Making oven fried eggplant is so easy and this recipe will double either as a side dish or as a building block for a main meal such as adding to your favorite baked eggplant parmesan recipe. This baked breaded eggplant comes out of the oven super crispy and making this baked eggplant vegan requires only one little change without altering the quality and flavor you want.
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This recipe was originally published in September 2020. It has been updated for content.
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Baked breaded eggplant has become quite a popular dish to prepare around my house these days.It’s one of my favorite recipes to serve as a side dish with lots of easy recipes with tofu or or add it to pasta with a batch of Hearty Marinara Sauce.
Even when it’s hot outside, I will break down and turn on the oven to make it for dinner.
Don’t get me wrong I love fried eggplant, but can find it to be a little heavy sometimes.It’s like a sponge and really soaks up so much of the oil while it’s cooking.
To be honest, I’d really rather splurge on oil in other parts of my meal such as enjoying a delicious salad dressing made with olive oil. Baking the eggplant in the oven cooks up with lots of crispy edges and without all that the oil, the flavor of the eggplant really shines through.
I love looking for ways to include eggplant in my meals because it’s packed full of antioxidants which reduce inflammation and the risk of chronic disease. Many of these plant compounds are found in the eggplant peel why I leave the peel intact when preparing crispy eggplant steaks.
Why You Will Love Baked Breaded Eggplant
It’s easy to make breaded eggplant vegan by replacing the egg with a vegan alternative that works just as well to help the breadcrumbs stick to the eggplant.
Crispy baked breaded eggplant is a simple recipe to introduce eggplant to kids at family meals especially when there’s a kid friendly dipping sauce such as marinara or honey mustard along with it.
This baked breaded eggplant recipe makes an easy building block for many meals and you can use it to make eggplant parmesan or a crispy eggplant steak sandwich for meals or even use it as a side dish or appetizer.
Baking the eggplant in the oven results in a much healthier alternative than fried eggplant that delivers excellent flavor and taste.
Ingredients You Will Need
All you need to make this great recipe for baked breaded eggplant in the oven is eggplant and a few common pantry staples. There’s only one or two ingredients that stand out as a little different that you will need to make your own oven fried eggplant.
Ingredient Notes and Easy Substitutions
Eggplant:Eggplant can be found in the grocery store and markets any time of year.When choosing an eggplant, look for eggplants that are firm to the touch.The skin should be absent of spots or wrinkles.
If it feels overly soft, it’s likely old and won’t taste very good. The longer an eggplant sits around the more bitter flavor it develops.I also recommend using eggplant to prepare this roasted eggplant sandwich or try out using it to make a vegan bacon.
When you bring your eggplant home from the store, be sure to place it in the refrigerator and try to use it up within a few days since the quality of eggplant degrades over time.
Olive oil:A delicious and healthy oil full of monounsaturated fats that you can use when cooking this baked breaded eggplant recipe. I prefer extra virgin olive oil especially when making this oven fried eggplant, but you can easily swap it out for another healthy oil such as avocado oil.
Flax meal:Flax meal is typically available in large grocery stores or in health food markets.You can also buy flax seeds and use a spice grinder to ground them yourself.
When added to water the flax absorbs some of the water, swells and develops a texture similar to egg, so we will be using to help the breading stick to the eggplant.
Other options instead of flax to make the breading stick are 1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds or if it doesn’t need to be vegan you can use 2 eggs.
Breadcrumbs:I use whole wheat breadcrumbs when making baked breaded eggplant but other options for breadcrumbs that work well are Italian bread crumbs or panko breadcrumbs.Just be sure if you use Italian breadcrumbs they don’t contain parmesan cheese since this cheese typically isn’t vegetarian or vegan.
Cornmeal:My baked breaded eggplant uses a bit of cornmeal mixed in with the breadcrumbs which gives the breading a little extra crunch.
Sesame seeds:For the most eye appealing oven fried eggplant, use a combination of black and white or tricolor sesame seeds because it adds some color.
Tools and Equipment You Will Need
The items you will need to prepare oven fried eggplant are basic items you likely have around the kitchen.
- Knife and cutting board
- Baking sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Shallow bowls or plates for breading
- Tea towels or paper towels
How to Make Oven Fried Eggplant
The longest part of the process when making this recipe is salting the eggplant which takes about 30 minutes at the beginning. Once you get that out of the way it requires no more than 10 minutes on hand and then time to cook in the oven.
Step 1: Let’s start by salting the eggplant to remove any bitterness and push out some of the excess water in the eggplan. After cutting the eggplant lengthwise into ½ inch slices, place them in a single layer on a baking tray lined with a clean towel or paper towel.
Sprinkle the top of the eggplant slices with salt and allow them to sit for 30 minutes.
Step 2: While the eggplant sits, mix together the breadcrumbs, cornmeal, garlic powder, sesame seeds, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper.
Step 3: When the time is almost up on the eggplant, combine the 2 tablespoons of flax with ½ cup of water and let sit for five minutes. Also, turn on the oven so it’s hot by the time you finish breading the eggplant.
Get your breading station ready by placing the flax egg in a shallow bowl or plate and the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl or plate.
Step 4: Bread the eggplant by first dipping the slice of eggplant in the flax egg.Turn over to get both sides as well as the edges.Shake off any large clumps of flax egg.
Step 5: Then dip eggplant slices into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing down slightly so they stick.Flip over and repeat on the other side and don’t forget to get the edges too.
Step 6: Place each piece of breaded eggplant in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet that’s lined with parchment and lightly brushed with oil. Repeat with the remaining eggplant until all of it is breaded.
Step 7: Transfer your baking sheet to a hot oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven andflip over the eggplant.
Return the pan to the oven and cook another 10-12 minutes. Both sides of the eggplant should be golden brown and crispy, cook longer if needed.
What to Serve With This Recipe
There are a variety of ways to eat and serve crispy eggplant steaks from simple to more elaborate and creative.
For a main course, top the baked breaded eggplant cutlets with Vegan Mushroom Sauce for a plant-based salisbury steak substitute.
Layer crispy eggplant slices on a sub roll and turn it into a veggie steak sandwich and instead of plain old mayo, add a bit of Fruity Chipotle BBQ Sauce or Creamy Avocado Sauce.
Slice it up and stuff it into a wrap with hummus or tahini sauce and tons of veggies.
Top it or serve as a side dish with homemade tomato sauce.
Add on top of fast pasta recipes such as Butternut Squash Pasta or Creamy Spinach Pesto Pasta.
If you want to add some extra flavor to breaded eggplant slices, here are some of my favorite easy recipes for sauces to top of my eggplant steak or on the side as a dip.
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Tahini Garlic Sauce
- Easy Fresh Basil Marinara Sauce
- Quick and Easy Fresh Tomato Salsa
- Creamy Chipotle Yogurt Sauce
- Poblano Cream Sauce
- Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Vegan Garlic Aioli
Recipe Variations
You can change up the flavor and the appearance of crispy baked eggplant slices quickly and easily by making a few changes.
Change the Cut
To make eggplant fries: Cut the eggplant slices into thin strips after you have salted the eggplant slices. The rest of the instructions remain the same for the recipe. Eggplant fries make a healthy side for burgers and sandwiches, but also work great to serve up as a party snack served up with your favorite dipping sauce .
To make eggplant rounds: The eggplant can also be cut horizontally instead of lengthwise to make eggplant rounds then you will salt the eggplant slices and move forward the same directions for the rest of the recipe.
Change the Flavor
Add one teaspoon of any of these seasonings to the breadcrumb mixture to add some additional flavors.
- Italian seasoning
- Jerk seasoning
- Taco seasoning
- Cajun seasoning
- Lemon pepper seasoning
Expert Tips and FAQS
Take the time to sweat the eggplant. It removes the bitter flavor and also helps the eggplant cook up more crispy.
Rinse the eggplant after the salting so the final preparation isn’t overly salty. Pat it dry with a towel after rinsing and before proceeding with the breading process.
Keep the peel on the eggplant for more nutrition. The breading doesn’t stick as well to the peel, but it provides added nutrition that I think is an excellent tradeoff for keeping it intact.
When breading the eggplant, make sure the flax egg covers the top, bottom and all the sides so the breadcrumbs stick to it.
Avoid globs of flax on the eggplant when you get ready to dip in the breadcrumbs. If your flax egg is too thick, add a bit more liquid to thin it out. Too much flax prevents the crust from getting crispy.
Be sure to preheat your oven. That way the crust begins to crisp up immediately when the eggplant begins to cook. A hot oven browns and crisps up the outside the best.
Can I make baked breaded eggplant ahead of time?
Yes this oven fried eggplant recipe works great to make in advance.YYou can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer or up to 3 months.
What’s the best way to reheat leftover baked breaded eggplant?
The best way to reheat any leftovers or if you make it in advance is to put back into the oven until it’s heated all the way through and the sides are crispy.
What if I prefer to peel the eggplant?
That’s perfectly fine if you prefer to eat the eggplant without the peel.Peeling your eggplant may help reduce some of the bitterness especially if it’s been hanging around for a while in your refrigerator.Just use a vegetable peeler or small knife to remove the outer skin before slice the eggplant.
What is FAQ?
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What is FAQ?
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More Dinner Ideas to Explore
- Baked Crispy Coconut Tofu Recipe
- Savory Oven Roasted Miso Mushrooms
- Easy Skillet Spicy Potato Tacos
- Lemon Veggie Potato Bake
📖 Want to know more about cooking tofu?? Check out my digital e-book about cooking and eating tofu! Discover tips and tricks for cooking tofu and 25 delicious recipes you can use to prepare it creating delicious meals your family will love.
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Baked Breaded Eggplant Cutlets Recipe
Lyn Croyle
Delicious sliced oven fried eggplant starts with a flavorful breading that's baked in the oven until the sides have a nice crispy crunch. Serve up this easy to make vegan eggplant recipe in so many ways with lots of variety. Use it to make a baked eggplant parmesan, a sandwich or serve it up on its own as a side dish or main course.
5 from 3 votes
Lyn Croyle
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Salting time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 4 people
Calories 212 kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 2 large eggplant
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Breading
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoons black and white sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
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Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Prepping the eggplant
Slice the eggplants lengthwise into ½ inch thick slices.
Lay the eggplant out in a single layer on a baking tray or pan lined with a tea towel or paper towel. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Let eggplant stand for 30 minutes to remove any bitterness. When time has elapsed, pat the eggplant dry and wipe off most of the salt.
Prepping the breading for the eggplant
When the salting of the eggplant is almost done, mix together 2 tablespoons of flax meal and ½ cup of water. Stir to combine and let sit for five minutes.
Combine the breadcrumbs, cornmeal and spices in a shallow bowl or plate. Mix well. Place the flax egg in a separate bowl or plate.
Breading the eggplant
Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the top with a liberal amount of olive oil.
Place each eggplant slice into the flax mixture, turning to coat both sides and the edges.
Shake off any excess flax mixture and then place eggplant slice into the breadcrumbs, pressing down gently. Turn the slice of eggplant over and repeat on the other side and the edges too.
Place the eggplant on the baking sheet pan in a single layer. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
Cook the eggplant
Place into the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, then remove and flip each piece over.
Return the tray to the oven and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes on the other side. The eggplant should be golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
When ready, remove from the oven and serve as desired.
Notes
Tips for BEST results
Take the time to sweat the eggplant. It removes the bitter flavor and also helps the eggplant cook up more crispy.
Rinse the eggplant after the salting so the final preparation isn’t overly salty. Pat it dry with a towel after rinsing and before proceeding with the breading process.
Keep the peel on the eggplant for more nutrition. The breading doesn’t stick as well to the peel, but it provides added nutrition that I think is an excellent tradeoff for keeping it intact.
When breading the eggplant, make sure the flax egg covers the top, bottom and all the sides so the breadcrumbs stick to it.
Avoid globs of flax on the eggplant when you get ready to dip in the breadcrumbs. If your flax egg is too thick, add a bit more liquid to thin it out. Too much flax prevents the crust from getting crispy.
Be sure to preheat your oven. That way the crust begins to crisp up immediately when the eggplant begins to cook. A hot oven browns and crisps up the outside the best.
Nutrition
Calories: 212kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 6gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 252mgPotassium: 629mgFiber: 10gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 115IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Keyword: baked breaded eggplant recipe, baked eggplant vegan, breaded eggplant vegan, eggplant recipe, eggplant steak, oven fried eggplant
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