I finally tried eggplant recently–I can’t believe it took me so long, because I love it! So far, I’ve made eggplant parmesan, eggplant pasta salad, ratatouille tian, eggplant rollatini, roasted eggplant pasta salad, baba ganoush, pasta alla Norma, and roasted ratatouille, which we all loved. I decided to make this baked eggplant fries recipe served with a warm marinara sauce for an after-school snack for my kids. My son wasn’t a big fan, but my daughter and her friend ate them all and said they were delicious. These eggplant fries were crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and tasted wonderful dipped in the simple marinara.

Baked Eggplant Fries

Eggplant:

2 small globe eggplants, cut crosswise into ¼ inch thick rounds
1 tbsp kosher salt
½ cup flour
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
2 eggs, well beaten
1½ cups plain panko crumbs
½ cup Parmesan, finely grated

Marinara:

1 tbsp olive oil
½ small yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-oz) can of whole tomatoes, crushed with a spoon
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Pinch of sugar, if needed

How to Make Baked Eggplant Fries

Remove excess liquid from the eggplant by tossing the slices with a tablespoon of kosher salt until evenly coated on both sides. Place a colander in the sink and line the base and walls with the salted slices.

Allow them to sit for 45 minutes to allow the eggplant to release its liquid. Don’t skip this process or your eggplant will be bitter and soggy.

Meanwhile, make the marinara by heating a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, oregano, basil, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Add the can of tomatoes, then crush them with a spoon.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 – 30 minutes. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add a pinch of sugar if needed.

When the eggplant is nearly finished draining and the marinara is simmering, place a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

Dry the eggplant by spreading it out on a triple layer of paper towels and topping with another triple layer of paper towels. Cover with a baking sheet and press firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Allow them to sit for a few minutes.

Wipe off the excess salt from each slice.

Cut each eggplant round into fries; they won’t be perfectly shaped, but who cares? Set aside until ready to dredge.

Prepare a dredging station by pouring the flour into a shallow bowl, then season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

Whisk two eggs in a shallow bowl until well combined, then season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste.

Place panko crumbs and parmesan into a shallow bowl, then season with sea salt & freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste.

Dredge the dried eggplant fries first in the seasoned flour. Next, dredge them in the egg, and finally in the panko/parmesan crumbs until evenly coated; set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining fries.

Bake the eggplant fries by carefully removing the HOT baking sheet from the oven and pouring two tablespoons of oil on the sheet; tip to coat evenly.

Carefully place the panko / parmesan-coated eggplant fries on the baking sheet.

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully flip them over with a wide spatula.

Continue to bake for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.

Serve the eggplant fries with the warm marinara immediately. Enjoy.