Air Fryer Eggplant

The air fryer eggplant recipe is a versatile and effortless way to eat veggies. We like to use eggplant the most, though, because the mild, slightly sweet flavor of eggplant pairs so well with this bright lemon and garlic sauce. 

Fresh chives and cracked black pepper bring the flavors together. Serve this air-fried eggplant as an appetizer, snack, or side to baked white fish or grilled chicken.

Why You'll Love The Air Fryer Eggplant

Eggplant is robust and filling enough to satisfy, but this is a lighter-fared way to enjoy this vegetable. With the eggplant cut into steak-finger-like wedges, the outside crisps up to You can snack on it right out of the fryer on its own as a midday pick-me-up and be plenty satiated until your next meal.

Our sauce is made with pantry staples and everything comes together in about 15 minutes. Peak eggplant season is almost over in most regions, but you can use this recipe for your favorite squash or winter vegetable — and keep it on hand for when eggplant comes back into season next summer. 

Air Fryer Eggplant Ingredients

You will need a cutting board and prep knife to slice your eggplant, as well as a mixing bowl and spoon, pastry brush, standard measuring utensils, and an air fryer. 

We recommend using Chinese or Fairy Tale eggplants. For this recipe, you’ll need two — the biggest you can find. The sauce requires one lemon, three tablespoons of olive oil, two cloves of garlic, some fresh chives (about ¼ of a cup chopped), a black pepper grinder, and ½ of a teaspoon of salt.

How To Prepare the Air Fryer Eggplant

For the eggplant

Make the sauce beforehand or while the eggplant is cooking (instructions below).

Rinse off the eggplants and thoroughly dry. Cut the ends off if desired, then slice lengthwise into wedges. The slices should resemble steak fingers, and the thicker the slices, the longer they will need to cook. If you’d prefer, you can cut them horizontally for more of a chip than a wedge. That part is up to you.

Using the pastry brush, coat your air fryer basket with a thin layer of olive oil (or use an olive oil spray or non-stick cooking spray if preferred). Brush each wedge with olive oil, too.

Arrange the eggplant wedges in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Try to leave an inch or two between each wedge; overcrowding will disrupt air circulation and your eggplant may not crisp up or cook evenly. You may have to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

Air fry the eggplant for 12 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The eggplant is done when it’s golden and sizzling on the outside, and creamy and tender (like mashed potatoes) on the inside.

Brush each wedge with the sauce upon coming out of the air fryer and serve immediately.

For the sauce

Finely mince the two garlic cloves, or use a grater. The closer to a paste you get the garlic, the stronger its flavor will be. 

Chop the chives and combine in a small mixing bowl with the garlic.

Cut the lemon in half. Juice one half into the bowl, and grate the lemon zest for some added brightness. You can use the remaining lemon as wedges for garnish, juice the whole lemon and make double the sauce, or save the other half for another recipe. 

Add the three tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and some freshly-cracked black pepper to the bowl.

Whisk everything until it’s thoroughly incorporated.

OTHER EGGPLANT RECIPES TO TRY

• Easy Eggplant and Italian Sausage Skillet Baked Ziti
• Roasted Eggplant and Kale Quinoa Salad
• Grilled Eggplant Caprese
• Warm Eggplant, Mushroom, and Kale Salad

FAQS

Keep in mind how the cooking time will vary with different vegetables; red peppers and onions are not likely to need the full 12 minutes, while sweet potatoes or white potatoes may need longer.

You can store the wedges sealed in the fridge for up to five days; you are likely to lose some crispiness as time goes on, but pop them back in the air fryer to revitalize the veggies.

If there’s a chance some of the eggplant may be stored as leftovers instead of eaten immediately, avoid brushing the sauce on so that they don’t get too soggy in the fridge (the sauce can be refrigerated for five days too). 

Print

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Measuring spoons 
• Air fryer

RECIPE CARD DETAILS

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Cuisine: International

Type of recipe: Veggies/ sides

DESCRIPTION

The air fryer crisps eggplant up to perfection, and in little time. The wedges come out golden and sizzling, then are brushed with a garlicky citrus sauce. The perfect side dish recipe for just about anything.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 big eggplants (Chinese or Fairy Tale)
• 1 lemon 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 garlic cloves
• A bunch of fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• ½ teaspoon salt

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

For the eggplant

1. Make the sauce beforehand or while the eggplant is cooking (instructions below).
2. Rinse off the eggplants and thoroughly dry. Cut the ends off if desired, then slice lengthwise into wedges. The slices should resemble steak fingers, and the thicker the slices, the longer they will need to cook. If you’d prefer, you can cut them horizontally for more of a chip than a wedge. That part is up to you.
3. Using the pastry brush, coat your air fryer basket with a thin layer of olive oil (or use an olive oil spray or non-stick cooking spray if preferred). Brush each wedge with olive oil, too.
4. Arrange the eggplant wedges in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Try to leave an inch or two between each wedge; overcrowding will disrupt air circulation and your eggplant may not crisp up or cook evenly. You may have to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
5. Air fry the eggplant for 12 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The eggplant is done when it’s golden and sizzling on the outside, and creamy and tender (like mashed potatoes) on the inside.
6. Brush each wedge with the sauce upon coming out of the air fryer and serve immediately.

For the sauce

1. Finely mince the two garlic cloves, or use a grater. The closer to a paste you get the garlic, the stronger its flavor will be. 
2. Chop the chives and combine in a small mixing bowl with the garlic.
3. Cut the lemon in half. Juice one half into the bowl, and grate the lemon zest for some added brightness. You can use the remaining lemon as wedges for garnish, juice the whole lemon and make double the sauce, or save the other half for another recipe. 
4. Add the three tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and some freshly-cracked black pepper to the bowl.
5. Whisk everything until it’s thoroughly incorporated.

NOTES AND FAQS

This recipe can be made with a lot of different veggies, zucchinis for example are very good with this sauce and method, but red bell peppers, onion rings, and even potatoes or sweet potatoes are a success. 

Have in mind that in the case of making potatoes or sweet potatoes you might need to increase the cooking times, but for this start with 12 minutes, check and then increase the time if needed. 

This eggplant is also good a few days after being made, keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. The same goes for the sauce. Both will be kept good for up to 5 days in the fridge.