Air fryer eggplant parmesan (vegan & crispy)

Non-dairy cheese and marinara on vegan eggplant parmesan.

5 from 5 votes

Air fryer eggplant parmesan (vegan & crispy)

This easy recipe makes an entree that's both weeknight-friendly and dinner party-worthy. Crispy slices of breaded eggplant are topped with your favorite marinara and a pinch of non-dairy cheese. It comes together quickly in the air fryer. And the leftovers are terrific too!

For a gluten-free option, use gluten free panko breadcrumbs.

One medium-sized eggplant makes about 13 to 16 slices of vegan eggplant parmesan.

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Air fryer, Italian, Vegan

Keyword: air fryer dinner, weeknight meal

Servings: people

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

¼ to ½ cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
½ to 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Use gluten free panko for a GF option.)
1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 to 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 to 2 teaspoons granulated onion
1 to 2 teaspoons vegan parmesan (Homemade or store-bought)
Pinch of salt plus more as needed
Dash of black pepper plus more as needed
1 medium-sized eggplant cut into ½ inch slices, top & bottom removed
Spritz of oil spray
½ to ¾ cup marinara sauce
¼ to ½ cup vegan mozzarella cheese shreds

Instructions

Start by making a breading station with three plates.
On first plate: Put ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise.
On second plate: Combine ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon granulated onion, 1 teaspoon vegan parmesan, a pinch of salt, and dash of pepper.
On third plate: This empty plate is for the eggplant slices once breaded.
Use your fingers to coat each eggplant slice with a very thin layer of mayo, almost like you're finger painting. (You don't want any mayonnaise dollops. It's just a sheer coating, so that the breadcrumb mixture can stick to the slices.)
For easiest breading, I recommend coating ALL of the slices in mayo before moving on to the next step.
(If at any point you run out of mayo, add more to the plate as needed - up to another ¼ cup.)
Dip each slice into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to coat every side. Once they're breaded, move them to the third plate.
(If at any point you run out of panko and seasonings, add the remaining ½ cup panko, 1 teaspoon oregano, basil, and granulated onion, and another pinch of salt and pepper.)
Put the eggplant slices into the air fryer basket in an even layer.
For best browning, don't overcrowd the basket with slices on top of each other. You want room for air to flow all around each slice. (You'll likely need to cook in batches.) Spritz the top of the eggplant slices with oil spray.
Air fry at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, stopping once halfway through to flip the slices (or once they are nice & brown on top) and spritz the slices with more oil spray.
When you've reached the last two minutes of cooking time (at the 10-minute mark), add a spoonful of marinara sauce and a pinch of vegan mozzarella cheese to each slice, and continue cooking.
Once the eggplant slices are browned and the cheese has melted, remove the eggplant slices from the air fryer.
If cooking in batches, air fry any remaining eggplant slices, until all of the eggplant has been air fried.
Keep in mind that the air fryer cooks faster when it's hot. So the subsequent batches may need to be flipped earlier or cooked for a slightly shorter time. Keep an eye on them for burning, and trust your judgement when it's looking brown enough.

Notes

Ingredient notes

Use a standard, medium-sized purple globe eggplant. It can be either American or Italian. You don't want a Japanese, Indian, or Thai eggplant.

If you'd like to make breaded eggplant without sauce and mozzarella cheese, you can remove the slices from the air fryer once they are brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.

If you don't have access to non-dairy parmesan, no problem. It can easily be omitted from the recipe, and there's plenty of flavor without it.

If you're using store-bought vegan parmesan in a block, be sure to finely grate it first.

Storage & reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 or 4 days.

To reheat, put the breaded eggplant into the air fryer in an even layer. Add fresh marinara sauce & non-dairy cheese to each slice. (It's okay to put it on top of the sauce & cheese that's already there.) Then air fry for 5 minutes at 390 degrees or until fully heated and crispy. (For obvious reasons, don't flip it.)

Nutrition