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!
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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!
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Wow, made this tonight for my eggplant parm. Total game changer. Didn’t need to add any extra oil while frying for 2 large eggplants. Will always fry eggplant this way from now on. Thanks Tori!
You’re welcome! So happy it’s helpful. 🙂
I have made a low carb. Eggplant and quinoa lasagna three times now. I should have tried to find a less oily way to fry It sooner.
I will definitely try this method next time.
Thanks,
Rollie
Genius. Works!
Indeed! 😀
Hi Tori, this seems brilliant and I can’t wait to try! I was wondering, have you ever fried the eggplant in advance and then use them later for an eggplant Parmesan? I didn’t know if they would get too soggy if I waited to long to serve them after frying. I’d love to hear what you think. Thank you!
Hi Jenny! I’ve always served these after cooking, so not totally sure. I think they might hold up well, but would love to hear if you try what your results were!
I just made this for the first time today. I love that it’s so much quicker to prepare and the oil stays clean throughout the multiple batches I fried. I never had to refill my pan with oil and I fried three eggplants with both egg whites and oil left over. I drained them on paper towels and set them aside on a plate, and made a simple parmesan with a little sauce and freshly grated cheese a few hours later. I didn’t set them aside overnight before baking, so I cannot say how they would hold up after refrigeration, but the baked parmesan came out great and it’s not soggy at all.
Glad you like it! I made it for dinner last night again. Topped it with tahini sauce and served with seared zucchini. Love it every time!
Coat with cooking spray, salt and pepper and roast in the oven. Forget frying.
Frying as directed above will produce a very different result than roasting. It really depends on what texture you’re going for. Fried eggplant is tender inside with a slightly crisp exterior. Roasted tends to be drier throughout – still good, but different.
The “Print Recipe” button doesn’t work. Looking forward to making these!
Can you please let me know what browser you are using so I can troubleshoot?
Definitely worth trying! I’ll pass this info on to others who need to cut back on fats, but who love eggplant! Thank you! — Bjo
Yes, it’s a fabulous little trick!
We love eggplant (my husband is an Israeli) and I have made your eggplant salad which is wonderful. I will try this eggplant recipe to see how it works. I am also tempted to try doing this in my air fryer with just a brush of oil on each side. I have made falafel in the air fryer and it works great. Have had many compliments. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
You’re welcome!
Thank you for this game-changing tip!
This looks delicious…since it’s gluten free, even better! In the video, you seem to be using a regular (all Clad?) frying pan. The directions say non-stick…later it shows a non-stick pan in the photos. Not sure which would be best. Would the regular pan make a crisper exterior?
You can use either or, since the cooking oil should be deep enough that the eggplant won’t touch the pan’s surface (the slices should “float” in the oil). I generally fry in my nonstick or cast iron, but either will work.
Tried this cooking method tonight and could not believe how good they were! Thank you very much.
That was awesome. This will be how I always cook them from now on. Thank you!
OK! Now this is really a treasure! Let me first say, I like how you present situations and preface your recipe. It is so worthwhile! And I’ve been cooking a long time! I especially love eggplant. I’ve been known to eat a whole plate of fried eggplant slices by the end of the evening. I’m going to try your method-then I can feel less guilty. I’m sure it works! I’ve never heard of using only the egg whites for the batter. This is going to change my life! People love my eggplant casserole, t which I add a layer of cooked swiss chard and fried eggplant rings. This is going to make it even better–and healthier!! Going to Trader Joes to get my eggplant right now!
Can I bread these slices?
Sounds great!
Thank you so much for this recipe. It was so good. I would of never thought to use just the egg whites. So yummy!!!!!!!
THANKS, so much ? my fried eggplant your recipe was AWESOME ?
Can l cover the pan with that screen thingie meant to keep grease from splattering. I use it when frying bacon
Sure.
WOW! This fried eggplant was amazing. This was the first time I have had fried eggplant that didn’t soak up all the oil. When I cut the eggplant to take a bite, the insides were vanilla-white–no oil, delicious. I pre-salted the eggplant with garlic salt, after 20 minutes I washed the slices in purified water. I seasoned with fresh ground pepper only. I served them as a side dish with Mediterranean tuna salad that had peeled tomatoes diced, English cucumbers diced, and other ingredients. This recipe has changed how I fry eggplant from now on. Thank you so very much. My wife has dementia, so I do all the cooking, and she ate this like a child would eat candy.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Gaylord! Wishing you and your wife all the best.
Brilliant. I’ll try soon !