Explore the Different Varieties of Eggplant (2024)

FAQs

How many different types of eggplant are there? ›

Different varieties go by different names, but some notable ones include Black Beauty, Little Fingers, Kermit, Barbarella, Santana, Ping Tung, Turkish Orange, Old White Egg, Early Long Purple, or Little Green eggplants.

The ever-elusive Fairytale eggplant and the Graffiti eggplant are teenager sized, and variegated in violet and white, with a delicate flavor and a creamy bite. These different types of eggplant fall into the heirloom specialty category of produce. Fairytale eggplant, on the other hand, are very slender.

Rosa Bianca

This Italian heirloom eggplant has a creamy, ivory-colored flesh with a delicate flavor that is less bitter than some other eggplant varieties. The Rosa Bianca eggplant can be used in many ways, including grilling, roasting, and sautéing.

These large dark purple eggplants are a bit smaller than globe eggplants and often have a teardrop shape. They tend to have a sweeter flavor than globe eggplant.

Fat and deep purple, globe eggplants (a.k.a. American eggplants) are the variety you'll typically see year-round in grocery stores. Because of their large surface area, they hold up well to grilling when thickly sliced and brushed with olive oil, and get crisp when fried for your new favorite sandwich or snack.

Italian Eggplant

Not to be confused with its doppelganger the globe eggplant, the Italian eggplant has a similar color and shape, but is slightly smaller and sweeter. Plus, it has a more tender flesh than it's meatier American counterpart.

3. Japanese and Chinese Eggplant

Characterized by their long, narrow shape, both Japanese and Chinese eggplant can be hard to differentiate. Japanese eggplant tends to have a much deeper purple color, while Chinese eggplant is usually lighter, more lavender-purple, and is sometimes even longer.

SICILIAN EGGPLANT

Italian Eggplant, also called “Baby Egg- plant”, looks like Regular Eggplant only smaller and more slender. This variety is ideal for roasting and can be used in ways similar to regular eggplant.

White eggplants refer to any cultivator of eggplants whose skin is the color white. There are many different varieties, from old heirloom ones to much more recently cultivated hybrids. Nutritional Value: white eggplants are high in potassium and also offer some B vitamins, magnesium, and copper.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

When not to use eggplant? ›

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

The other trick for perfect roasted eggplant? Cooking it at a high temperature (425 F / 218 C) for enough time (25-30 minutes) to give it a browned exterior and tender interior. Just look at those cubed purple beauties!

Can You Eat Eggplant Raw? Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.

Ripe eggplants should be firm but not hard. Flesh should be white with a slight green tint (orange eggplants ripen orange/green inside). If you are unsure of your eggplant's ripeness, cut one crosswise and check the seeds. They should be clearly visible.

Age and Size: Whether an eggplant is mildly or extremely bitter can depend on the age and size of the fruit. (Yes, eggplant is a fruit.) Larger, more mature eggplants can be more bitter, typically because their seeds are larger and seeds tend to hold on to the most bitter flavors.

While it may look a whole lot like the standard globe eggplant you find at the grocery store, Italian eggplant is distinct. It's slightly smaller, but still quite large and fat, and the flesh tends to be more tender. Use it in any preparation, but of course it's wonderful used in Italian dishes like caponata.

What does a Japanese Eggplant Taste Like? Japanese eggplants offer a sweeter, more tender, and more delicate taste than standard American eggplants. Because they're smaller and longer, they possess fewer seeds. This rids them of that typical vegetal bitterness that you'll find in some eggplant varieties.

Melanzane, or Sicilian eggplants are characterised by a rotund shape and distinctive light purple colour that reminds me of a magical night sky. Their skin is tender and thin and the flesh feels firm to the touch.