Air Fryer Eggplant Caprese! A new and delicious spin on a traditional caprese salad!!! Grab in-season eggplant while you can and make this!
Don’t have an air fryer? No problem! Check out the recipe card below for oven instructions.
When I was younger, I hated eggplant. I don’t remember the first time trying it. . but I wasn’t a fan of the spongey texture. I realize now that however I ate it, it wasn’t prepared correctly. I have since made this roasted zucchini and eggplant lasagna and used it for a burger bun and in these sliders.
Eggplant
Eggplant has a flavor similar to summer squash or zucchini: tender, mild, and sweet with a slight vegetal bitterness. Eggplant will absorb the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with. It’s texture is firm and spongy when raw, and meltingly tender when cooked (especially fried, smoked, or braised).
Air Fryer Eggplant Caprese
I absolutely loved this air fryer eggplant caprese stack. Stack it was high as you want it; up to you! Obviously, it will be easier to eat if it’s smaller but I love seeing all of these beautiful layers! This is sooooo good. I hope you try it!
What do you think? Does this look good? Are you a fan of eggplant?
Air Fryer Eggplant Caprese
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized eggplant sliced crosswise into 8 slices
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour or almond flour
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup panko
- kosher salt
- 1 to 2 cups jarred marinara sauce warmed
- 2 large tomatoes sliced
- fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
- pesto
- fresh basil + more for garnish if desired
- balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Prep your eggplant: Set up your dredging station: Place flour in a shallow dish. Place eggs in another dish and the panko in another. Sprinkle each eggplant slice evenly with salt on both sides. Dredge both sides of the eggplant slices in the flour; then the egg, and lastly in the panko. Place the breaded eggplant slices on a plate and set aside.
- Place eggplant into your air fryer racks and air fry for 12 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. If using an air fryer with a drawer, flip (turn over) your eggplant halfway through.
- To serve: place one air fryer eggplant onto a plate. Top with marinara sauce, some basil, a tomato slice, mozzarella cheese, pesto, another eggplant slice, tomato or more marinara sauce, a light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze if desired and more fresh basil for garnish. Repeat three more times to make 3 more. Enjoy immediately!
same with eggplant for me! Now it’s a nice way to take a break from traditional proteins and this is very nice, so thank you
Followed the instructions for the eggplant but also broiled the tomatoes a bit then added mozzarella slice and broiled a bit more. Layered that with eggplant and heated marinara & fresh basil as directed. Added shredded mozzarella on top and drizzled with balsamic glaze. I forgot to buy pesto which would have been a good addition. My spouse doesn’t care for raw tomatoes so slightly broiling them worked out well. Thanks for the inspiration.