Air Fried Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant parmesan might be one of the most well known classic Italian dishes out there. Fun fact, the chicken parm that us in the US know and love was actually based on eggplant parm or parmigiana di melanzane, the dish was introduced by Italian immigrants in the 1950s and was adapted to the American palate using chicken, which was widely growing in popularity at the time. Since meat was rather expensive, these immigrants still relied on the cheaper eggplant to keep their bellies full.
While it’s hard to beat the crispy fried coating encasing spongey, tender eggplant, fried food such as it can often be a bit high on the caloric count. Fortunately, a more modern invention, the air fryer, holds the solution to this problem by stripping away most of the oil but still giving us that golden, crunchy coating that good eggplant parm has to have.
What’s more is that air fried eggplant parm is incredibly delicious, and you don’t even have to be a vegetarian to enjoy it.
Serves 2
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
1 medium eggplant (aubergine, for those who live in the UK)
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
Vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup tomato sauce, homemade or bought, plus more for serving
1/2 cup shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese (the block stuff)
Sliced fresh basil, for garnish
Cut the top and bottom off your eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch slices (You should end up with 6 slices). Sprinkle salt onto each slice.
Set up your breading station by laying out 3 shallow bowls or plates. Dump the flour into one bowl, and season that with salt and pepper. In the second bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water until well beaten. In the third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and some salt and pepper. (Go easy on the salt as the cheese is quite salty)
Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F/180 C. Working with a few slices at a time, roll the eggplant slices into the seasoned flour, making sure to dust off the excess. Then dip into the egg wash and follow that by a coating of the breadcrumb mixture. And if you want an extra crispy coating, then dip them back into the egg and into the breadcrumbs again.
Once all of the eggplant slices are coated, spray both sides with cooking spray then nestle into your air fryer basket, being careful not to overlap. Air fry for about 15 minutes, flipping the eggplant halfway through, until the outside is golden brown and the eggplant is beautifully tender.
Meanwhile, warm up the tomato sauce in a saucepan just to get it hot and ready.
Once the breadcrumbs are golden, spread a thin layer of sauce onto each slice and follow that by a sprinkling of the shredded mozzarella. Air fry for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving with more sauce and a sprinkling of basil.
