy Eggplant and Pasta with Pancetta

"Even the most devoutly anti-eggplant zealot can't resist this savory combination of spicy eggplant, pancetta, and pasta," according to recipe creator Andrew Bleiman.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

A spicy garlic sauce, made with soy sauce and oyster sauce and subtly sweetened with sugar, works perfectly with Chinese eggplant. This recipe calls for a tablespoon of crushed red pepper, but you can use more if you want it super spicy.

Hot and Sour Chinese Eggplant

This basic sauteed eggplant recipe is anything but boring. Serve it with rice as a vegetarian entree or pair it with a heartier main course.

Spicy Eggplant

A delicious veggie stir-fry is never a bad idea. "This dish was easy, wonderfully flavorful, and filling," raves reviewer Thinksno. "My husband says this is a keeper."

• Vegetarian Stir-Fry Recipes

Crispy Eggplant with Spicy Tomato Sauce

This crispy eggplant dish tastes just like eggplant Parm without all the work. Make it quickly and easily with fewer than 10 ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Vietnamese Eggplant with Spicy Sauce

Recipe creator mariad3 got this recipe from a cooking class in Hoi An, Vietnam. Serve garnished with green onion and basil.

Spicy Eggplant Parmesan

Take classic eggplant Parmesan up a notch with a can of diced tomatoes with green chile peppers. Ricotta cheese adds creaminess and heartiness, while balancing out the spicy flavor.

Eggplant Tacos

"Bet you almost can't tell that there isn't meat," recipe creator DnDCross says of this jalapeno-spiced recipe. This hearty eggplant mixture works as a meat substitute in your favorite Mexican meals.

• Vegetarian Tacos Even Meat Eaters Will Love

More Inspiration

Try one of our Top-Rated Eggplant Dinners and explore our entire collection of Eggplant Recipes.

• Baked Eggplant Parmesan
• Pan-Fried Eggplant
• Baked Eggplant