Keto Eggplant Recipes You’ll Wish You’d Known About Sooner

As you already know, vegetables are still an important food group even on the keto diet. Sure, there are a bit fewer veggies on the keto food list, but this popular purple plant can make it easier for you to enjoy more veggies on keto!

I’m talking, of course, about the humble eggplant or the eggplant. This amazing plant is packed with nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin B Complex, Copper, Manganese, Magnesium and Potassium.

Yes, eggplant is keto-friendly! Eggplant is lower in carbohydrates than other vegetables as every 100 grams contains only 6 grams of total carbohydrates. 3 grams of fiber, which means it contains only 3 grams of net carbs.

Eggplant is an incredibly versatile vegetable, and it can be used as a substitute for meat, potatoes, or starches in various dishes. It’s also amazing as the main ingredient in spreads and dips like baba ghanoush.

Many people have a lot of trouble eating eggplant because of its bitter taste, but if you know this simple trick, you will be able to make delicious eggplant every time.

Before you begin incorporating the eggplant into your dish, slice it (or chop it up depending on how you plan to use it) and salt it well. Then leave it on the counter for at least 30 minutes. This allows the osmosis process to draw out the excess water along with solanine (the chemical that makes eggplant taste bitter). Use a paper towel to dry the eggplant and then cook it. This way you can convince any picky eater to become an eggplant fan!

Unfortunately, this is a long process, so let’s make it simpler: cut the eggplant into slices or cubes and boil for 5 minutes in salted water. Then drain and dry well. The result will be the same, and you can use this method if you plan to add eggplant to stews or layered dishes.

ingredients: Eggplant, salt, eggs, almond flour or coconut flour, pork rinds (optional), dried Italian herbs, Parmesan cheese or any hard cheese, mozzarella, pepper, ghee or coconut oil, marinara sauce (optional)

Eggplant Parmesan or Eggplant Parmigiana, if you want to look continental, is a very light dish and is suitable for lunch or dinner. Sliced ​​eggplant looks really good with a brown and crunchy Parmesan topping! These foods work well as a delicious snack to fill in the space that chips used to be, or you can use them as a side dish.

If you find that you can’t stand that much eggplant, you can replace some of it with crunchy zucchini, cooked in the same way as eggplant slices.

ingredients: Minced pork, ground beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, fresh basil, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fennel seeds, eggs, coconut oil, salt, eggplant, ricotta.

It’s surprisingly easy to turn this carb-packed comfort food into a keto staple…all you have to do is replace your lasagna slices with sliced ​​roasted eggplant.

But what about the béchamel sauce?

Well, you can’t use béchamel with keto lasagna because it’s made with flour, which isn’t keto friendly. However, you can alternatively use a mixture of ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, and eggs. You can use this mixture in any type of casserole to give it a creamy, cheesy texture.

ingredients: Eggplant, almond flour, eggs, coconut oil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper

Making fries, crispy and crunchy fries can be an easy task if you use eggplant. Potatoes hold their shape well because of the crunchy coating and don’t make a wet mess. These potatoes are also reasonably priced because eggplant is a common vegetable found in all supermarkets and farmers markets, depending on the season.

ingredients: Eggplant, extra virgin olive oil, whole milk mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, pepperoni, basil, sausage, green pepper, onion, salt, pepper, thyme.

Making pizza is simple if you use roasted eggplant slices as a base, then add any toppings you like! Slice the eggplant lengthwise to give you more surface for toppings and get creative with this low-carb dish! You can even involve the kids and let them decorate their own pizza for lunch! Other toppings can include sausage, sliced ​​mushrooms, or pre-cooked ground beef.

ingredients: Eggplant, salt, Parmesan cheese or any hard cheese, mozzarella, pepper, ghee or coconut oil, marinara sauce (optional).

Eggplant tagine is the little sister of eggplant parmigiana. The ingredients are the same and so is the cooking method. If you want a creamier texture, you can use the ricotta mixture from this lasagna recipe as an topping.

ingredients: Eggplant, chicken breast, spinach, tomatoes, garlic, coconut milk

This wonderful recipe is suitable for everyone’s taste. It is rich, creamy, full of protein and contains a healthy amount of vegetables. The fatness that full cream coconut milk brings will make you forget that there are no dairy in it!

ingredients: Eggplant, mushrooms, garlic, onions, thyme, thyme, salt and pepper, olive oil, hemp hearts (optional)

Eggplant meatballs are a great alternative to regular meatballs. It’s packed with vitamins while being low in carbs and versatile. You can use them in a casserole, as a topping for zucchini noodles, as a quick snack or a healthy appetizer with a side of marinara for dipping.

ingredients: Eggplant, minced meat, lamb, oregano, mint, cinnamon, salt and pepper, marinara sauce, cream cheese, butter, heavy cream, mozzarella, cheddar

Moussaka is a traditional Greek dish made with potatoes, lamb and bechamel sauce. It’s similar to lasagna but with only one solid meat layer. You can replace the potatoes with roasted eggplant. And for even more variety, you can make moussaka the traditional way with just one layer, add as many layers as you like or have time to prepare!

ingredients: Eggplant, zucchini, butter, garlic, curry powder, coconut cream

This is a quick and easy recipe for when you are hungry but have no idea what you are cooking. It’s fast, cost-effective, and incredibly delicious. This is great as a side dish or as a snack. If you serve it with cauliflower rice (just 2 grams of net carbs per serving), it can also be a quick and hearty lunch.

ingredients: Eggplant, mushroom, garlic, onion, coconut cream, cumin, coriander, turmeric

This is another great curry recipe that revolves around eggplant. The secret here is to choose a stronger eggplant, which will maintain its cubed shape in the cooking process. The beauty of this recipe is that it doesn’t use pre-mixed curry powder, so you’re free to customize the flavor however you want.

ingredients: Ground pork, eggplant, eggs, marinara sauce

This recipe is perfect for those moments when you want to eat something new, tasty and satisfying but have no idea what to cook. It’s quick, easy and uses only a few ingredients. In addition, they are incredibly tasty and are a great addition to the dinner menu.

ingredients: Chicken breast, eggplant, coconut cream, onion, pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, coconut oil, hot pepper, cumin, thyme.

Enchiladas is one of those dishes that everyone loves but no one can tell you what goes into it. And that’s the beauty of it – it can be filled with whatever you have around the house. And by using sliced ​​eggplant to replace corn tortillas, you can easily transform this dish to be a perfect fit for your keto diet.