How to Fry Eggplant with Less Oil – Learn to fry eggplant slices perfectly golden crisp without getting soggy or oil-soaked. Healthier frying method for eggplant.
Do you love fried eggplant, but hate that it soaks up oil as it cooks? For years I avoided cooking eggplant slices; they really slurp up oil like a sponge. I replaced fried slices with roasted eggplant pieces in many dishes (those roasted pieces are great, by the way!). But there are times when we crave the taste of fried eggplant.
Well guess what? You CAN fry eggplant in oil without it turning soggy or greasy! The secret? Egg whites! Hey, it works for pie crust, doesn’t it??
I’ve run through the basic concept below. This method has consistently given me perfect, golden brown slices of fried eggplant while minimizing the amount of oil needed for a great result. The only thing you need to watch out for is splattering… wear an apron, and be aware that in the first 60 seconds of frying there may be a few little splatters here and there.
Those of you who love eggplant will adore this recipe. If you try it, let me know how it works for you! One more tip… I love to serve the fresh, hot fried slices topped with tahini sauce and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. Toasted pine nuts are a nice touch as well. Highly recommended!
Recommended Products:
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to Fry Eggplant with Less Oil
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant, about 1 medium
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large egg whites
- Oil with a high smoke point for frying (grapeseed, avocado, and peanut oil work well)
NOTES
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds. Place the rounds in a colander and sprinkle them with salt (sea salt, kosher salt, any kind of salt will work). Make sure each eggplant round has a thin sprinkling of salt on it. Let the slices sit for 20-30 minutes until beads of liquid form on the surface. This process helps to remove any bitterness that may be present in the eggplant. Note that if you're using smaller eggplant pieces here, like Japanese eggplant, they are very rarely bitter and likely will not need salting. I usually use a medium-sized eggplant in this preparation because I like the size of the slices it produces for frying.
- Rinse the eggplant pieces thoroughly to remove the salt. Pat dry and spread out on a cutting board. Sprinkle the eggplant slices lightly with salt. The salt from the colander will be mostly gone after rinsing; if you're salt sensitive, you can skip adding salt at this point and add to taste after frying. Sprinkle the slices lightly with black pepper (also optional, but recommended). Whisk the two egg whites in a small bowl for about 60 seconds. Brush the seasoned eggplant slices with a THIN layer of egg white, making sure the entire white surface of the slice is coated. Turn the slices and brush the other side with another thin layer of egg white, so all white surfaces of the slices are covered with egg white.
- Heat 1/4 inch of grapeseed oil in a nonstick skillet over medium until hot enough for frying. The ideal temperature for frying eggplant is about 365-375 degrees F. The best way to monitor the temperature is to use a deep fry or candy thermometer; or, you can drop a small piece of bread into the oil. If it takes 60 seconds to brown, the oil temperature is perfect for frying. Heat up the oil while you're brushing the eggplant slices with egg white to save on time!
- Place 3 slices gently into the hot oil (do not cook more than 3-4 slices per batch, or the oil temperature will drop). Careful, it may splatter a bit, especially during the first minute or so of cooking. Let the slices fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.Remove slices from the hot oil and drain on a drying rack or paper towel.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
SaveSave
Lorraine says
Thank you so much for the tip. First time I had almost the same amount of oil when I finished as I had when I started and there is no eggy taste at all. Brilliant.
Steffi says
Such a cool and easy trick – turned out amazing. Thanks a lot! Now we can enjoy them guilt free, wohoo.
Angie says
Wow! What a breakthrough. Turned out great. So delicious. I’ve always loved eggplant, but it’s been a mystery to me how to get that great texture. I look forward to cooking eggplant for friends and family.
Thank you so much.
Mac Man says
Tried this recipe this evening and it was awesome. So much better than drenching in flower (what I normally do). I was really surprised at the minimal amount of oil that was absorbed. In fact if I had measured the oil in a measuring cup after the frying I am sure it would have been nominal. Problem is I would have to measure the amount of oil poured in the electric skillet. Recently I found an electric skillet that had not been used in number of years and I have enjoyed getting back together- . I love my Wolfe gas range but there is something really comfortable about using that sunbeam skillet.
Anyway thanks for the tip- the egg white wash was the bomb.
Hannah says
Hi Tori, I have just come across you website looking for borek as and am just soo excited. I live in SA so we pretty limited in terms of your ingredients. My grandparents used to own one of the biggest chain of confectionery stores in Israel for years (sold out about 15 yrs ago only – was run by my moms brother) and their stuff was just to die for. I don’t know if I can put the name on so will leave it out now. I want to make your borekas for Yom Tov and thought of the egg plant – frying it in matzo meal??? Looking soo forward to many more recipes and having some Kosher is a plus. Kind regards and Shabbat Shalom to all who who take part.
Theresa says
This method is BRILLIANT! I never comment on blogs, but I really had to say something about this post. Excellent idea–you don’t taste the egg at all, and the result is eggplant slices that are golden on the outside and creamy on the inside. Thank you for this tip!
Amy says
I just ate two small eggplant in one sitting and didn’t save a single round for my family #sorrynotsorry
Ravi Shankar says
Really great tip – it works brilliantly! One thing I found though (and I’m not sure why this is so) but if you don’t salt and wash the aubergine slices before brushing and frying them, they still absorb oil – so it looks like you can’t just get away with slicing the aubergine, brushing them with egg white and then frying them.
Hazel says
Hi Tori, thank you so much for this amazing tip on using egg white! I just fried a batch of brinjal and the result is wonderfully crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Thank you once again!!
Tori Avey says
You’re welcome Hazel!
Joy says
Wonderful to read this as I am doing aubergines (egg plant) today. I didn’t know anything about the egg white! My only sadness was the sogginess after frying. I am going to use my last egg on these slices and looking forward to gorging into them. By the way I make the following sauce: Nature (plain) yoghourt; squeezed fresh garlic; olive oil; pepper and dash of cream. Whip this up until it is creamy and thick. You can add a dash of salt if needed. I find this dip delicious but then I am a great fan of garlic and all the good it does us.
Margaret says
Amazing results — I could not believe it until I tried it. True enough, eggplant does not soak up the oil if dredged in egg whites first…. (and pre-soaked in salt water of course).
Kay says
Followed the recipe part way. Mom wanted the eggplant breaded with coconut flour, so after the egg white wash I used a small amount of coconut flour. I tried one piece but she ate the rest of the eggplant with salsa and parmesan cheese. Lots of oil left over and a happy mom. Who could ask for anything more?
Glenda says
So yummy!!! I saw a recipe for a dip earlier in the day, so I tried with eggplants. It was greek yogurt based, but I through in some mayo and sour cream. I chopped some jalapeño and added to the cream mixture. The added ingredients would be what you enjoy.
Tori Avey says
Sounds amazing Glenda!
Kori says
Best tip ever! Thank you so much!
Moro says
This sounds great. I am making a mousaka today and my eggplants are already sliced. I am gonna try this way today. My only worry, do you taste the eggs at all? Because that wouldn’t match the finished dish. I guess I ll try a slice the continue accordingly. Thanks for a great tip
Tori Avey says
Hi Moro, in my opinion it does not have an eggy flavor at all if you’re only using the whites. Good luck!
Daniel L. Archleb says
Works wonderfully and saves a lot of oil, thanks for the tip! (Though I didn’t rinse the eggplant well enough/put too much salt on it, and I had to save it by putting the fried pieces into an unsalted tomato sauce with garlic… 🙂 )
Kate says
I’m going to try this tonight! I was thinking of frying some green summer squash as well. Has anyone tried this technique with those? Or does anyone have tips on frying them?
Gloria says
Yes, zucchini can be fried. As a southerner, I much prefer frying yellow “crookneck” squash. In any case do NOT get large squash, no larger than 1.5″ diameter. Ideally, they are firm with few blemishes, if any. I use a light dredge of flour, dip in beaten eggs, and then roll in Panko bread crumbs. Most of the online sites now are using this technique for frying almost anything!
Heidi says
Hi Tori! This blog is awesome. I love your tahini sauce recipe and your different hummus options. This eggplant recipe looks great, but it’s under the vegan section and contains eggs. Eggs aren’t vegan. Do you have a vegan alternative for eggs that work the same?
Tori Avey says
Hi Heidi! Sorry this was incorrectly categorized. I don’t have a vegan option currently, but I will work on one and hopefully get back to you if I find a sub that works well!
lou says
will regular eggs work? why egg whites? and what if you want to bread them?
Tori Avey says
This is not a breaded recipe. Egg whites are used because they are lighter than whole eggs, but you can feel free to use regular eggs, they will work just as well.
Donald Hecht says
An old trick that works.
Tia Elisheva Semer says
Yay! I never knew that salt trick for the bitterness, either. Can’t wait to try this! Thank you!
Bev Hoffman-Rush says
It seems like a lot to go through to make this Tahini sauce.