Use it up · Vegetables

Eggplant

Have extra eggplant? Here’s how to choose, store and prep eggplant, plus 7 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Choose glossy, firm eggplant that feels heavy for its size.

Best season: Summer. Timing varies by region.

🧊 Storing it

Fridge: 3 to 4 days
Freezer: 12 months, cooked

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

🔪 Prepping it

Slice or cube, salt for 30 minutes if you like, pat dry, then roast or pan-fry until creamy.

🌱 Grow it

You can grow your own: eggplant. The Food Garden Planner shows how much to plant for your family and when it comes in.

🌱 Plan a garden with it →

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Eggplant. 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	25 kcal	1%
Protein	1.0 g	2%
Total fat	0.2 g	0%
Saturated fat	0.0 g	0%
Total carbohydrate	5.9 g	2%
Dietary fiber	3.0 g	11%
Total sugars	3.5 g
Sodium	2.0 mg	0%
Calcium	9.0 mg	1%
Iron	0.2 mg	1%
Potassium	229 mg	5%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 169228 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

7 recipes, the ones that use the most eggplant first.

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.