15 Types Of Eggplants And How To Use Them

Eggplants are pretty commonplace, right? Nowadays at least, they're far from exotic. From bursts of purple in the produce section to filling plates of eggplant parmesan and baba ganoush — not to mention in the digital sphere as the eggplant emoji — they are everywhere. 

The fact that eggplants are so omnipresent in the United States is the result of a thousand-year history of intrigue, delight, and deliciousness. The fruits (also known as aubergines) are thought to originate in Southeast Asia but have since been cultivated around the world with success (via BBC Good Food). But there isn't just one type of eggplant, though only one might come to mind. As the eggplant has traveled through different regions, continents, overseas, through time, and cultures, it has been adapted to suit different climates and cuisines. 

There are some rules to play by and patterns to follow. North Carolina State University highlights that although the fruit can be eaten, the rest of the plant is more often than not poisonous. BBC Good Food also observes that eggplants take on a unique creamy texture under heat, with a complex flavor that straddles the line between smoky, savory, and sweet. 

There's a distinct richness to eggplants in all of their many varieties. Even the most familiar types can become exotic under the right conditions. Here are some common (and not-so-common) types of eggplant and what they're best for. 

Traditional Italian Nadia eggplants are the same shape as American globes, albeit smaller and glossier. Specialty Produce says they typically have dark indigo, bordering black skin. Compared to other varieties, Italian eggplants have thinner, finer, skin and rarely have blemishes (via Gardening Know How). Meanwhile, their flesh is porous and close to sponge-like in nature. 

What sets the Nadia eggplant apart from other Italian eggplant varieties, according to Gardening Know How, is its small stature. This eggplant is petite and ready to eat, and its smaller size allows for comparably quicker roasting. Much like with globe eggplants, this texture turns creamy when prepared and cooked well. It also allows the vegetable to easily take on many different flavorings. Specialty Produce recommends sautéing cubed Nadia eggplant in garlic for a delicious taste. For those interested in bringing eggplants into both the kitchen and the garden, Nadia's small stature lends itself well to smaller spaces and even containers.

White eggplants may look drastically different from their purple counterparts, but they're not really worlds away from each other. For those who still have not gotten their sea legs in the magnificent world of eggplants, the biggest and most important distinction between white and purple eggplants is their color (via Waves in the Kitchen). Looks aside, white eggplants tend to be creamier, less bitter, and a bit more delicate in taste than their purple counterparts. They are also typically smaller than purple eggplants, though of course there are exceptions. 

Snowy white eggplants are just one variety among many and tend to be ovular and medium in size (typically 20 to 25 centimeters in length). With a brilliant white color offset by a green stem, snowy white eggplants are creamy, firm, and meaty (via Specialty Produce). While purple eggplants can be cooked with the skins on, white ones usually have such firm skins that they must be peeled. 

White eggplants can be prepped in a number of ways. Deep-frying them creates a particularly pleasant contrast of crunchy and creamy consistencies. They are so meaty that they work well as a meat substitute and can make even the most meat-heavy traditional Italian dishes plant-based. They really are perfect in the kitchen.

According to the Specialty Produce, eggplant is one of the most popular vegetables grown in Japan. The fruit was introduced to Japan in the eighth century. Longer, thinner, and sleeker than Italian or American eggplants, Japanese eggplants are hard to confuse with other varieties. Despite these differences, Japanese eggplants still have the classic purple body/green stem color combination as the common eggplant. Japanese eggplants generally measure 20 to 25 cm in length. Their sleek and glossy finish does however come at a price: These eggplants bruise much more easily than thicker-skinned types. Taste-wise, Japanese eggplants were bred over time to be extremely spongy and sweet, with earthy and vegetal notes. Because of this variety's thinness and its lack of seeds, it does not need to be salted, unlike larger eggplant varieties.

With such a long history, and with such specific breeding surrounding this variety, it makes sense that the Japanese eggplant has a special place in Japanese cuisine. The dish nasu dengaku, pictured above, is an especially mouthwatering recipe that uses grilled or deep-fried thin eggplant and covers it in a complex sweet and savory miso glaze. 

Arguably the prettiest graffito of them all, the graffiti eggplant is hard to forget and impossible to ignore. The graffiti eggplant is bright purple and white in color with "random" markings, as described by Produce Market Guide. As Frieda's points out, although this eggplant got its start in the Mediterranean, it is now predominantly grown up north in Holland. 

The graffiti eggplant variety is notably sweet and, as Produce Market Guide notes, is much more flavorful than other varieties of eggplant. It doesn't only make its mark visually so to say, there is a definitely something here beyond the palate for the palate. Despite its unique appearance and flavor, it cooks very similarly to any other globe-shaped eggplant and can be used in any recipe that calls for one. Do note, however, that this variety is considerably smaller than other Italian eggplants. Considering its roots, one may say it's safe to incorporate this beauty into Italian recipes, but its small size may mean using double graffiti. After all, you don't want this visually-rich eggplant to leave you physically hungry. Graffiti eggplant is at its freshest in the summer and first few months of autumn.

This name describes the plant perfectly. That being said, there are many other names, including Coconilla, Bura-Bura, Bolo maka, Cocochat, Pupu, Tupido, Pimpla, and Tupirito, but you can just call this eggplant hairy (via Specialty Produce). No matter the name, what stays the same is the content. The hairy eggplant has a unique tropical flavor. In fact, this is a tropical plant and its origins have been traced back to the West Indies, though it has been naturalized throughout the Southeast Asian region.

Hairy eggplants start out green but will ripen into a bold yellow to orange color as they become ready to eat. When ripe, hairy eggplants have a distinct floral taste with a simply scrumptious crunch to each bite. Because of this unique flavor composition, hairy eggplants can be eaten raw or cooked, though one needs to always bear in mind to shave, or boil, the hair off of this hairy eggplant. While some might be put off by sweet tanginess of this eggplant, it can be found everywhere from sauces to condiments and even the above-mentioned chili-shrimp blend. There's one more heavenly application for this exemplary eggplant: Rare Palm Seeds advocates that the sour aroma of this variety balances out fish specifically and spectacularly.

This ovular yellow eggplant is a star in its own right, and can also be found under the extremely poetic and fitting name golden egg, though baby yellow eggplant is just as common. When talking size, it doesn't get much smaller than this baby, measuring 5 centimeters max in diameter (via Specialty Produce). Baby yellow eggplants, as one might be able to guess, have a deep golden yellow color once ripe, though they'll carry a startlingly white color up until the point when they ripen. They have creamy yet crunchy white flesh. Unlike the previously mentioned Indian eggplant, the yellow eggplant is extremely bitter in taste. This is easily remedied with a little heat applied in the form of sautéeing, frying, or roasting. 

Two additional steps should be taken for this supremely bitter eggplant: One, make sure to remove the eggplant's seeds, which are pretty hard to miss as they are large and dark brown. Once the seeds are removed, soak the eggplant in water to remove the astringent flavor. After that hurdle is cleared, the world is really your oyster. FreshPoint suggests an array of combinations for the bright and bold bay yellow eggplant, including feta, gruyére, red wine vinegar, basil, and summer squash to name a few.

Another Italian variety, Nubia eggplants are beauties made unique by their white stripe mottling. This heirloom variety is both oblong and girthy. Suffice it to say, there's a lot of good stuff going on here. Gardening Know How sings praise for this eggplant, which they describe as both sturdy and very simple to cultivate in the garden. 

This easy-going nature carries over to the kitchen, and the gardening site aptly describes this eggplant's flavor as mellow, which lets it play well with a wide spectrum of flavors and foods. Smart Gardener recommends really leaning into the Italian direction and pairing Nubia with soft Italian cheeses like ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella, to name a few. Its longer size, measuring around 7 to 8 inches in length, makes it an apt choice for grilling as well. With its unique appearance, similar to the Rosa Bianca, and its mild flavor, it really is versatile in cooking.