Air Fryer Eggplant is so easy to make with little clean-up required! I love using the air fryer to cook eggplant and make my favorite eggplant recipes, like baba ghanoush, for my family.
AIR FRYER EGGPLANT
In the Mediterranean diet eggplant is a staple and used in many recipes from salads to dips to main dishes.
If you have been hanging around here for a while you know I like eggplant and cook with it often.
We love using eggplant in Baba Ghanoush, this Mediterranean Eggplant Chickpea Salad, Ratatouille, Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Couscous or in today’s Air Fryer Eggplant.
Today I share how to make eggplant in the air fryer and then how you can then use that eggplant in baba ghanoush, my favorite dip.
It is so easy to air fry eggplant.
You can also chop up the eggplant or cut it into rounds to create a side dish or toss it into a main dish, like pasta.
Eggplant is often overlooked but it is so easy to cook and healthy for you!
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN BABA GHANOUSH?
This recipe shows you how to make the basic air fryer eggplant but also how to take that eggplant and make my favorite Lebanese dip, Baba Ghanoush.
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2 Eggplants, cut in half
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 teaspoon seasoning of your choice {I like za’atar or sumac}
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salt
-
pepper
FOR THE BABA GHANOUSH {use above ingredients plus the below ingredients}:
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1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
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2 garlic cloves
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1/4 cup of tahini
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1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
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1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
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1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
HOW DO YOU MAKE EGGPLANT IN THE AIR FRYER?
WASH AND CUT: Wash and dry the eggplants. Cut them each in half.
REMOVE MOISTURE: Generously sprinkle salt on each half of the eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes to draw the moisture out. Use a paper towel to dry the eggplant and remove moisture.
OLIVE OIL: Brush the eggplant with the 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and your favorite spices.
AIR FRY: Put the eggplant in the air fryer basket and air fry at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the eggplant flesh is soft and the just turning golden brown.
Remove and scoop it out of the skin or chop the eggplant to use in recipes like ratatouille or pasta dishes.
FOR BABA GHANOUSH:
If you want to make baba ghanoush you will wrap the garlic cloves in foil and add them to the air fryer basket with the eggplant.
Air fry at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft and cooked through.
SCOOP THE FLESH OUT: When it has finished, spoon out the flesh and place it into a mixing bowl with the two roasted garlic cloves, tahini, ground cumin, sea salt, smoked paprika, 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
PUREE: Using a hand mixer or food processor blend the ingredients until smooth.
Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve with vegetables and pita bread.
WAYS TO USE AIR FRYER EGGPLANT
PASTA: I love adding air fryer eggplant to pasta dishes. One I really love is this Ratatouille Papperdelle or you could add the eggplant into this Spicy Sausage Pasta.
You also can add a breadcrumb mixture to the eggplant rounds and top with mozzarella cheese to make eggplant parmigiana and pair with marinara sauce.
SALADS: If you are looking to take your salads to the next level try adding this air fryer eggplant.
A few that it would be great in are this Summer Orzo Pasta Salad, Lemon Arugula Salad, Mediterranean Bean Salad or instead of using grilled eggplant in this Mediterranean Eggplant Salad use the air fryer eggplant.
DIPS: When I make Baba Ghanoush I like to use this air fryer eggplant, especially in the colder months when I don’t want to grill.
SIDE DISH: This eggplant would be great as a low carb side dish.
I suggest chopping the finished eggplant into small chunks, or eggplant pieces. You can toss with more spices when you are finished to take the flavor to the next level.
Sometimes I also like to cube the eggplant before cooking, tossing it in olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and spices to make a nice crust on the finished eggplant. It is a great way to make a simple side dish!
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS AIR FRYER EGGPLANT RECIPE
REMOVE THE MOISTURE: Removing the moisture before cooking eggplant is very important so the eggplant doesn’t become mushy and can help the outer crust get crispy. I use paper towels to do this after the eggplant sits with the salt on it.
CUT: You can cut the eggplant in half, cube it or cut it into rounds when air frying it. It really depends on what you are doing with the eggplant.
In my recipe card I walk you through using the eggplant to make baba ghanoush so cutting the eggplant in halves works great for that.
SHAKE: If you cube the eggplant I suggest shaking the basket a few times while cooking to ensure that the eggplant cooks evenly.
SPICES: I love adding spices to eggplant to help bring out the earthy flavor. Some of my favorites are sumac, za’atar, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika or cayenne red pepper or crushed red pepper for heat.
SINGLE LAYER: Make sure that when you cook eggplant in the air fryer that it is in a single layer. This helps ensure that the eggplant cooks evenly.
WHAT TO PAIR AIR FRYER EGGPLANT WITH?
Eggplant makes a nice addition to many meals! I especially love pairing it with the following main dishes:
MEDITERRANEAN BAKED TURKEY MEATBALLS
MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Air Fryer Eggplant
Air Fryer Eggplant is so easy to make with little clean-up required! I love using the air fryer eggplant to make my favorite eggplant recipes, baba ghanoush, for my family to eat as a snack or appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 Eggplants, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon seasoning of your choice {I like za'atar or sumac}
- Salt
- Pepper
- FOR THE BABA GHANOUSH {use above ingredients plus the below ingredients}:
- Eggplant from the air fryer eggplant recipe above
- 4 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
- 4 Tablespoons tahini
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
Wash and dry the eggplants. Cut them each in half.
Generously sprinkle salt on each half of the eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes to draw the moisture out. Use a paper towel to dry the eggplant and remove moisture.
Brush the eggplant with the 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and your favorite spices.
Put the eggplant in the air fryer basket and air fry at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft and cooked through.
Remove and scoop it out of the skin or chop the eggplant to use in recipes like ratatouille or pasta dishes.
FOR BABA GHANOUSH:
If you want to make baba ghanoush you will wrap the garlic cloves in foil and add them to the air fryer basket with the eggplant.
Air fry at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft and cooked through.
When it has finished, spoon out the flesh and place it into a mixing bowl with the two roasted garlic cloves, tahini, ground cumin, sea salt, smoked paprika, 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
Using a hand mixer or food processor blend the ingredients until smooth.
Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve with vegetables and pita bread.
JOHN
Thursday 6th of October 2022
How much lemon juice? Not listed in ingredients
Julia
Thursday 6th of October 2022
Sorry! For the baba ghanoush I use 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice. I added it in the ingredients.
al
Monday 29th of August 2022
Looks delicious! Do you think I can use this eggplant recipe to make a slightly altered version of the Turkish dish karniyarik?
Julia
Tuesday 30th of August 2022
Thanks! So you would stuff the eggplant and cook them in the air fryer? If so I would think that would work great.
Fatima
Saturday 13th of August 2022
Hi when u say 375 degree u mean Fahrenheit? Or Celsius
Julia
Sunday 14th of August 2022
sorry 375 Fahrenheit.
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