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The following recipe was created in collaboration with Lauren Schulte. To see more of her bites and meals, visit her Instagram @TheBiteSizePantry.
Its Midwest grown produce season at Heinen’s, and whether or not you like eggplant, my lightly breaded and air fried Eggplant Parm Bites are so delicious, you’ll find yourself craving this purple veggie all season long!
If you don’t own an air fryer, don’t fret, this snack or appetizer can be easily baked in the oven, but I just love the extra crispy texture that the air fryer creates. With just a spritz of heart-healthy avocado oil, rather than a bath of frying oil, these soft-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside bites are well-balanced and nutritious!
- Cook time:
- 15min
- Prep time:
- 15min
- Total time:
- 30min
- Servings:
- 18 Rounds
Ingredients
For the Eggplant
- 1 medium-size eggplant, sliced into ¼-inch rounds with the skin on
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup egg whites, or two beaten eggs
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- Heinen’s avocado oil spray
For the Rosemary Basil Salt
- A handful of fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 cup coarse sea salt
For the Toppings
- Mid’s tomato basil pasta sauce
- Heinen’s Italian cheese blend
- Rosemary Basil Salt (see above)
Instructions
For the Rosemary Basil Salt
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Blend on low until the salt turns a bright green color and the basil and rosemary are well blended, about 30 seconds.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
For Air Fried Eggplant
- Create a dredging station by filling three separate bowls with the flour (bowl 1), egg whites (bowl 2) and panko bread crumbs and herbs (bowl 3). With a fork, mix the panko bread crumbs with the seasonings.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380˚F for 5 minutes.
- Cut the stem end off of the eggplant and slice the eggplant into ¼-inch rounds.
- One at a time, dip both sides of the eggplant rounds into the flour, followed by the egg whites and breadcrumbs to fully coat.
- Place the coated eggplant rounds into the preheated air fryer basket, making sure that they do not overlap. Spray lightly with Heinen’s avocado oil spray.
- Cook for 8 minutes, flip and spray the other side, then cook for another 3 minutes. Times will vary depending on thickness and your preference for doneness.
- When the second side is crispy, remove from the air fryer and prepare the toppings.
For Oven-Baked Eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
- Create a dredging station by filling three separate bowls with the flour (bowl 1), egg whites (bowl 2) and panko bread crumbs and herbs (bowl 3). With a fork, mix the panko bread crumbs with the seasonings.
- Cut the stem end off of the eggplant and slice the eggplant into ¼-inch rounds.
- One at a time, dip both sides of the eggplant rounds into the flour, followed by the egg whites and breadcrumbs to fully coat.
- Place the coated eggplant rounds on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 375˚F.
- Once the first side is crispy, flip the rounds over, lightly coat them with Heinen’s avocado oil spray and place the tray back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until second side is crispy.
- When the second side is crispy, remove from the oven and prepare the toppings.
For Topping
- Add a Tbsp. of red sauce and shredded Italian cheese to each cooked eggplant round.
- Sprinkle dried oregano and parsley over each slice for garnish.
- Place the eggplant slices back in the oven for 5-8 minutes to melt the cheese. If air frying, place back into the air fryer for an additional 3 minutes. The cheese should be bubbly and start to brown.
- Sprinkle with rosemary basil salt and enjoy!
Chrome
Firefox
Edge
Simply delicious – I baked the peeled eggplant rounds in the oven and used Italian bread crumbs and will make again.?
Hi Brian, we are so glad you enjoyed these eggplant parm bites!