This deliciously crispy yet healthy recipe for Air Fryer Eggplant Milanese is served on a bed of arugula with cherry tomatoes tossed in balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, shaved parmesan and a delicious balsamic glaze for a delicious vegetarian salad that is easy to make gluten-free!
I’ve had some requests recently for more meatless meals! As well as more air fryer meals. So, I figured this recipe for Air Fryer Eggplant Milanese was a great place to start. My mom was talking about making eggplant Milanese a few weeks ago. Soon after I saw Bobby Flay post about eggplant Milanese on Instagram. Then it clicked, Air Fryer Eggplant Milanese!
I was heavily inspired by Bobby Flay’s post. But, I tweaked it quite a bit. He cut his eggplant lengthwise. I prefer eggplant rounds. I served mine over a bed of arugula then topped it with a cherry tomato balsamic salad, shaved parmesan, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The eggplant got so crispy in the air fryer! My husband who usually isn’t a fan of meatless meals said he wouldn’t mind if we had this weekly! I’d call that a win.
I hope you love this Air Fryer Eggplant Milanese! It’s a great vegetarian dish to add to your weekly menu. Super easy to throw together but feels somewhat fancy if you ask me 😉
What does “Milanese” mean?
“Milanese” style means breading something (usually thin sliced meat – I also like to make a chicken version [3]) in flour, eggs and seasoned breadcrumbs. Then frying it! Chicken Milanese is a very popular Italian dish.
Which air fryer do you use?
I have the Crux digital air fryer and absolutely love it! They don’t make my exact model anymore – but click here [4] for the new version. It has great reviews. I also heard amazing things about this Ninja air fryer [5] with a convection oven included. I love my air fryer for getting breaded foods super crisp! Crispy eggplant is so underrated.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes! I used panko breadcrumbs, but I also tried it with Trader Joe’s gluten-free rice crumbs which also works!
A few extra tips for nailing this Air Fryer Eggplant recipe:
- Make sure to slice the eggplant 1/2 an inch thick, at most 3/4 an inch. No thinner or thicker or else timing may be off for cooking! I found 1/2 an inch to be the perfect width for this dish.
- Season season season! Bobby Flay taught me this and it does make a HUGE difference. I season my eggplant before I air fry it (before breading), then season the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. As well as the tomato salad. It’s like layers and amplifies the flavor.
- Don’t skip the balsamic glaze, it really rounds off the dish!
Other recipes you will love:
- Chicken Milanese with Burrata and Arugula [3]
- Burrata Panzanella with Pesto [6]
- Air Fryer Cheeseburger Sliders [7]
- Air Fryer Breaded Lemon Pepper Shrimp [8]
- Honey Aleppo Pepper Wings [9]
- Cheeseburger Gnocchi (Hamburger Helper) [10]
Why not save & pin for later?
Make sure you don’t lose this recipe by saving it for later! Also, for more recipes make sure you’re following me on Pinterest [11], Instagram [12] and like my page on Facebook [13]. If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and tag me in your pictures!
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Air Fryer Eggplant Milanese
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
Description
This deliciously crispy yet healthy recipe for Air Fryer Eggplant Milanese is served on a bed of arugula with cherry tomatoes tossed in balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, shaved parmesan and a delicious balsamic glaze for a delicious vegetarian salad that is easy to make gluten-free!
Ingredients
Eggplant Milanese
- 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup breadcrumbsÂ
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- cooking spray
Cherry Tomato Salad
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1–2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- handful of arugula
- fresh basil ribbons, to taste
- balsamic glaze, to taste
- shaved parmesan, to taste
Instructions
- Season your eggplant rounds with salt and pepper.
- Spray your air fryer basket then add eggplant rounds. You can stack them for this part. Lightly spray the eggplant and air fry at 400 degrees F for about 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, set up your breading station; flour in one shallow bowl with salt and pepper, whisked eggs in another shallow bowl with salt and pepper, then breadcrumbs in a third bowl with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Take your eggplant rounds and dip in flour, then egg (shake off excess egg), then fully coat in the breadcrumbs. I press them on so it sticks well. Repeat with all of the eggplant rounds.
- Spray the air fryer basket again, then lay the breaded eggplant rounds in a single layer. This will probably have to be done in batches.
- Spray the tops of the breaded eggplant very generously with non-stick spray.
- Air fry at 380 degrees F for 6 minutes, flip (spray again if desired) and cook for 5-6 more minutes or until they’re crispy and golden.
- Meanwhile, make cherry tomato salad by combining the halved tomatoes, balsamic vinegar to taste, olive oil, a bit of salt and pepper, and the minced garlic. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Assemble by adding arugula to the plates, then top with eggplant Milanese, cherry tomato salad, basil, shaved parmesan, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free use Trader Joe’s ricecrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
Find it online: https://dashofmandi.com/air-fryer-eggplant-milanese/ [16]