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Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan is easier to make than the classic dish, cooked to crispy perfection in minutes! Make roasted veggies with a cheesy crunch that the whole family will love.

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Air Fryer Eggplant Parm cutlets on a white plate

There is so much cheesy goodness in air fryer eggplant parmesan that even your kids will ask for seconds — trust me!

Air frying is a complete game changer for traditional eggplant parmigiana. It uses much less oil but still delivers on the crispy goodness of fried eggplant with perfectly seasoned Italian flavors.

Not only is air fried eggplant parmesan simple and quick to prepare, but it fulfills the need for a fried crispy, cheesy topping that you just can’t get through roasting in the oven! Even better, you can air fry eggplant with less mess to clean up afterward. A win, win, win!

Air Fryer I recommend: Large, easy to clean, square basket, burner on top and bottom. Click to see it.
Ingredients needed to make air fryer eggplant parmesan in bowls with a full eggplant in the middle

How to Cook Eggplant Parmesan in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

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STEP ONE: Cut the eggplant into ¼-inch slices. Place in a colander or on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and let them drain on a paper towel for at least 15 minutes.

Eggplant slices in a colander after being salted

STEP TWO: Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees F.

STEP THREE: Place the egg in one bowl. In a second bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and basil.

Dip eggplant slices first into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, making sure to fully coat each slice.

Collage of in-process photos of eggplant cutlets being dipped into egg and breadcrumbs

STEP FOUR: Transfer each breaded slice to the air fryer basket, keeping them in a single layer.

STEP FIVE: Air fry eggplant for 8 to 10 minutes. Halfway through, spritz with oil and flip to ensure even cooking. Then, place a teaspoon of marinara sauce on top of each slice, followed with mozzarella cheese.

Cooked breaded eggplant in the air fryer
Eggplant parm in the air fryer being topped with sauce

STEP SIX: Close and cook eggplant parmesan in the air fryer for 1 more minute. Then, turn off the air fryer and let it sit for another minute, until cheese is melted.

STEP SEVEN: Remove from the basket and slightly cool until cheese is no longer piping hot. Top air fryer eggplant parmesan with fresh basil and enjoy for a super delicious meal!

Finished eggplant parm in the air fryer

What to Serve With This Air Fryer Eggplant Recipe

Stacked eggplant cutlets on a plate with a

Variations to Making Air Fryer Eggplant

  • Keep it simple. While I do love homemade marinara sauce, don’t be afraid to use your favorite jarred sauce. It’s a great way to get air fried eggplant parmesan on the table even faster!
  • Change the texture. Try switching out the breadcrumbs for panko to get an extra crispy texture, or air fry eggplant with no breadcrumbs for a gluten free version!
  • Not an eggplant lover? Switch out the eggplant for chicken cutlets in this Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan!

More Air Fryer Vegetables

Stacked air fryer eggplant parm on a plate with sauce

How to Reheat Air Fryer Eggplant Parm 

Air fryer eggplant parmesan will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, as long as you store leftovers in an airtight container. Make sure to let your cool until the cheese is set before you wrap it and store it in your fridge.

It’s so easy to reheat eggplant parmesan in the air fryer! Preheat to 350 degrees F, then pop leftover eggplant in the air fryer and cook for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. 

This eggplant parmesan recipe is also great for meal prep — cook as directed, but don’t top with marinara or cheese. Instead place the rounds of air fryer eggplant on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour. Then, transfer to a storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 

When you are ready to make dinner, just pull out the number of slices you need, add sauce and cheese, and cook frozen eggplant parmesan in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes or until hot.

Air Fryer Eggplant parmesan on a two different white plates

Is it Better to Peel Eggplant for Air Fried Eggplant Parmesan?

I rarely bother to peel my eggplant. It helps the rounds hold their shape, plus who wants to cut off that beautiful aubergine color?!

Don’t worry — the skin softens once the eggplant Parmesan is cooked in the air fryer. That said, avoid using extra large eggplants for this air fryer eggplant recipe, as the skin can be tough and bitter.

More Italian-Inspired Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Eggplant Parm cutlets on a white plate

Air Fryer Eggplant Parm

Samantha Erb
Air fryer eggplant Parmesan delivers on all the breaded crunch without the deep-frying! Top with marinara and mozzarella for a dish everyone will love.
4.55 from 20 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Air Fryer Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 173 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 egg whisked
  • 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions
 

  • Cut the eggplant into ¼ inch slices and place in a colander or baking sheet. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
  • Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees.
  • Place the egg in one bowl and mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and basil in a second bowl.
  • Dip each eggplant slice into the egg then the breadcrumb mixture making sure to fully coat each slice.
  • Place each eggplant breaded slice into the air fryer in one single layer not touching and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, spritzing with oil and flipping over halfway.
  • Put a teaspoon of marinara sauce on top of each eggplant slice and top them with mozzarella cheese.
  • Close the air fryer and cook for 1 minute, turn off the air fryer and let the eggplant to sit one more minute to allow the cheese melt fully.
  • Remove the eggplant parm from the air fryer and enjoy!






Video

Notes

How to Reheat Eggplant Parm in the Air Fryer:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Place the leftover eggplant Parmesan in the air fryer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed thoroughly.

How to Cook Frozen Eggplant Parmesan Cutlets in the Air Fryer:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Place the frozen eggplant parm in the air fryer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 9gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 450mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

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4.55 from 20 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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