Eggplant
Peak season in the Midwest · steady this week
This vegetable is at its local-harvest peak from July through October, and is generally in stores from June through November. This week it's peak season in the Midwest — buying it in season usually means better quality and, as the regional prices below show, a lower price.
Per a typical 82g serving, scaled from the per-100g figures in USDA FoodData Central (Eggplant, raw).
Buying eggplant in the Midwest saves about 50% versus the Southeast this week.
- How to pick a good one
- Glossy, taut skin, heavy for its size, with a green, fresh-looking cap. Press gently and the flesh should spring back; if your thumb leaves a dent it is overripe and will be bitter and seedy. Smaller eggplants have fewer seeds.
- What a good price looks like
- Globe eggplant runs $1.50 to $2.50 a pound in season, cheapest from July to September. Under $2 is a good price. Slender Japanese and graffiti varieties cost more per pound but have less waste and cook faster, so the gap is smaller than it looks on the label.
- What you actually get
- A medium globe eggplant is about 1 lb and serves two to three. It loses around 20% of its volume to roasting and very little to trimming, since the skin is edible and holds the flesh together. Smaller Italian and Japanese varieties have thinner skin and fewer seeds.
- How to store it
- Eggplant dislikes real cold. Keep it on the counter if you will use it within a day or two, or in the warmest part of the fridge for up to five days.
- In the kitchen
- Cut it thicker than feels right — under about a centimetre and the slices fall apart before they colour. Salt the cut faces, lay them in a colander for thirty minutes, then press them dry between towels; you will pour off a surprising amount. Do not cut it far ahead, since the flesh oxidises brown within minutes.
- Getting the most out of it
- Eggplant is a sponge and absorbs as much oil as you give it, so salting slices first — or roasting rather than pan-frying — keeps a dish from turning greasy. Modern varieties rarely need salting for bitterness, but it still improves the texture.
- Grilled Eggplant Salad with Freekeh and Yogurt DressingRecipe by Feasting at Home$0.56 / serving 2 in-season
- Eggplant Parmesan SandwichRecipe by The Mediterranean Dish~$0.83 / serving 1 in-season
- Ultimate Falafel SandwichRecipe by A Couple Cooks~$0.88 / serving 4 in-season
- Soy Glazed EggplantRecipe by Budget Bytes~$0.99 / serving 2 in-season
- Eggplant Parmesan RecipeRecipe by The Mediterranean Dish~$1.01 / serving 1 in-season
- Oven Roasted Greek Stuffed PitasRecipe by Budget Bytes~$1.19 / serving 6 in-season
See all 163 recipes with eggplant →Filter by diet, time, budget, and macros.
Price from the USDA National Retail Report. Nutrition per typical serving, computed from USDA FoodData Central.
Eggplant — FAQ
When can you buy eggplant in season?
This vegetable is at its local-harvest peak from July through October, and is generally in stores from June through November. This week the Midwest has eggplant marked peak season.
What's the price of eggplant right now?
As of the week of September 4, 2026, the price of eggplant in the Midwest is $0.99/lb, unchanged from last week.
How many calories and how much protein are in eggplant?
A typical 82g serving of eggplant has about 21 calories, 0.8g protein, 4.8g carbohydrates, 0.2g fat, and 2.5g fiber, per USDA FoodData Central.
What can I make with eggplant?
SeasonSort indexes 163 recipes that use eggplant, each with its cost per serving computed from this week's prices — starting from about $0.43 a serving. The cheapest are listed on this page, with a link to the full filtered list.