Air Fryer Recipe
Baked Aubergine Parmesan
Baked Aubergine Parmesan is a classic Italian dish made healthier and quicker using an air fryer, combining crispy aubergines with rich tomato sauce and melted cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
- Salt, for sweating the aubergines
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- Olive oil spray
Method
- Sprinkle salt over sliced aubergines and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out moisture, then rinse and pat dry.
- Set up a breading station with flour, beaten eggs, and a mixture of breadcrumbs and half of the Parmesan cheese.
- Coat each aubergine slice in flour, then egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture.
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C (356°F), spray basket with olive oil, and arrange aubergine slices in a single layer. Spray tops with olive oil and cook for 8-10 minutes until crispy.
- In an ovenproof dish, layer tomato sauce, crispy aubergine slices, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Repeat layers, finishing with mozzarella on top.
- Preheat oven to 190°C (374°F) and bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Salting pulls surface water from the aubergine so the flour-egg-crumb coating adheres and browns instead of steaming. The air fryer’s fast convection dehydrates the crumb before baking, giving structure that survives the tomato sauce, while the final oven bake melts the cheeses evenly through the layered dish.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding about one third of the slices in a single layer; cook in batches with space between rounds. In a single-drawer air fryer, keep finished slices on a rack so they do not steam; in dual-zone models, split batches evenly and swap drawers/positions if one side browns faster.
Common pitfalls
- Crumb coating sliding off after cooking? The aubergine was still wet after rinsing; pat until the paper towel comes away almost dry, and press the flour on before dipping in egg.
- Slices browned outside but woolly or spongy inside? They are too thick or under-salted; keep rounds close to 6 mm and give the full 30 minutes sweating time before breading.
- Pale, dry crumbs at minute 10? There is too little oil contact; spray until the crumb looks lightly speckled and extend by 2–3 minutes rather than raising the temperature.
- Layered bake turning watery around the edges? The sauce or aubergine is releasing excess liquid; use a thick tomato sauce and let the air-fried slices stand 3–5 minutes before layering.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of standard breadcrumbs for a rougher, lighter crust; it browns faster, so check from minute 7 in the air fryer.
- Swap mozzarella for provolone or scamorza for a stronger melt; these cheeses brown well but can oil out if baked much beyond the stated time.
- Use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs as a direct substitute; the coating is more fragile, so turn the slices gently and avoid stacking before baking.
- Add a thin layer of wilted spinach between the aubergine and sauce; squeeze it very dry first or the finished bake will loosen.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat portions in the air fryer at 170°C for 6–8 minutes until hot through and the top has re-crisped.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
