15 Types of Eggplant You’ll Love Cooking With (With Pictures)

Eggplants come in so many shapes, sizes, and colors that it’s easy to overlook the variety they offer in the kitchen. From classic globe eggplants to unique varieties like Turkish orange and Japanese eggplants, each type brings its own flavor and texture to your favorite dishes. Roasting, grilling, or stir-frying with these 15 types of eggplants will add delicious new dimensions to your cooking. Let’s dive in and discover the many ways these versatile veggies can enhance your meals!

Globe Eggplant

This large, pear-shaped variety is the most common eggplant found in grocery stores. Its deep purple color and meaty texture make it perfect for grilling, roasting, and making classic dishes like eggplant parmesan.

Italian Eggplant

The Italian eggplant has a darker purple hue similar to the globe variety but slightly smaller and more elongated. It works well in sautéed dishes or Italian classics like caponata and ratatouille.

Japanese Eggplant

Long, slender, and light purple, Japanese eggplants have thin skins and fewer seeds. Their tender flesh makes them ideal for stir-fries, grilling, and broiling.

Chinese Eggplant

These eggplants are longer and lighter in color than their Japanese counterparts. They have a mild flavor and tender texture, making them perfect for steaming, stir-frying, or adding to soups and stews.

Fairy Tale Eggplant

Small and oblong, these eggplants are striped purple and white and have a delicate, sweet flavor. They are excellent for roasting whole or grilling as a side dish.

Graffiti Eggplant

Also known as Sicilian eggplant, this variety features a round shape with vibrant purple and white streaks. Its mild flavor and creamy texture make it ideal for stuffing or baking.

White Eggplant

Pure white with a firmer texture and slightly bitter taste, white eggplants are great for frying or making dips like baba ganoush. They offer a unique color contrast in dishes.

Indian Eggplant

These small, round, and deep purple eggplants, also known as baby eggplants, have a slightly spongy texture. They are perfect for curries or stuffing with spices to create flavorful dishes.

Thai Eggplant

Small, round, and either green or white, Thai eggplants have a crunchy texture and slightly bitter taste. They are commonly used in Thai curries and salads, holding their shape well when cooked.

Turkish Orange Eggplant

With a striking orange color and round shape, this variety has a slightly bitter, robust flavor. It is best roasted or grilled and is often featured in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Rosa Bianca Eggplant

This beautiful, round eggplant with lavender-colored skin and creamy white streaks is known for its sweet and mild flavor. It is excellent for baking or making caponata, where its flesh becomes tender and flavorful.

Listada de Gandia Eggplant

An heirloom variety with elongated, purple, and white-striped skin, this eggplant has a rich, slightly sweet flavor. It is great for grilling or roasting and holds up well to high heat.

Ping Tung Eggplant

A Taiwanese variety, Ping Tung eggplants are long, slender, and dark purple. They have a mild, sweet flavor, and their tender flesh and minimal seeds make them perfect for stir-frying or grilling.

Neon Eggplant

This vibrant pinkish-purple variety is small and round and has a sweet, delicate flavor. It is ideal for slicing, grilling, or roasting to bring out its natural sweetness.

Green Apple Eggplant

Resembling a green apple, this small, round eggplant has light green skin and a mild, slightly tangy flavor. It is best used in Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine, often in curries or pickled for a zesty side dish.