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My crispy air fryer eggplant recipe has quickly become a household favorite. Each slice is golden brown on the outside, tender in the center, and perfectly seasoned. Ready in 10 minutes!
If you love making vegetable air fryer recipes, try my air fryer carrots, air fryer zucchini, air fryer broccoli, or air fryer corn on the cob next!
Some people in my house (I won’t say who, but you know who you are!) are NOT fans of eggplant. They think it’s mushy or rubbery…but it really comes down to how you cook it.
By utilizing the speed and efficiency of the air fryer, we’re able to cook the eggplant so it doesn’t become mushy quickly, and the skin gets the perfect amount of heat and turns pleasantly crisp. I promise, even diehard eggplant haters will be converted.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Quick. Just toss the sliced eggplants in the preheated air fryer, wait for 9 minutes, and it’s ready to serve.
- Perfect texture and flavor. The texture of the eggplant is tender and crisp around the edges and deliciously soft on the inside. I kept things simple with salt and pepper to let the eggplant flavor shine.
- Easy to customize. Similar to the earlier point, this particular recipe is a blank canvas that you can adapt with a plethora of seasonings, sauces, or even breading!
- No salting or soaking beforehand. Some eggplant recipes require a lot of prep time, but the air fryer simplifies everything.
- Shortlist of ingredients. Like sautéed eggplant, all you need is the eggplant itself and a handful of pantry staples.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Nice and crispy without the oil, great. I have been trying to avoid all but olive oils anyway, but air fry works too, so thank you!” – Sabrina
Key Ingredients
- Eggplants. Choose a firm eggplant that has little to no bruising. I also like to use larger eggplants because they cook more evenly than smaller ones.
- Olive oil. You’ll need to add a touch of oil to keep the eggplant moist, or else it could burn. Olive oil has the best flavor for veggies, but any neutral-flavored oil works.
- Salt and black pepper. To season.
- Parsley. To serve.
How to cook eggplant in the air fryer
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Season. In a mixing bowl, toss the eggplant with the oil and spices until combined.
Step 2- Air fry. Place the eggplant slices in the air fryer basket and air fry for 9 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Cut the eggplant into equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Consider salting the eggplant. I know I said it wasn’t necessary, and it isn’t. However, if the eggplants are out of season and not of the highest quality, you may want to remove excess bitterness by salting them for 20 minutes, then rinsing and drying them to remove excess moisture.
- Place the eggplant slices in a single layer. You don’t too much overlapping or else each piece won’t get crispy.
- Garnish the eggplant with fresh parsley for a pop of color.
Frequently asked questions
If you prefer softer eggplant, soak it in water for 30 minutes before air frying. Remember to pat it dry with paper towels before adding seasonings. You can also soften eggplant quickly by adding one teaspoon of lemon juice.
Medium-sized eggplant slices will take around 8-9 minutes to cook properly. If you cut thick slices, the cooking time will increase, but if you slice them thinner, it will take less time.
If you cook the eggplant at a lower heat and a longer duration, you risk the middle being soggy instead of soft.
More eggplant recipes
Air Fryer Eggplant
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 190C/375F.
- Add the eggplant, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl and mix until combined.
- Add the seasoned eggplant rounds to an air fryer basket and air fry for 9 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the eggplant from the air fryer and repeat the process until all the eggplant are cooked.
Notes
- Bread the eggplant. For a crispy texture, coat the slices in a beaten egg mixture, then a mix of panko breadcrumbs (or almond flour for a gluten-free option), Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese.
- Air fryer eggplant parmesan. Layer the cooked and breaded eggplant slices in the air fryer, and top each with a slice of mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. Air fry until the cheese melts, then serve with fresh basil.
- More spice ideas. Paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, or rosemary are some of my favorite spices to pair with eggplant.
Nutrition
Originally updated October 2023, updated and republished January 2025
I love this recipe. it’s easy, healthy and so delicious. That was the first time I ate eggplant from the air fryer.
Eggplant leave some sweetness when they are air fried. Very good.
Do you have other veggie example to make in air afryer? This, zucchini, carrots, others?
Delicious with ot without dipping sauce
nice and crispy without the oil, great, have been trying to avoid all but olive oils anyway, but air fry works too, so thank you!