Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan is crunchy, with a soft and tender interior. The eggplant slices are healthy without frying and is exceptionally flavorful, quick, easy and ready in 30 minutes. Absolutely delicious!
5 STAR REVIEWS
One reader Sandra writes, "Five stars - this recipe was really excellent. The eggplant was hot and crispy, not soft like a baked recipe. I did find the prep time was longer than 15 minutes (dipping all those slices takes a while!) but otherwise I made the recipe pretty much as outlined. I found the left-over slices refrigerated well and re-heated nicely in the air fryer." ★★★★★
Another reader Marguerite writes, "I love eggplant parmesan; this was my first time making it in the air-fryer, and it was excellent. I used homemade marinara, so it wasn't too sweet; I also had a bit of cooked italian sausage left over from a pizza oven night, which I added to my carnivore-husband's half, and it was great!" ★★★★★
This healthy air fryer eggplant parmesan is low-fat, lighter and easier take on the classic Italian dish—ready in under 30 minutes! Made with almost no oil, it still delivers that crispy, "fried" texture thanks to the air fryer, making it a perfect hearty meatless meal the whole family will love.
You get everything you crave in a good breaded parmesan recipe—a crispy breaded eggplant layer, rich tomato sauce, and gooey melted cheese—all without deep frying. A must-try for air fryer lovers and healthy comfort food fans!
This recipe is developed by replacing the chicken in my air fryer chicken parmesan recipe with eggplant slices and it was life changing! The texture and taste was unbelievably good without the hassle of deep frying.
Jump to:
- ♡ What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Ingredients you'll need
- Do you need to salt the eggplant before air frying?
- Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan
- Tips for Success
- How to make eggplant parmesan in air fryer?
- What to serve with eggplant parmesan?
- Freezing instructions
- Frequently asked questions
- More healthy air fryer breaded recipes
♡ What you’ll love about this recipe:
✔ Air fryer magic – Eggplant can be tricky, but the air fryer makes it easy! The panko-Parmesan coating keeps it crispy on the outside and soft inside—without getting greasy or mushy.
✔ Quick & easy – Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect vegetarian weeknight dinner.
✔ Lighter take on a classic – This healthy eggplant parm has all the flavor with none of the deep frying—low fat and delicious!
✔ Perfect texture – Crispy golden crust with a creamy, tender center in every bite.
Ingredients you'll need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Eggplant – Use a globe eggplant, which has a mild flavor, tender texture, and very few seeds—perfect for wide, hearty slices in air fryer eggplant parmesan.
- Eggs – Beaten eggs help the flour and panko breadcrumbs stick to the eggplant slices, ensuring a crispy coating.
- Flour – A light dusting of flour creates a sticky base layer that helps the breadcrumbs adhere evenly to the eggplant slices.
- Seasoning – A mix of Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt adds flavor to every layer of this dish.
- Panko breadcrumbs – Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs offer more crunch than regular breadcrumbs thanks to their large, flaky texture—perfect for crispy air fryer eggplant recipe.
- Cheese – A combination of shredded mozzarella and finely grated Parmesan gives this dish its classic cheesy, savory flavor.
- Sauce – I used Prego’s Tomato, Basil & Garlic sauce for its rich, thick texture and bold flavor, which pairs beautifully with the crispy eggplant layers.
Do you need to salt the eggplant before air frying?
Traditional eggplant parm recipes often recommend salting raw slices to draw out moisture, tenderize the flesh, and reduce bitterness. However, most modern eggplants are bred to have very little bitterness, making this step less necessary. Plus, salting can sometimes make the dish too salty. That’s why I skip salting in this air fryer eggplant parmesan recipe for a perfectly balanced flavor.
Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant
Batter
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Breadcrumb
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese refer notes
Additional Ingredients
- 1 cup marinara sauce plus more for serving
- 1 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Wash eggplant and dry thoroughly. Slice into ½-inch rounds. Make sure that the slices are of even thickness, so they all can cook evenly.
- Add all batter ingredients into a shallow bowl, whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Mix panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in another bowl.
- Working with one slice at a time, place each slice in the wet batter, turning over couple of times to make sure that it is coated thoroughly. Lift, allowing excess batter to drip off and then place over the bread crumbs.
- Pack bread crumbs on both sides of the slice, pressing with fingers to adhere. Place on a plate and repeat process with remaining eggplant slices.
- Pre heat air fryer to 380°F. When ready, place prepared slices in a single layer (cook in batches), spray the top with non stick cooking spray.
- Cook for 5 minutes, open air fryer basket, flip the slices over, spray the tops again with non stick cooking spray and cook for remaining 7 minutes.
- Open basket, spread marinara sauce on top followed by shredded mozzarella, Cook for additional 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese melts. Garnish with fresh basil more marinara sauce if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Tips for Success
- Cheese: Use fresh mozzarella, either shredded or sliced, for the best texture and melt.
- Parmesan: Use finely shredded parmesan cheese; if using pre-shredded, pulse ⅓ cup in a mini food processor to get a finer texture.
- Slice Thickness: Cut eggplant into even ½-inch thick slices to ensure they cook evenly and become tender without being too thick.
- Gluten-Free Option: Swap in gluten-free panko and gluten-free flour to make the recipe gluten-free.
- Even Cooking: Consistent slice thickness helps all pieces cook perfectly and at the same rate.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm in the air fryer at 380°F for 2-3 minutes until heated through and crispy.
How to make eggplant parmesan in air fryer?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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What to serve with eggplant parmesan?
Eggplant parmesan is hearty on its own, but these sides can turn it into a complete meal! Pair it with a slice of crusty bread or air fryer garlic bread—perfect for soaking up all that delicious cheesy sauce. A fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette adds a refreshing balance to the richness. For extra protein, try the quinoa and black bean salad. And if you want some comforting carbs, simple pasta like instant pot spaghetti aglio e olio or garlic butter ramen noodles make a satisfying addition.
Freezing instructions
Air fryer eggplant parmesan is a great make ahead dish that can prepped and ready to go in your freezer. The air fryer is amazing in crisping up all things breaded without making them soggy like a microwave.
Freeze without sauce/cheese - Freeze cooked panko breaded eggplant slices without sauce or cheese in a ziplock bag for up to a month. To reheat, air fry from frozen at 360°F until hot and crispy. Then, top with sauce and cheese and bake until the cheese is melted.
Freeze with sauce/cheese - Freeze slices between pieces of parchment paper in a covered container for up to 1 month. Cook frozen slices in a pre heated 350 degree fryer for 3 to 5 minutes or until hot.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessary! The skin cooks tender, enhances the flavor, is totally edible, and high in antioxidants. Most importantly, it saves you an additional step.
Soaking eggplant slices in water is typically done to prevent them from absorbing too much oil when pan-frying. However, for this breaded air fryer eggplant Parmesan recipe, soaking is unnecessary.
To prevent soggy eggplant in the air fryer, we take a few key steps. First, we use crispy panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs because panko creates a lighter, crispier coating. Second, flipping the slices halfway through cooking ensures even crispness on both sides. Finally, we let the crumb coating brown and crisp up before adding the tomato sauce, which helps maintain that perfect texture.
🍆 If you love eggplant dishes, then try my amazing eggplant stir fry recipe next!
More healthy air fryer breaded recipes
- Crispy air fryer asparagus fries make the perfect side dish, appetizer, or snack with your favorite dipping sauce! Lightly breaded and air-fried with minimal oil, they’re a deliciously healthy alternative to traditional French fries.
- These air fryer breaded mushrooms are irresistibly crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and seasoned to perfection.
- These air fryer chicken nuggets turns out perfectly golden and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I use seasoned, toasted panko breadcrumbs, which make them extra crunchy and delicious!
- Air fryer chicken tenders is made with almost no oil. It's so easy, crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and bursting with irresistible garlic parmesan flavor.
- This air fryer breaded shrimp is so easy, crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside.
- This air fryer breaded tilapia is crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, thanks to a simplified breading technique.
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Sandra Marion
Five stars - this recipe was really excellent. The eggplant was hot and crispy, not soft like a baked recipe. I did find the prep time was longer than 15 minutes (dipping all those slices takes a while!) but otherwise I made the recipe pretty much as outlined. My eggplant slices took more panko and I used the refrigerated semi-dehydrated basil for its intense flavor. My husband, who is a major meat-eater, raved about this eggplant. "You can make this any time you want." I found the left-over slices refrigerated well and re-heated nicely in the air fryer.
Maria Doss
Glad you loved it hun - Maria
Marguerite
I love eggplant parmesan; this was my first time making it in the air-fryer, and it was excellent. I used homemade marinara (no sugar added), so it wasn't too sweet; I also had a bit of cooked italian sausage left over from a pizza oven night, which I added to my carnivore-husband's half, and it was great!
Maria Doss
Happy to hear hun, have a wonderful day - Maria