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Tender slices of fresh eggplant are breaded and air-fried with marinara sauce and loads of melty mozzarella cheese for the perfect weeknight meal!

plated crispy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

Holly’s Recipe Highlights

  • Flavor: Sweet eggplant, a crispy, savory breading, and loads of melty cheese make a classic trio of flavors!
  • Skill Level: This easy recipe is beginner-friendly; just bread, air fry, and layer.
  • Recommended Tools: The air fryer makes wholesome and delicious foods without the fuss and mess of deep-frying.  
  • Serving: Serve with spaghetti or a Caesar salad for a delicious meal!
taking Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan out of the fryer

Easy Eggplant Parmesan Ingredients

  • Eggplant: Eggplant is super easy to prep; no peeling needed! Just rinse, pat dry, and slice evenly so it cooks up perfectly. Look for medium, firm eggplant without bruises for nice uniform rounds.
  • Breading: Flour, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and parmesan cheese are all it takes for this simple breading. Try a panko mixture for more texture and garlic or onion powder for more flavor.
  • Sauce: Buy your favorite brand or make your own marinara and have lots leftover for other recipes!
  • Variations: Use chicken breasts to make a classic chicken parmesan in the air fryer. Don’t have an air fryer? Place the breaded eggplant rounds on a rack over a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until browned and crispy.

How To Make Eggplant Parmesan in the Air Fryer

  1. Bread: Dip eggplant slices in flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixture (recipe below).
  2. Spray: Coat each slice with cooking spray.
  3. Cook: Air fry in a single layer until golden brown, flipping halfway through.
  4. Top: Top with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and air fry until the cheese melts.

Garnish with parsley, basil, or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and serve hot.

close up of Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan on a plate

Leftover Love

Keep leftover air fryer eggplant parmesan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze portions without the sauce and cheese up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the air fryer with a scoop of extra marinara and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Enjoy leftovers tucked into a pita bread or a wrap for a hearty workday lunch, or serve on top of mashed potatoes, homemade egg noodles, or low-carb zucchini noodles.

More Ideas for Eggplant

Did you enjoy this Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan? Be sure to leave a rating and comment below! 

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plated Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan
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Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

Make perfectly crispy, golden air fryer eggplant parmesan for a lighter, easier way to enjoy this classic comfort food!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
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Ingredients  

  • 1 large eggplant or two small
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup marinara sauce plus additional for serving if desired
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat the air fryer to 380°F.
  • Slice eggplant into ½" slices and dry with a paper towel.
  • Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
  • Place flour in another bowl and whisked eggs in another.
  • Dip the eggplant slices in the flour, then the egg, and finally into the bread crumb mixture.
  • Spray each side of the eggplant with cooking spray and place in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
  • Cook for 5 minutes then flip the slices over and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
  • Place marinara sauce and shredded cheese on top and cook for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve with additional sauce if desired.

Notes

  • Cook in batches, and do not crowd the air fryer basket.
  • Store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
  • Reheat in the air fryer or under the broiler until heated through and crispy again. 
4.97 from 58 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 281 | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 815mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 685IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 242mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Air Fryer, Appetizer, Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine American, Italian
Diet Vegetarian
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close up of Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan with writing
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Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan in the fryer and plated with a title

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. This is now my favorite eggplant parmesan recipe – so much better than the oil-fryed pan version that Mom made! I made it just as described and it turned out perfectly, eggplant cooked just right and golden crumb crust. I did not spray all of the eggplant with oil, as I ran out of Pam spray, but it still turned out great. This is a keeper! Thanks!5 stars

  2. Made this tonight. Eggplant straight from the garden. It was delicious! All the flavor and so much less oil! Wonderful!!!5 stars

  3. I am wondering how the best way to freeze the slices would be. Do you think cooking and then freezing, or freezing first? Thanks

    1. We’ve tried freezing leftovers but haven’t tried freezing them before so I can’t say for sure. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Terri!

  4. Followed recipe exactly and got a crisp on the outside, tender on the inside result! And no salting of the eggplant beforehand to draw out moisture, just patted dry with paper towels. Terrific! And pretty dang fast as well!5 stars

  5. so good! I will definitely make this again. I also added more spices to the breadcrumb mixture (onion and garlic powder). I did use a larger eggplant so I didn’t get many out of it. I think next time I will get a few smaller ones.5 stars

  6. Thanks for all the air fry recipes. Air frying isn’t just done in a counter-top appliance any more, though. My whole oven does air frying! I could air fry a turkey, if I wanted to.5 stars

  7. This is great! I made it with one small change…lower temp 370 and 6 mins on each side. Great and easy!5 stars

    1. Thanks for the feedback, Bonnie! You can definitely cut them to your preference, if cutting thinner just be careful not to overcook them!