I first made these Crispy Panko Eggplant Fries a year ago. I had a terrible habit of buying eggplant and then not using it. Eggplant doesn’t last the longest, so now when I buy it, I make sure I have a plan in mind for it! We were hosting a dinner with all the grandparents and doing a Mediterranean theme. We made these lemon potatoes, grilled chicken, salad, pita and had these delicious fries as an appetizer!
They turned out so well, the fries were gone within a few minutes. I wish I had tripled the batch! If you like crispy, garlicky breading, then you will love these Crispy Panko Eggplant Fries. They don’t take long to make, and it’s an easy way to pack in those veggies!
I’m a big fan of dipping them in hummus or tzatziki! Both are delicious and a perfect compliment to these tasty fries. They are a perfect appetizer or side dish. Pair these with a fresh spring pasta like this Lemon Garlic Asparagus Penne!
Tips for making these eggplant fries!
- Make sure to salt the eggplant and let sit for 10 minutes before breading. This draws out the moisture so you won’t end up with soggy fries. Dry off the eggplant with a paper towel after they have been sitting for 10 minutes.
- I usually bread a few at a time. Make sure to coat each one well.
- Before putting the fries on your baking pan, drizzle with oil. The oil with crisp up the fries beautifully!
- I flip my fries halfway through cooking. This gets them nice and brown on both sides.
- I don’t peel my eggplant. The skin is soft once baked.
- If making dairy free, just omit the parmesan. You could even use some nutritional yeast!
- If you don’t have oregano, use basil or another delicious herb!
Crispy Panko Eggplant Fries
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp salt for salting the eggplant
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°. Wash the eggplant and slice into equal sized fries. Spreas the eggplant out on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Wait 10 minutes, and then wipe dry with paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.
- In a wide bowl, mix the panko, parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and oregano together. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Drizzle your baking sheet with the oil.
- Dip the eggplant fries in the egg, and coat all sides. Immediately coat with the panko mixture and put on baking sheet. Continue these steps until all the eggplant is used. Don't crowd your fries, use two pans if needed.
- Bake for 10 minutes, flip the fries over and bake for another 10 minutes. Serve right out of the oven!