Air Fryer Aubergine is a delicious side dish that you can pair with almost anything. Cooking aubergine in the air fryer gives it the most incredible crispy texture, without having to use a lot of oil. Ready in just 15 minutes too, which is quicker than roasting it.
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About Air Fryer Aubergine
Aubergine is such an underrated side dish. Usually it goes in something like a vegetable lasagne or moussaka, but we LOVE it as a side. It's vegan, low carb and suits most dietary requirements.
If you are looking for more aubergine recipes, why not try our easy Aubergine Pizza, nutritious Aubergine Salad or our comforting Eggplant Parmesan?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Aubergines (eggplant) - Make sure to pick the best aubergines. The vegetable is in season throughout the year, but they are at their best around August/September. You should look for aubergines with smooth, shiny skin. They should be uniform in colour and feel heavy for their size. To test the ripeness of an aubergine, gently press the skin with your finger - if it leaves an imprint, it is ripe. Smaller aubergines tend to be less bitter and have thinner skin and less seeds.
- Oil - We used a good quality olive oil.
- Seasoning - The options for seasoning air fryer aubergine are almost endless (more on that below). We used garlic powder, onion powder and some dried oregano - kind of like an Italian seasoning blend.
Variations
Baby aubergines - We used large aubergines and cut them into sticks. However, you could use baby aubergines and halve them.
Cubes - We cut the aubergine into a fries like shape, but you could cut it into cubes instead. Be aware that these will cook quicker though - more like 10 to 12 minutes.
Seasoning - The seasoning options here are almost endless. We have kept it simple with some garlic, onion and dried oregano, however there are so many options. You could use a Mexican blend or Cajun seasoning, or a mix of paprika and cayenne for a smoky and spicy kick.
Cheese - If you wanted to make this air fryer aubergine a little more indulgent, then you could sprinkle it with some Parmesan before serving. You could also put it back into the air fryer for a couple of minutes once the Parmesan is on, and then it would get melted and crispy.
How to Make Air Fryer Aubergines
- Step one: Slice the top and bottom off the aubergines. Cut in half lengthways, then into strips.
- Step two: Put the sliced aubergine into a bowl. Drizzle over the oil and add the garlic, onion, oregano salt and pepper. Mix well to coat all of the aubergine.
- Step three: Put the strips into your air fryer.
- Step four: Cook at 190°C for 15 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many options when it comes to what to serve with air fryer aubergines. Basically, anything that you would put vegetables on the side of.
But, we have some suggestions of some of our favourite main meals that pair perfectly with this recipe.
Why not make it into a main course and mix it with some Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce and serve on top of spaghetti?
You can serve this alongside Air Fryer Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Steak. It also goes well with our Creamy Dill Salmon.
We love adding it into a homemade curry to bulk it out. Why not try our Cod Curry, Paneer Curry or Slow Cooker Beef Massaman Curry?
Why not try adding them to a wrap or sandwich too, like our Halloumi and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich or Spiced Paneer Wraps?
Storage
Store: Leftover air fryer eggplant can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: We wouldn't recommend freezing leftovers, as the texture changes once defrosted.
Reheat: You can reheat the aubergine in the air fryer. It will take about 3-4 minutes to heat through. You can also serve leftovers cold on a salad.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Make sure all the aubergine sticks are cut to the same size, so that they cook at the same rate.
- Use your hands to mix everything together to make sure that every bit of the aubergine is coated in the oil and seasoning.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. You want to make sure there is enough space for the air to circulate and to get the aubergine nice and crispy.
- Shake the air fryer basket halfway through so that everything cooks evenly.
- Drizzle a little honey over these before serving to make them nice and sticky.
- Serve the air fryer aubergine immediately, as it will lose its crispiness if left to sit for too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there is no need to peel it. The skin is where so much nutrition is and it also helps it to get nice and crispy.
This will depend on your air fryer, as they all cook differently. It took 15 minutes in our air fryer, to get the perfect crispiness, but it might take as little as 12 minutes in yours or even up to 18 minutes. So, keep checking from 12 minutes as you don't want to overcook them.
No, there is no need to salt the aubergine first. Just wash and dry it before cutting.
You can cook aubergine in the air fryer without oil, but we tend to find that this dries it out. The oil also adds flavour and helps the seasoning stick to the aubergine.
Yes! If you want to make this a little more special, but you can bread the aubergine sticks first. Dip them in flour, then egg and then panko breadcrumbs before putting them in the air fryer. You could even mix some parmesan in with the panko.
More Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
If you've tried this air fryer aubergine recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Air Fryer Aubergine
Ingredients
- 2 Aubergine (eggplant) - large
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Garlic granules
- 0.5 teaspoon Onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the top and bottom off 2 Aubergine (eggplant). Cut in half lengthways, then into strips.
- Put the sliced aubergine into a bowl. Drizzle over 2 tablespoon Olive oil and add 1 teaspoon Garlic granules, 0.5 teaspoon Onion powder, 0.5 teaspoon Dried oregano, 1 pinch Sea salt and 1 pinch Ground black pepper.
- Mix well to coat all of the aubergine.
- Put the strips into your air fryer. Cook on the Air Fry setting at 190°C/375°F for 15 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure all the aubergine sticks are cut to the same size, so that they cook at the same rate.
- Use your hands to mix everything together to make sure that every bit of the aubergine is coated in the oil and seasoning.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. You want to make sure there is enough space for the air to circulate and to get the aubergine nice and crispy.
- Shake the air fryer basket halfway through so that everything cooks evenly.
- Drizzle a little honey over these before serving to make them nice and sticky.
- Serve the air fryer aubergine immediately, as it will lose its crispiness if left to sit for too long.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
TAYLER ROSS says
I made this aubergine with dinner last night and it was the perfect side dish! A new favorite for sure!
Angela says
My new favorite way to make eggplant! Easy to do and so flavorful. Thanks for the great recipe!
Andrea says
These eggplant fries are right up my alley. I love eggplant and this is a new, fabulous way for me to make it. Yummy!
Lauren says
I never thought to use the air fryer to make eggplant but this cold be my favorite way yet! It came out very flavorful!
Ned says
You had me at air fryer, this was incredible and so easy to make. Thank you so much for another amazing recipe!