Fried Eggplant

There’s just something about a plate of hot, crispy fried eggplant that feels like home. Thin slices of eggplant are salted first to pull out the extra moisture, then breaded and fried until golden brown on the outside and tender in the middle.

The trick is giving the eggplant a little time to drain before breading it, then letting that breading rest for a few minutes before it hits the hot oil. That helps everything stick and gives you that crisp, crunchy coating you want.

Serve these straight from the skillet as a side dish, an appetizer, or use them as the base for something a little more over-the-top—because around here, fried eggplant is rarely the end of the story.

Ingredients

Fried Eggplant

1 large globe eggplant, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds (about 1 ¼ pounds)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 cups Italian Seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbsp Seasoning of your choice, I use cajun/creole style
1 cup canola oil, for frying

Instructions

Fried Eggplant

Place the eggplant slices in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to evenly coat. Set aside for 10 to 20 minutes, then use a clean dish towel or paper towels to pat each slice dry, absorbing any water that has been released.
Meanwhile, place the flour in a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Crack the eggs and add milk into a second bowl and beat them with a fork. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and seasoning.
Working one at a time, dip the eggplant rounds into the flour, shaking off any excess, then into the egg mixture, and finally, into the panko mixture, coating each piece completely. Place on a paper towel lined plate until ready to cook.
Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high. When the oil is hot (it should sizzle immediately if you drop a breadcrumb into the pan), carefully place a few eggplant slices in the pan. Adjust heat to medium and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides.
Transfer to the prepared plate, sprinkle lightly with salt and repeat with the remaining eggplant, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent smoking. Sprinkle the eggplant with parsley and serve hot, with marinara sauce for dipping if you like.