Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Eggplant Parmesan
A delicious and easy-to-make eggplant parmesan recipe, perfect for air frying, offering a healthier twist on a classic Italian dish.
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized eggplants
- Salt
- 1 cup of flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs (preferably Panko)
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup of marinara sauce
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
- Olive oil spray
- Fresh basil leaves
Method
- Wash and slice the eggplants into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Arrange on a paper towel-lined tray, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Prepare three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese.
- Pat the eggplant slices dry. Dip each slice in flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mixture.
- Preheat air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Place eggplant slices in a single layer, spray with olive oil, and cook for 10 minutes. Flip, spray, and cook for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown.
- In a baking dish, spread marinara sauce, layer crispy eggplant slices, top with marinara and mozzarella. Repeat layers, finishing with cheese.
- Place the dish in the air fryer and cook for 5-10 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Alternatively, bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Salting pulls surface moisture from the aubergine so the flour-egg-crumb coating adheres and browns instead of steaming. Panko creates air gaps that crisp under fast convection, while a light oil spray conducts heat into the crumbs. Brief final cooking melts the mozzarella without soaking the fried layers.
Equipment notes
Timings assume a 5-6 litre basket that fits about 6-8 slices in one layer; in a single-drawer model cook in batches and keep cooked slices on a rack, while dual-zone fryers need the zones swapped or shaken halfway as the rear/inner sides usually brown faster.
Common pitfalls
- Crumbs look pale and dusty after 10 minutes: there is not enough surface fat, so spray until the coating is lightly speckled with oil and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
- Coating slides off when flipped: the aubergine was still wet or not floured fully; pat very dry, press flour into both sides, then let breaded slices stand for 5 minutes before air frying.
- Slices are browned outside but leathery in the centre: they were cut too thick or the basket ran too hot; keep to 6 mm rounds and drop to 170°C for the remaining batches.
- Finished bake is watery around the sauce: the fried slices were stacked while hot or the marinara is loose; rest slices on a rack and use a thick sauce or simmer it down before layering.
Variations & substitutions
- Use fine dried breadcrumbs instead of panko for a denser, more even crust; they brown faster, so check the first side at 8 minutes.
- Swap mozzarella for scamorza or provolone for a firmer melt; it bubbles less aggressively and is less likely to flood the dish with liquid.
- Add dried oregano, garlic granules or chilli flakes to the crumb mix; dried seasonings cope better with air-fryer heat than fresh herbs, which can scorch.
- For a lighter version, skip the flour and egg and brush slices with oil before pressing into crumbs; the coating will be patchier, so handle gently when flipping.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat portions in the air fryer at 160°C for 6-8 minutes until hot through and the edges re-crisp.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
