Homemade Fried Eggplant:

Better Than Takeout

Crispy, golden, and gone in seconds—fried eggplant is the holiday appetizer you didn’t know you needed! If you’ve been hanging around here long enough, you know that about a year ago my husband and I packed up our things and moved down to Florida. Which means the holidays aren’t as rowdy as they used to be. From large family gatherings, we’ve simmered down our holiday meals to a quiet group of two (plus one very eager furbaby always on standby for anything that falls from the table).

This Easter, I found myself staring into the fridge, trying to put together a simple menu for the evening. It was a holiday after all, so we still needed a full spread — but something manageable. And by manageable, I mean something I could make in small batches, because if given the chance, I’ll absolutely pretend I'm cooking for a crowd.

That’s when I spotted a plump eggplant tucked behind some greens and knew exactly what had to happen. Enter: the easiest, crispiest fried eggplant — ready in minutes, totally irresistible, and perfect for a scaled-down celebration (or anytime you need a quick, delicious bite).

Ingredients

  • 1 Eggplant

  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

  • 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

  • 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour

  • 1/2 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs

  • 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

  • 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning (I used Newman’s Own )

  • 2 Whole Eggs

  • Vegetable Oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. Slice your eggplant into about 1 inch rounds and set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with black pepper. Set aside.

  3. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Stir and set aside.

  4. In another medium bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine and set aside.

  5. Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat.

  6. Set up your "work station" by lining up the bowls: first the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and finally the breadcrumb mixture.

  7. Working one slice at a time, coat each eggplant round in the flour mixture (both sides), then dip it into the egg mixture (both sides), and finally coat it in the breadcrumb mixture (both sides). Place the coated rounds on a plate.

  8. Once the oil is hot and all rounds are coated, gently drop the eggplant slices into the oil. Fry until golden and crispy.

Equipment

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