These air fryer eggplant fries are crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, and ready in under 30 minutes.
If you think eggplant is boring, this recipe might change your mind. Cutting it into fry shapes and coating it in a seasoned panko crust makes a huge difference.
The air fryer does all the heavy lifting here. You get that deep golden crunch without having to deal with a pot of hot oil.
Dip them in some warm marinara sauce and you have a snack or side dish that everyone at the table will enjoy.
The ingredient list is simple – just eggplant, basic pantry staples for the breading, and some parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Incredibly Crispy Without Deep Frying – The air fryer gives these fries a golden crunchy panko crust that rivals deep-fried versions with way less oil.
Creamy on the Inside – The eggplant turns soft and almost melty inside while the outside stays perfectly crisp and crunchy.
Packed With Flavor – The parmesan and Italian seasoning in the coating give every single bite a savory and herbaceous punch.
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant
- 1 tsp Salt, for sweating
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Water
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
- Marinara Sauce, warm, for dipping
How To Make
Step 1
Cut the eggplant into sticks about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, similar to thick French fries. Spread the sticks on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry thoroughly.
Step 2
Set up a three-station breading line. Place the all-purpose flour in a shallow dish. In a second dish, beat together the eggs and water. In a third dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Step 3
Dredge each eggplant stick in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg wash, then press firmly into the panko mixture, coating all sides evenly. Place the breaded fries on a plate or tray.
Step 4
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Arrange the eggplant fries in a single layer in the basket – do not crowd them. Spray the tops generously with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 5
Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through and spraying the other side with cooking spray. Cook until the coating is crispy and deep golden brown.
Step 6
Serve the eggplant fries immediately with warm marinara sauce for dipping. These are best eaten right away to enjoy the contrast between the crunchy coating and the creamy eggplant inside.
Tips
Don’t Skip Sweating the Eggplant
Salting and letting the eggplant sit for 15 minutes isn’t just about flavor. It pulls out a lot of moisture that would otherwise make your fries soggy from the inside out, and no amount of air frying can fix that.
After the 15 minutes, you’ll see little beads of moisture on the surface. Pat each stick dry with paper towels really well – press firmly on all sides. If they’re still damp when you bread them, the coating won’t stick and it’ll flake off during cooking.
This one step is the difference between crispy fries and sad, mushy sticks with breading falling off everywhere.
Press the Panko On Firmly
Panko breadcrumbs are bigger and flakier than regular breadcrumbs, which is great for crunch but they don’t stick as easily. When you get to the panko station, don’t just roll the eggplant in it – actually press the crumbs into each side with your fingers.
Make sure each stick is fully coated with no bare spots. Any exposed eggplant will turn soft and mushy in the air fryer instead of getting that golden crispy shell you want.
Work in Batches
It’s really tempting to cram all the fries into the basket at once, but if they’re touching or stacked on top of each other, the hot air can’t circulate around them. You’ll end up with fries that are golden on one side and pale and soft on the other.
Leave a little space between each fry so air can flow around all sides. Depending on your air fryer size, you’ll probably need to cook these in 2 or 3 batches.
Keep the finished batches on a wire rack in a 200 degree F oven so they stay warm and crispy while you cook the rest.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Crispy Parmesan Zucchini Fries
- Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan
- Air Fryer Crispy Avocado Fries
- Air Fryer Green Bean Fries
- Air Fryer Crispy Zucchini Chips
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to salt the eggplant and let it sit before breading?
Salting the eggplant draws out excess moisture, which is really important for getting a crispy result in the air fryer. If you skip this step, the water inside the eggplant will steam as it cooks, and your coating will end up soggy instead of crunchy.
Just spread the sticks out, sprinkle with salt, wait about 15 minutes, and then pat them dry really well with paper towels. The drier they are before breading, the better they’ll turn out.
Air Fryer Eggplant Fries
- air fryer
- 1 large Eggplant
- 1 tsp Salt, for sweating
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Water
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
- Marinara Sauce, warm, for dipping
- Cut the eggplant into sticks about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, similar to thick French fries. Spread the sticks on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry thoroughly.
- Set up a three-station breading line. Place the all-purpose flour in a shallow dish. In a second dish, beat together the eggs and water. In a third dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Dredge each eggplant stick in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg wash, then press firmly into the panko mixture, coating all sides evenly. Place the breaded fries on a plate or tray.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Arrange the eggplant fries in a single layer in the basket - do not crowd them. Spray the tops generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through and spraying the other side with cooking spray. Cook until the coating is crispy and deep golden brown.
- Serve the eggplant fries immediately with warm marinara sauce for dipping. These are best eaten right away to enjoy the contrast between the crunchy coating and the creamy eggplant inside.