Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

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Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan is a fresh new way to make classic eggplant parm.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Mary Younkin

Ingredients

Air Fried Eggplant Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
⅔ cup grated Parmesan plus 2 tablespoons for serving
½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cups Panko bread crumbs
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Olive oil spray

Eggplant Parmesan Ingredients

2 cups pasta sauce or marinara, store-bought or homemade
8 fresh basil leaves sliced very thin
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped small

Instructions

To Air Fry the Eggplant

Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Peel the eggplant and slice into very thin 1/4" slices. Lay the eggplant slices out on a wire rack or on paper towels and sprinkle liberally with salt. Let the eggplant sit for about 30 minutes then soak up any excess water that comes out by patting them with paper towels. (Step-by-step photos for salting eggplant can be found in this post.)
Using two shallow bowls, add eggs and milk to one and whisk to combine. In the second bowl, combine Parmesan, flour, Panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Stir to combine.
Dip an eggplant slice in the egg until fully coated then dip in the dry mixture pressing firmly to make sure to fully coat both sides. Place the coated slice on a clean tray or platter. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.
Spray the basket of your air fryer with nonstick spray and place eggplant slices in an even layer in the basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in multiple batches. Air fry for 6-8 minutes, flip the slices over, and air fry again for another 6-8 minutes, until golden and crispy.

To Assemble the Eggplant Parmesan

Coat the bottom of a small casserole dish (choose one that fits inside your air fryer - see below for alternatives) with about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and layer with eggplant slices. Sprinkle with sliced basil and then top those slices with more marinara and mozzarella cheese, and then repeat with another layer of eggplant, basil, marinara, and mozzarella cheese.
Air fry (or bake in the oven) for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with additional basil, parsley, and Parmesan before serving.

Notes

This recipe is written for the small 6" pan that fits inside my air-fryer. However, once you've air fried the eggplant, you can assemble and bake this in any pan you like. A doubled recipe can be baked in a 10" pan at 375°F for about 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

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