Panko Crusted Eggplant Fries with Spicy Mayo

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Panko Crusted Eggplant Fries with Spicy Mayo

Thick eggplant strips dipped in a seasoned batter, coated in crispy panko, and fried until golden and shatteringly crunchy. Served with a spicy mayo dip for the ultimate snack.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Comfort food, Vegan

Keyword Air fryer eggplant fries, Aubergine fries, baked eggplant fries, Crispy eggplant fries, Crispy fried eggplant, crispy vegan appetizer, Eggplant Appetizer, Eggplant fries, Eggplant fries recipe, Eggplant snack, Fried eggplant, Panko crusted eggplant, Panko eggplant fries, Spicy mayo, vegan eggplant fries, Vegan fries

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 698kcal

Ingredients

Eggplant Fries:

2 medium eggplants peeled
2 cups water
1 tbsp salt for soaking

Batter:

60 g all purpose flour
80 ml cold water
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Coating and Frying:

90 g panko breadcrumbs
oil for frying

Spicy Mayo:

80 g vegan mayo
1 tbsp sriracha
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

Red pepper flakes
Fresh parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut the eggplant. Peel the eggplants and slice them lengthwise into thick fry-shaped strips, keeping the stem end intact so you can hold them like a fan while dipping.
Soak in salt water. Dissolve the salt in the water and submerge the eggplant strips for about 15 minutes. This draws out bitterness and excess moisture. Drain and pat dry.
Make the batter. In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, water, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes until smooth. It should be thick enough to coat the eggplant without sliding off.
Set up your station. Spread the panko breadcrumbs on a separate plate or shallow dish.
Coat the eggplant. Dip the eggplant strips into the batter, letting any excess drip off, then press them into the panko, turning to coat all sides evenly.
Fry. Heat about 1 cm of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, fry the coated eggplant strips in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Drain. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Make the spicy mayo. Mix together the vegan mayo, sriracha, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Serve. Pile the eggplant fries on a plate, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and fresh parsley. Serve hot with the spicy mayo.

Notes

The salt water soak is essential for removing bitterness and excess moisture. Pat the eggplant completely dry before battering. Keep the batter thick so it clings to the strips. These are best served immediately while the panko is still crispy. For an air fryer version, spray breaded strips with oil and air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway.

Nutrition