Air fryer eggplant is a healthy, easy alternative to deep fried eggplant. The air fryer makes the eggplant fries nice and crispy, just like a deep fryer, but since it uses a fraction of the oil, it is much healthier for your entire family so you can feel good enjoying a wholesome treat.
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Is Fried Eggplant Healthy
Fried eggplant is generally not healthy, though it probably is better than fries or potato chips. But if you deep fry eggplant, you often need to coat it in breading, which adds extra calories. And, of course, the breading eggplant soaks in a lot of extra oil.
Our air fried eggplant offers a healthy solution to deep frying eggplant. We use a fraction of the amount of oil, just enough to give the eggplant slices a bit of a crispy edge.
And we don’t use breading. Instead we use only seasonings to give the eggplant a terrific flavor.
Ingredients
When you make air fryer eggplant, you’ll need to get these ingredients:
- Eggplant - We use two smaller eggplants for the recipe.
- Olive oil - You can use a different light tasting oil if you prefer.
- Seasonings - We use a combination of garlic powder, paprika, salt, and onion powder.
- Fresh parsley - This provides some added freshness and garnish.
How to cut eggplant for frying
When we make eggplant for air frying, we cut it into elongated strips. To do this, we first cut the ends off the eggplant.
Next, we cut it in half lengthwise. We then cut the halves into about 1 inch thick strips. Finally, we cut the strips in half so they form shorter fries.
You don’t have to make them shorter, but you should try to make them a uniform thickness for cooking.
How to cook eggplant in Air fryer
When you are ready to make eggplant in the air fryer, here’s what you need to do.
- To start, combine the seasonings in a small bowl.
- Next, place the eggplant pieces in a medium-sized bowl and then toss with the olive oil.
- Sprinkle in the spices and toss to coat.
- Once the eggplant is ready, place the eggplant fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to give them a bit of room between each fry. Keep in mind, you may need to work in batches.
- Air fry at 375 *t for 8 to 10 minutes and make sure to flip them once halfway through.
- when done serve it with marinara sauce
⏲️Baking Air Fryer Eggplant
You can also bake eggplant if you don’t have an air fryer. To do this, prepare the eggplants the same way with the seasonings and then follow these steps.
- Pre-heat the oven at 425 *t and bake them for 15 minutes until golden crispy.
- First, place the eggplant on a non-stick pan with some space between.
- Place them in the oven and bake until golden brown and starting to singe on the outside.
How to serve Crispy Eggplant
You can serve eggplant from the air fryer with your favorite dipping sauces. We find that a lot of the same dips you use for French fries also work for these, so you can try:
- Sriracha Aioli
- Chick-Fil-a-sauce
- Homemade Marinara sauce
- Cheese dip
If you love air fried foods, make sure you also try some of our other favorites:
- Air Fryer Pickles
- Air Fryer Avocado fries
- Vegan Air Fryer Okra
- Vegetables in Air fryer
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Brussel sprouts
- Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer
- Zucchini Fritters
- Air fryer Vegetables
- Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
- Cream cheese stuffed mushrooms
- Air fryer Garlic bread
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
Do I soak the eggplant before slicing?
We do not soak the eggplant before slicing it up. Some people do, but this step is not necessary to make eggplant in the air fryer.
Do I peel eggplant before frying?
When we make eggplant fries, we do not peel the eggplant. If you prefer not using the skin, you can definitely peel the eggplant first, but, again, this step is not necessary for tasty eggplant fries.
How to keep fried eggplant from getting soggy
If you are concerned your air fried eggplant may get soggy, you can take a few steps to prevent it. Here are a few suggestions to avoid soggy eggplant:
- Place fried eggplant on paper towels when done cooking them
- Allow them to rest as you cook more batches on a wire rack
- Pat the egg plant dry before tossing it in oil and seasonings
How do you take the bitterness out of eggplant
We don’t find cooked eggplant to be bitter, and the reason is that cooking it -including using the air fryer - reduces its bitterness. Chances are good that if you have had bitter eggplant, you probably did not cook it long enough.
Pro tips
When you are ready to make the best eggplant in the air fryer, follow some of these tips and tricks:
- Make sure to cut the eggplant into uniform, roughly 1 inch thick pieces to help cook it fully and evenly
- Cook the fries in batches to avoid overcrowding the basket
- Place finished fries on a wire rack or plate with a paper towel to prevent sogginess
Let us know what you think
If you make this delicious recipe, let us know how it went! When you make this, be sure to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @dbellyrulesdmind or Facebook @thebellyrulesthemind!
The Best Air Fryer Eggplant
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: VegetarianDiet
Description
Air fryer eggplant is a healthy, easy alternative to deep fried eggplant. The air fryer makes the eggplant fries nice and crispy, just like a deep fryer, but since it uses a fraction of the oil, it is much healthier for your entire family so you can feel good enjoying a wholesome treat.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small eggplants
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Prepare the Eggplant.
- Slice the ends off the eggplant, then slice it in half lengthwise.
- Slice into 1-inch-thick pieces and then slice the eggplant in half horizontally to make the fries shorter.
- Combine the seasonings in a small bowl.
- Next, place the eggplant pieces in a medium-sized bowl and then toss with the olive oil.
- Sprinkle in the spices and toss to coat.
- Once the eggplant is ready, place the eggplant fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to give them a bit of room between each fry. Keep in mind, you may need to work in batches.
- Air fry at 375 *t for 8 to 10 minutes and make sure to flip them once halfway through.
- When done serve it with marinara sauce
.
Cook the eggplant in Air Fryer.
- Preheat the air fryer and place the eggplant fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer (you might want to work in batches).
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- When done sprinkle chopped parsley and serve it with marinara sauce.
Cook crispy eggplant in Oven
- You can also bake eggplant if you don’t have an air fryer. To do this, prepare the eggplants the same way with the seasonings and then follow these steps.
- Pre-heat the oven at 425 *t and bake them for 15 minutes until golden crispy.
- First, place the eggplant on a non-stick pan with some space between.
- Place them in the oven and bake until golden brown and starting to singe on the outside.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Cuisine: American
About Soniya
Hello, I am Soniya, the cofounder of The Belly Rules The Mind. Originally from Mumbai, India, I am settled in Virginia US with my husband.
I am a mother of 2 energetic boys, referred to as R2 (15-year-old) and R3 (10-year-old) on the blog. In case you are wondering who is R1, well that is my husband.
My hubby and I were born in Mumbai, India, where we were spoiled by the wealth of food choices available to us. We could enjoy everything from yummy street food to multi-cuisine restaurants and we became very picky about what we like and what we don't. Come join us on our journey to have "The Belly Rule The Mind"
