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Air Fryer Eggplant

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 or Mediterranean salads for my family. The nice part about this recipe is there is almost no clean-up required and it cooks quickly!

Air Fryer Eggplant in the air fryer cooking.

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.

In the summer months I grow it in my garden. It actually is a really easy vegetable to grow!

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 I also share how to use it in my favorite dip, baba ghanoush.

It is so easy to air fry eggplant and you can have it done in under 30 minutes.

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.

I especially love using it in summer salads along with vegetables and chickpeas. 

Eggplant is often overlooked but it is so easy to cook and a part of the Mediterranean diet.

You can also make these air fryer eggplant fries which are another great way to use eggplant.

Air Fryer Eggplant ingredients.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER EGGPLANT

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. 

  • 2 MEDIUM EGGPLANTS

  • EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 

  • SEASONING LIKE ZA’ATAR OR SUMAC

  • SALT AND PEPPER

Air Fryer Eggplant with gold spoons.

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.

Air Fryer Eggplant with garlic in air fryer.

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.

Air Fryer Eggplant scooping out the flesh.

PUREE: Using a hand mixer or food processor blend the ingredients until smooth.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve with vegetables and pita bread.

Air Fryer Eggplant pureeing the eggplant.

WAYS TO USE AIR FRYER EGGPLANT

PASTA: I love adding air fryer eggplant to pasta dishes. It has a slightly crispy texture when it is cooked in the air fryer which is nice in pasta dishes. You can peel the skin off the cooked eggplant and chop the eggplant with the skin on.

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!

Air Fryer Eggplant on a white plate.

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 so you can scoop the flesh out. 

If you are doing a salad you might want to peel the eggplant and cube it before cooking. 

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.

Air Fryer Eggplant with gold spoons.

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: 

MOROCCAN RED LENTIL SOUP

LEBANESE LENTIL SOUP

AIR FRYER COD

MEDITERRANEAN BAKED TURKEY MEATBALLS

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS

MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE: 

AIR FRYER BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER

AIR FRYER CAULIFLOWER 

AIR FRYER SALMON

Air Fryer Eggplant with logo.

Air Fryer Eggplant in the air fryer cooking.

Air Fryer Eggplant

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

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.

    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 a small amount of salt and pepper and your favorite spices.

    Put the eggplant in the air fryer basket and air fry at 375 degrees for 20-25 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.

Notes

If you want to use this eggplant in a salad or pasta you can peel the eggplant and cut it into cubes. This will help it cook and become crispy on all sides.

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Martha

Sunday 9th of June 2024

Thank you for this recipe. I have skillet fried and roasted eggplant before but I’d rather air fry it. I plan to put it in a spaghetti sauce with the skin on. 😋

Julia

Tuesday 11th of June 2024

Your welcome!

Jane S

Thursday 21st of September 2023

Can you please share what kind of air fryer you like. I know there are not just different brands but different styles. Thank you

Julia

Friday 22nd of September 2023

I use a COSORI Air Fryer and have always really liked it!

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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