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You’ll love this cheesy and crunchy air fryer eggplant! Cooking eggplant in the air fryer is super quick, making it a great veggie side dish to just about any meal. My go-to ways to prepare eggplant are sauteed eggplant and roasted eggplant, but when I want a crispy exterior AND the fastest prep time, this recipe (like air fryer zucchini) can’t be beat.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Eggplant
- Savory, cheesy flavor with caramelized edges
- Crispy texture on the outside, tender on the inside
- No bowls to wash
- 4 simple ingredients (plus salt)
- Cooks in just 10 minutes
- Naturally low carb and gluten-free
- Easy, healthy vegetable side dish
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for air fried eggplant, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Eggplant – Look for a deep purple eggplant, with a smooth skin that’s not dented or bruised. Small eggplants are preferred to larger ones, because they are less bitter and have fewer seeds.
- Olive Oil – I recommend extra virgin olive oil, but light olive oil or even avocado oil will also work fine.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – You can buy pre-grated or grate your own, just make sure it’s super finely grated, not shredded, so that you get that crispy exterior. We’re using this in lieu of an actual breading, and I think it makes the best air fryer eggplant! That being said, if you prefer to use either regular or panko breadcrumbs, you can use a 50/50 mixture of parmesan and breadcrumbs instead, or use only breadcrumbs for a vegan option.
- Italian Seasoning – You can use homemade Italian seasoning or store-bought. You can also keep it simple and just use one type of dried herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary. Feel free to add other spices, like garlic powder or paprika.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Cook Eggplant In The Air Fryer
This section shows cooking eggplant in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Slice. Cut the eggplant crosswise to make circles that are 1/2 inch thick. Pat dry with paper towels.
TIP: Cut off leafy end after slicing.
This will allow you to have more to grab onto.
- Season. Drizzle the eggplant with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides with sea salt, black pepper, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
- Air fry eggplant. Arrange the slices in a single layer and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and cheese is golden brown. Garnish with fresh parsley if you like.
TIP: Cook in batches and don’t crowd the air fryer basket.
Having the eggplant in a single layer ensures that it browns properly and cooks evenly.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: To maintain crispness, reheat the eggplant in the air fryer again, or briefly pan fry. Microwaving will leave it rather soggy.
- Freeze: You can freeze eggplant recipes, but I don’t recommend freezing this one, because the parmesan coating will get soggy.
What To Serve With Air Fried Eggplant
This veggie makes a great appetizer (dip it in marinara sauce or simply tomato sauce!), or an easy side dish with many kinds of main dishes:
- Chicken – I like to serve it with lemon garlic chicken or air fryer chicken wings, but this dish goes with almost all kinds of chicken recipes.
- Fish – Try pan seared salmon (it has the best lemon butter sauce!), flaky air fryer cod, or for a fancier meal, halibut.
- Steak – Pair it with an air fryer steak for a meal made in the same appliance, a simple sirloin steak you can cook while you have the eggplant in the air fryer, or for something a little different, chimichurri steak.
- Pork – For a quick meal, make baked pork chops, or if the weather will allow, grilled pork chops.
- Noodles – Serve it alongside your favorite pasta, or choose veggie-centric options like zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
- Eggplant Lasagna – Use air fryer eggplant in place of the roasted eggplant slices in eggplant lasagna! You can also use it to make eggplant parmesan by layering it with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, and topping with fresh basil.
More Air Fryer Recipes
If you like eggplant air fryer recipes like this one, you might also like these ways to use your air fryer:
Tools For This Recipe
- Air Fryer – This is my favorite one, from a familiar brand. It has a large basket, it’s easy to use, and cooks evenly. It’s perfect for air fried eggplant!
Air Fryer Eggplant Recipe
Air Fryer Eggplant (So Easy!)
Make easy air fryer eggplant in 15 minutes, with just 4 ingredients! It's faster than other methods & has a delicious crispy, cheesy coating.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
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Slice the eggplant crosswise to make circles, about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Cut off the leafy end only after you are done slicing, so that you'll have more to grab onto as you slice. Pat the slices dry with paper towels.
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Drizzle or brush the eggplant slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.
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Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and the cheese is golden brown. Repeat in batches with remaining eggplant slices.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4 slices, or 1/4 entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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45 Comments
Babara P Finegan
0I really enjoyed the eggplant recipe.
Judy
0It says to cook it for 10-12 minutes but it doesn’t say what temperature?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Judy, In step one it lets you know to P\preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F.
Suzi
0Can you use frozen sliced eggplant for this recipe?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Suzi, This recipe is best made with fresh eggplant.
Sarah
0These turned out so crispy and were perfectly seasoned! And the parmesan – yum!
Jere Cassidy
0Finally, an eggplant recipe that I love. Thanks for this recipe; it was so easy, and I loved the cheese and spices.
Amanda
0I love how this eggplant turned out! That cheesy, crispy coating is fabulous. I have a ton of eggplant in the garden, so this will be on the menu again for sure.
Mandy Applegate
0You weren’t kidding about the crispiness and that cheese melted on top was sublime – thank you!
Devy
0I love eggplants and this recipe was so easy to make. I had them ready literally in minutes while I was doing my dishes. Love it.
Andrew
0Air Fry at what temperature?????
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Andrew, 375 degrees F. You can find that info in the recipe card right above where you left this comment.
JM_in_VA
0Mine turned out perfectly! Such a simple way to add a special touch to dinner or just eat as a snack. I can envision a lot of variations to seasonings and even using this recipe on other veggies. Thank you for this amazing creation!
rose
0do you think it’s okay if I will not add parmesan?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Rose, Yes, that would work if you don’t want to add the parmesan.
Martie Best
0These were fantastic! Now my favorite way to prepare eggplant. I used a grated parmesan / Romano cheese mixture I had bought at Publix, and I really cannot express how delicious they were….interestingly, the second tray in the air fryer was left in for a couple more minutes, and on those, you couldn’t chew the ‘peel’ of the eggplant. 10 min is PERFECT.
Suz
0I made the eggplant air fryer recipe and I thought it was very easy and delicious too. Thank you for your recipe.
Jackie
0Tried these today with vegan Parmesan and it was amazing! TY for the confidence to make such delicious food. Lesson learned—brush or spray oil as I forgot how much and how fast eggplant soaks up oil.
Janice
0This is delicious, however 375 was much too hot in my Ninja Foodi. The parmesan overcooked to point of burning after 8 minutes.
Linda
0This recipe is sooo delicious and easy. I have a garden with lots of eggplants that need using. I didn’t want tomatoe sauce on them. This recipe fit the bill. Thank you for sharing!
Elaine
0Flavor was good, texture was not. It did not get crispy at all. Followed the recipe.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Elaine, I’m sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you! Some eggplants hold more moisture than others, and air fryers can act differently depending on how close food gets to the heating elements. You can always try slicing the eggplant, sprinkling with salt, and letting it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing it off and patting dry to make it less soggy. I hope you give it another try!
Meeks
0I made this tonight… and mine came out kinda mushy, but the flavor was so good also I didn’t realize that I was using way to much oil on each slice I didn’t mind the texture anyway. But I’ll try this tip.
Marian
0I have been trying a lot of different food. My air fryer and this recipe were so easy and I had on hand all ingredients. It was simply. Delicious.
J Rogan
0What temp is the air fryer in this recipe? I don’t see one.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi John, All of the instructions for this recipe are listed here.
Suz
0The recipe said to preheat air fryer at 375.
Kristyn
0Since finding your recipe, we make this all the time!! My hubby & I love it!! I try to keep eggplant on hand, so I can make these. They go great with so many meals!
Natalie
0I think this is my favorite way to eat eggplant! Little ingredients, but super tasty!! Yum!
Amy L Huntley
0I love that you made these in the Air Fryer! The parmesan cheese is perfection!
Sherry
0Can I freeze the slices then reheat in the air fryer? I have a lot of eggplant to get cooked
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sherry, The texture will change some after freezing, but this method will work. Enjoy!
Jean
0What temperature did you fry it at?
Natalie
0Looks crispy and delicious. Yum!
Kristyn
0Ok, I love the crispy outer layer!! This makes a delicious appetizer!! I get tired of the same things, so this is a yummy change!
Linda
0This eggplant recipe is delicious! Love the crunch part and how they’re so easy to make
Delores
0Hi again Maya,
I didn’t read the nutrition facts before I sent my first question:
Total Carbs 8.6g
Net Carbs 4.7g
Fiber 3.9g
Sugar 4.3g
I don’t see any sugar in the recipe, does that come from the eggplant?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Delores, No problem! The sugars are naturally occurring from the eggplant.
Delores
0Hi Maya,
This looks and sounds delicious; did you brush the oil only one the one side that you sprinkle the other ingredients?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Delores, I seasoned one side, but you can do both if you like.
Paula
0The air-fryer is a staple in our house now. I made these instead of fries and my boys loved them.
Scarlet
0Yes. The eggplant slices turned out perfectly in the air fryer!
Eden
0These were so easy to make! Such a great side dish!
Sam
0Just made these in my new air fryer and I am blown away. Light and still crispy. Will definitely put it on the weekly rotation.
barbara Cokes
0The best way to make eggplant! it’s seriosuly delicious!