Ingredients
- 1 eggplant sliced into 1.4 inch rounds
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 370 degrees F. Prepare the Air Fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray such as avocado oil if needed.
- Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt on both sides and place in a large colander to drain for 30 minutes.
- Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the panko breadcrumbs, flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, and ground black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Pat the eggplant pieces dry with paper towels.
- Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then the panko breadcrumb mixture. Place on a plate or baking sheet.
- Drizzle the coated eggplant slices with olive oil.
- Place the breaded eggplant in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket and Air Fry for 17-20 minutes until the eggplant slices are golden brown. Flip the eggplant slices halfway through the cooking time. Work in batches if necessary.
- Carefully remove the eggplant from the Air Fryer basket.
- Serve with pasta marinara sauce on the side or on top of each slice.
Notes
This recipe pairs well with onion powder, kosher salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
You can use almond flour instead of regular flour. Make sure to use a 1:1 ratio for substituting for regular flour.
Make sure you only use a small amount of oil, or else the eggplant rounds will get soggy. However, if you accidentally use too much oil, pat away any excess oil.
30 minutes sitting with salt on both sides is perfect. If you go less it will be watery and too long they get a bit “chalky”
If cut smaller than ¼ inch the cooking time will be less.
I shredded fresh Parmiggiano, as it makes a better crust than prepackaged shredded parmesan.
I had to add 1 extra egg as my eggplant was about 11-12 slices
I have a Cosori 5.8 qt and cooked 8 minutes on each side and they were perfect.