Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan is an easy, fun and versatile recipe. The crispy cheesy eggplant rounds can be served simply with a marinara or ranch dipping sauce.
The breaded eggplant rounds can also be combined with marinara sauce and melty mozzarella cheese for a classic Eggplant Parmesan dish.
We’ve tried several breading options, but found that using a simple flour and egg wash preparation worked best for the texture we were craving. We added grated Parmesan cheese to the batter because, you can never really have too much cheese!
Adding some Panko bread crumbs, such as with the Air Fryer Zucchini Sticks below, results in a crispier coating. We really enjoyed the Panko in that recipe, but found it less to our liking with the Eggplant Parmesan recipe, since we really wanted the subtle flavor of the eggplant to shine through.
If, however, you are looking for an extra crispy breading, simply add in about 1/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs to the flour and parmesan cheese coating.
For this recipe, we decided to use 10 ounce (12.7 cm) ceramic ramekins to finish the dish in the Air Fryer. We’ll also add instructions for baking the Eggplant Parmesan in the oven in a traditional baking pan.
Another item that we have found very helpful when using our Air Fryer, and particularly for this recipe, is a good Olive Oil Sprayer with a fine mist.
Using a cooking spray can damage the inside of Air Fryers because over time the non-stick surface of the fryer can develop a sticky coating that won’t easily come off.
Also, giving the eggplant rounds a quick misting of olive oil will help them develop a nice brown toasty exterior.
In our recipe, we also suggest adding lemon zest after the Eggplant rounds have been toasted. This results in a nice bright flavor that really, in our opinion, elevates the dish.
Air Fryer Eggplant
Air Fryer Eggplant - crispy air fried eggplant rounds that can be eaten as a snack or turned into a classic Eggplant Parmesan recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Eggplant
- 1 Teaspoon (6 g) Salt
- 3/4 Cup (96 g) White All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup (45 g) Granulated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 Teaspoon (1 g) Garlic Powder
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 Cups (473 ml) Tomato Sauce
- 1 Cup (225 g) Grated Mozzarella Cheese
- Lemon Zest (Optional)
Instructions
- Cut the eggplant into rounds (approximately 1/4 - 1/2 inches or 10 mm thick).
- Salt each side and allow the rounds to sit for 30 minutes on a paper towel. Wipe the eggplant to remove the salt and water.
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees F (204 C) for 5 minutes.
- Create an egg wash by beating the egg until slightly frothy in a shallow bowl.
- Combine the flour and Parmesan Cheese on a plate.
- Using one hand, coat an eggplant round in the egg wash on both sides. Using the other hand, press the eggplant round into the flour and cheese mixture, making sure both sides are well covered. Shake off the excess.
- Sprinkle the top of each round with garlic powder.
- Continue working until there are enough rounds to fit into the fryer basket with plenty of room in between.
- Spray the inside of the basket with olive oil. Carefully place in the eggplant rounds and drizzle or spritz each lightly with olive oil.
- Cook for 10 - 12 minutes, turning over the rounds half was through the cooking process when they are golden brown. Drizzle additional olive oil on the top of each when turned.
- Layer on 3 eggplant rounds, adding about a tablespoon (14 g) of mozzarella cheese between and a few tablespoons (30 ml) of tomato sauce between layers.
- Top with 1/2 cup (118 ml) of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Return to the Air Fryer and cook for 3 - 5 minutes at 375 degrees (190 C) until the cheese is golden brown. The number of ramekins that can be finished at once will depend on the size of your air fryer.
Instructions for Baking in the Oven
- Cover the bottom of a 9 inch X 9 inch (23 cm X 23 cm) with tomato sauce.
- Add enough eggplant rounds to cover the bottom, top with 1/2 of the remaining sauce and 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Form a second layer with the remaining slices and cover with the remaining sauce and cheese.
- Bake in a preheated over at 375 degrees (190 C) for 15 - 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 145Total Fat: 5.3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 770mgCarbohydrates: 19.5gFiber: 6.1gSugar: 8.7gProtein: 5.6g