Air Fryer Eggplant is so irresistible! With crunchy bits and a silky middle, I’d take a bowl of crispy air-fried eggplant over a bowl of potato chips any day. This pairing of crispy and creamy textures is the perfect way to put eggplant to delicious use.
What You Need For Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant
This simple recipe keeps the ingredient list short and flavorful. (For more of a flavor explosion, try the seasoning mix from my Air Fryer Broccoli recipe!)
Air Fryer Eggplant Ingredients:
- Eggplant: The eggplant can be dark purple globe eggplant as pictured, baby eggplants (like Thai or Indian eggplants), or long, skinny, lighter-colored eggplants.
- Oil: With the high temperatures of the air fryer, be sure to choose a high smoke point oil. As a dietitian, I love the health profile of avocado oil, but you can use your favorite go-to cooking oil.
The eggplant will look dry with the quantity of oil listed, but it’s enough. Once it cooks, the eggplant shrinks. Too much oil and it would be greasy. (I tested both ways!)
- Salt: I find veggies perfectly seasoned when I use 3/4 – 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound. You can swap in whatever salt you have (google the conversion – you’ll need less if using table salt or fine sea salt).
I kept the ingredient lineup really simple so that you could use this guide as a jumping-off point, but you can add your favorite seasonings if you like.
I’ve given suggestions in the recipe notes!
Variations and Substitutions
Customize this recipe to fit your preferences or what you have on hand.
- Spices: Swap chili flakes for smoked paprika or garlic powder for a new twist.
- Cooking Spray: You can use avocado or olive oil spray (just not extra virgin olive oil, which will burn).
- Dried or Fresh Herbs: Try fresh parsley, rosemary, italian seasoning, fresh basil or oregano instead of thyme for a different herbal note.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese during the last few minutes of cooking for a cheesy finish.
Grab These Tools
You only need a few tools to get perfectly crispy eggplant.
- Air Fryer: You can use a basket-style or oven-style air fryer.
- Mixing Bowl: For evenly coating the eggplant with oil and seasonings.
- Tongs or a Spatula: Handy for tossing the eggplant halfway through cooking.
- Sharp Knife: To cut the eggplant into uniform cubes.
How to Cook Eggplant in the Air Fryer: An Easy Guide
I find cooking it at a super-high heat setting gives better results than a lower heat (I tested both!).
You can expect crispy outsides with silky, meltingly-tender insides. Perfect little bites. Totally irresistible. Here’s how to get it right every time.
Prep the Eggplant
Start by cutting 1 lb of eggplant into ½-inch pieces. You want uniform cubes so they cook evenly. Toss the pieces in a large bowl with 4 tbsp of avocado oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, and any optional flavorings like black pepper, chili flakes, or thyme.
Air Fry in Batches
Set your air fryer to 400ºF. Spread the eggplant cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If needed, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for 8 minutes, then toss the cubes to ensure even cooking.
Finish Cooking
Continue air frying for another 7 minutes or until the eggplant is golden and crispy outside, but tender inside. Serve immediately for the best texture!
Note: There’s no need to salt the eggplant first to draw out moisture as with some recipes.
The high-airflow, intense heat cooking of the air fryer produces really perfectly-roasted results without this extra step.
Make Ahead and Storage
This air fryer eggplant recipe is quick to make and easy to store for later.
- Refrigerate Leftovers: Place cooked eggplant in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 375ºF for a few minutes to crisp it up again.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze cooked eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen in the air fryer.
How do You Cut and Prepare eggplant?
To safely cut a wobbly, round eggplant, I like to take a thin slice off of one side, and place this flat side on the cutting board to stabilize it before cutting the rest.
I like to cut it into lengthwise slabs, then stack these slabs before cutting them into long strips and then crosswise into cubes (see demonstration in the video in the recipe card below).
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Just chill: This is one instance when you want the food to be cold from the fridge before you cook it. It really helps get that crispy outside crust before the eggplant shrinks and gets super soft. I tested both ways. Starting with room-temperature eggplant, it may be fall-apart-soft before it gets crispy. It is still delicious, it just may not be as visually appealing.
- Using enough oil and salt to make it tasty. If you follow this recipe, you’ll have the tastiest perfectly-seasoned results.
- Continue cooking a few minutes beyond when you think it’s done. Then you’ll get all of the irresistible crispy bits, silky middle, and skin that tastes like a potato chip.
How to Serve Air Fryer Eggplant
These crispy bites of succulent air fryer eggplant are delicious as a simple side dish or appetizer. Here’s how I love to serve air fryer eggplant:
As a Side Dish:
- As a veggie to balance out Indian curries like chicken korma or butter chicken, I season it simply with salt and chili flakes
- I love it to round out light fish dinners like panko crusted cod or baked salmon with mayo
- It makes an excellent side dish to rich Italian pasta dinners like Penne Alfredo or Spaghetti with Meatballs or hearty stews.
- To round out other air fryer menu items, like Air Fryer Turkey Burgers or that succulent Air Fryer Tuna Steak
How to Serve as an Appetizer:
Air fryer eggplant makes a yummy, crowd-pleasing appetizer. Here are a few simple serving ideas:
- With Dips: Pair crispy eggplant cubes with Greek yogurt drizzled with oil, with marinara sauce, garlic aioli, or a creamy tahini dip. It’s perfect for dunking!
- Topped with Cheese: Sprinkle grated Parmesan or crumbled feta on the hot eggplant for an extra flavor boost.
- As a Platter: Serve the eggplant alongside other small bites like olives, roasted peppers, and breadsticks for a Mediterranean-inspired spread.
Air Fryer Eggplant FAQs
You cook an eggplant in an air fryer for about 15 minutes at 400ºF – that is the short answer. This will vary depending on the size of the eggplant pieces and the temperature setting you use. Follow this recipe for perfect results.
Yes, it is safe to eat the skin of an eggplant (unless of course you have an allergy). Always wash the eggplant (and any vegetables) before cooking, especially when you are eating the skin.
It is not typically recommended to cook eggplant without salting it first, as pre-salting it and letting it stand draws out the excess moisture. Air frying eggplant is an exception to this. The high heat and intense airflow keep the surface dry, making for perfect crispy eggplant bites with luscious soft centers.
Yes, you can air fry eggplant slices if you prefer them over diced eggplant, but I prefer the additional surface area of smaller bites. This maximizes the crispy bits, which are the best part in my opinion.
No, you should not attempt to air fry eggplant without oil. Air fryer is a bit of a misnomer. The air itself does not replace oil for frying, it just dries out the surface to give similar crispy results to deep frying (but only when a little oil is used). Oil is also important for flavor and to carry the fat-soluble vitamins in vegetables.
Other Delicious Sides
- Maple Five-Spice Roasted Butternut Squash
- Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Maple Syrup
- Pan-Fried Asparagus
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes to Try
- Air Fryer Pizza Recipe plus the complete guide to Reheating Pizza in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Tuna Steak
- How to make moist Frozen Salmon in Air Fryer
- Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- The juiciest Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Roast Beef
- How to make juicy Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer
- Can You Cook Bacon in an Air Fryer in a big batch?
Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant (Quick + Easy + SO Tasty!)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb eggplant cut in ½” pieces
- 4 tbsp avocado oil or preferred high-heat cooking oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Optional flavorings:
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red chili flakes
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss eggplant cubes with oil, salt (as well as black pepper and red chili flakes, if using).
- Air fry at 400ºF for 8 minutes, toss, and cook about 7 minutes more, until eggplant is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Saving this recipe!!! It looks so yummy!
For eggplant lovers like me, you will be crazy for this air fryer eggplant recipe. I loved it.
Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables and Ive been looking for different ways to cook it. Thank you!
I love that this air fryer eggplant is tender in the middle and packed with rich flavor. I cannot wait to try it.
Im not big on eggplant but this actually looks good, not to mention simple. Im always looking for a new way to use my air fryer.
Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables! I will have to test this out in our air fryer.
Wow! This eggplant recipe looks amazingly delicious and very yummy! Another great recipe for our very reliable “Air Fryer”. It’s so easy to prepare and cooked! A big thumbs up for that!
As someone who loves eggplant, I was thrilled to come across your Air Fryer Eggplant recipe! I’ve never thought of using an air fryer to cook eggplant, but it is the perfect method to get that crispy texture without going soggy.
My daughter has been asking to try eggplant, so this might be the recipe to try!
Eggplant has always intimidated me. The tips in this article made the perfect dish and quite tasty!