Crispy Eggplant Fries
If you can’t get your family to touch eggplant, try making these Crispy Eggplant Fries! They’re an excellent substitute for French fries and ready in minutes.
Serve them with a homemade honey-mustard dipping sauce and you’ve got a quick and easy appetizer or snack!
The French call eggplant “aubergine” and you’ll find it on every menu in France. Granted, they rarely fry it over there, but when you’re in the South, you can fry just about anything!
Why you’ll love this recipe
These crispy eggplant fries make a great appetizer or side dish and they cook pretty quickly. I like to serve these as an appetizer with Veal Scallopini with Piccata Sauce and a salad with homemade Caesar dressing– the combination makes a delicious Italian dinner!
- Quick, easy, affordable – one large eggplant produces about 8 large fries in about 25 minutes
- Semi-healthy – even fried, eggplant has more nutritional value than potatoes
- The honey-mustard dipping sauce is delicious!
I like to serve crispy eggplant fries with Hot Pastrami sandwiches or as an appetizer with pasta.
Here’s what you’ll need
The ingredients are pantry items you probably already have:
- Eggplant – one large or two medium
- Eggs – large
- Breadcrumbs – you can use Panko breadcrums, plain breadcrumbs or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- Italian seasonings – dried (omit if you use Italian breadcrumbs)
- Oil – use a high heat oil like vegetable oil or canola oil. Olive oil is not recommended because it isn’t high-heat tolerant
- Salt and pepper
How to make fried eggplant fries
First, prep the “aubergine” — that sounds fancy, huh? Basically, use a sharp knife and slice the skin off the purple vegetable, slice it into strips (or rounds) and place it in salted water. The salt supposedly removes any bitterness.
While it’s soaking, set up a dredging station: two pie plates, one with lightly beaten eggs, and the other with panko breadcrumbs and Italian seasonings.
Take the strips out of the salt water and put them on a paper towel to drain; pat them dry.
Then dredge them in lightly beaten egg and then in seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
In a cast iron skillet, heat oil to 315°F – 325°F degrees. Place the panko coated eggplant in a single layer into the hot oil. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Look carefully at the last image…this is EXACTLY how you know when it’s time to flip the fried veggie–when it cooks halfway up, flip it.
Use tongs to flip the eggplant and fry it on the other side for another 2-3 minutes, then drain it on a paper towel.
Repeat process until all the strips are done. While the last few are cooking, whip up the sauce.
Frying tips
- Use a heat-tolerant oil: canola, vegetable, peanut, grapeseed or walnut. Definitely do not use olive oil or you’ll catch the kitchen on fire.
- Get the oil between 280ºF – 300°F (Use a meat thermometer to determine the heat of the oil.)
- If you smell a burning smell about halfway through, don’t panic. That’s just some of the panko crumbs crisping-up. Just grab another skillet and put new oil in it, then continue frying the rest of the eggplant. (Make sure you let the new oil get good and hot.)
Dipping sauce ingredients
Plain yogurt (doesn’t have to be Greek or French…just plain ole’ plain yogurt), honey, grain mustard, a dash of vinegar and a pinch of salt.
Stir it all together and put it in a pretty ramekin…
How to select eggplant
This recipe calls for one large American or Italian eggplant. Choose one that is deep purple and firm to the touch. The purple skin should be smooth without any dents or pits.
How to remove eggplant skin
First, cut off a bit of the top and bottom, making a firm base. Then, stand the eggplant on its base, and starting from the top, lightly slice down right beneath the purple skin with a sharp knife.
Storage
If you bought an eggplant and aren’t quite ready to cook it, store it in a cool dark place; don’t rinse it or put it in the refrigerator and avoid storing near melons, tomatoes, bananas, pears and peaches. These fruits produce ethylene, a natural gas, that is easily absorbed by eggplant and expedite the ripening process.
Store previously fried eggplant fries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating instructions
For best results, preheat the oven to 375°F; place leftover eggplant fries in a single layer on the baking sheet, uncovered. Place the baking sheet on the middle oven rack and cook for 10-15 minutes
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- Fried Potato Cakes
- Old Fashioned Fried Salmon Patties
♥ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! Thank you!
Crispy Eggplant Fries
Ingredients
Fried Eggplant
- 1 large eggplant peeled and sliced lengthwise
- 2 whole eggs large, lightly beaten
- 2 cups panko crumbs
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasonings , dried
- 1¾ cup oil high heat oil: canola, vegetable, peanut or grapeseed
- 2½ cups water for soaking
- ¼ cup salt for soaking
- shredded Parmesan Optional
Honey Mustard Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Old style whole grain mustard
- 1½ tablespoons honey or agave nectar
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, remove purple skin from eggplant
- Cut eggplant in half lengthwise (or rounds–see Recipe Notes)
- Place In a large pan and cover with water; generously sprinkle ¼ cup salt over eggplant and water; let it soak for 10-15 minutes
- Meanwhile, set up dredging station: using two pie plates, place two lightly beaten eggs in one plate; in the other place the seasoned panko crumbs and italian seasonings ; stir the breadcrumbs and Italian seasonings together to combine
- Remove eggplant from salt water and place on paper towel; pat dry
- In a heavy-bottom skillet, add oil and bring heat to medium high; about 280-300ºF
- Take one eggplant strip and dip it into the egg, coating it well; then dredge it in the panko crumbs.
- Place it in the hot oil and allow to cook for 3 minutes
- Flip eggplant and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown
- Remove and place on paper towel; lightly garnish with grated Parmesan (optional)
- Repeat with remaining eggplant (I cook mine in batches of 3-4, depending upon how big the eggplant strips are–don’t crowd them!)
- Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce if desired
Notes
- Slice eggplant into 8 large strips or rounds; make rounds about 1/4 inch thick
- Use a heat-tolerant oil: canola, vegetable, peanut, grapeseed or walnut. Definitely do not use olive oil or you’ll catch the kitchen on fire.
- Get the oil between 275º-300ºF before you put a stick in. (Use a meat thermometer to determine the heat of the oil.)
- If you smell a burning smell about halfway through, don’t panic. That’s just some of the panko crumbs crisping-up. Just grab another skillet and put oil in it, then continue frying the rest of the eggplant. (Make sure you let the new oil get good and hot.)
- Place on baking sheet in 375ºF oven for 10-15 minutes uncovered
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This is genius. If these were on a restaurant menu I’d go just for the fries!