White aubergines: if you find them at the greengrocer's, here's what to prepare with them

White eggplants are less well-known than their purple counterparts, but in recent years they've been gaining popularity at farmers' markets and in vegetable gardens. In fact, besides their distinctive ivory skin and firm, seedless flesh, they're worth trying for their more delicate flavor, with a slightly sweet note: these characteristics make them particularly valuable and versatile in the kitchen.

Even in recipes with white eggplants, is it necessary to remove the bitterness with salt, as is often done with traditional eggplants? In most cases, this isn't necessary: white eggplants contain fewer substances associated with the typical bitter taste we experience in eggplants, so they can generally be cooked directly.

White eggplants are excellent cooked with tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh cheeses, herbs, legumes, and fish, but also with more intensely flavored ingredients like olives, capers, and anchovies. Here are some recipes to inspire you.

White Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant parmigiana is a classic: we can also experiment with the white variety. The slices tend to retain a firmer texture during cooking and absorb less oil, especially if they're grilled or baked first rather than fried. Alternate the white eggplant slices with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan: you'll have a lighter parmigiana that's equally rich in flavor. A few fresh basil leaves will complete the dish with the typical summer aroma.

Stuffed white aubergines

Thanks to their firm flesh, white eggplants are perfect for scooping out and stuffing. The extracted flesh can be cooked and mixed with breadcrumbs, Parmesan, cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and herbs, then returned to the shell before gratinating. For a richer version, you can prepare stuffed white eggplants by adding tuna, ricotta, or ground beef to the filling, while a vegetarian version with chickpeas or lentils will give you a boost of energy and flavor thanks to the plant-based proteins.

Grilled white aubergines

Cut into thick slices and place on a hot griddle. Grilling white eggplants requires very little: once grilled, they can be simply seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parsley, or mint, or used as a base for rolls with fresh cheese, smoked salmon, or grilled vegetables. They're also delicious the next day, after marinating for a few hours.

Pasta with white aubergines

Sautéed in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and basil, white eggplants become an excellent pasta sauce. They can be paired with fresh cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, adding salted ricotta or creamy burrata for an even creamier first course. For a bolder flavor, try mixing in a few spoonfuls of basil or arugula pesto, aromatic and bold, also recommended on crostini and bruschetta.

White aubergine cream

A very simple recipe involves baking eggplant until soft, then blending it with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini to create a creamy sauce similar to Middle Eastern baba ganoush. This eggplant cream is excellent with fish or grilled meats. Alternatively, the eggplant can be blended with ricotta, Greek yogurt, or cream cheese to create a delicate mousse, best served with crostini, focaccia, or raw vegetables.

White eggplants in the air fryer

The air fryer allows you to obtain crispy, golden eggplant cubes using very little oil. Delicious as a side dish, you can add white eggplant to summer salads or serve them with yogurt dip or hummus. A light coating of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese will create an especially crispy gratin.

Pan-fried white aubergines

A quick side dish idea: simply dice white eggplant and sauté it in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and a few basil leaves. At the end of cooking, you can add fresh cherry tomatoes, black olives, and capers for a Mediterranean flavor, or finish with a sprinkling of crumbled pecorino or feta. This simple dish pairs well with meat and fish, as well as grains like spelt and barley.

Other recipes with aubergines

A quick and easy recipe for a main course that quickly becomes a main dish and wins us over with its summery, holiday-themed flavors: aubergines stuffed with mozzarella and cherry tomatoes.

Have you tried this version yet? Pan-fried eggplant parmigiana is delicious and allows you to leave the oven off.

There are so many combinations we can create with feta! Here are recipes for a flavorful cold pasta dish with feta: with eggplant and basil, it's a simple, enveloping, and intense first course.

In Palermo, Sicilian caponata is made like this: here you'll find the authentic recipe, so you don't go wrong.

Looking for a delicious recipe the whole family will love? Here's how to make Neapolitan eggplant meatballs, perfect for an appetizer platter.