Whole eggplants in the air fryer: Eggplant salad
Whole eggplants in the air fryer, great for many uses, are prepared quickly, without smoke or smells, peel off easily and make an excellent healthy side dish: vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free
With these eggplants cooked in the air fryer, I quickly made a healthy and tasty side dish: eggplant salad!
In summer, these eggplants make a great cold, light summer side dish, but they’re delicious all year round.
The advantages of cooking in an air fryer are many: no need to preheat the oven, cooking is faster, more economical and healthier (very little fat needed), fewer pots and dishes to wash, no smoke or strong odors. Light, vegan and vegetarian recipe.
The air fryer also allows you to obtain dry, non-watery cooked eggplants that are very appetizing.
When you buy eggplants, check that the flesh is firm and the skin shiny; if they have wrinkled, dull or soft parts they are starting to wilt.
Eggplants can also be frozen raw. Once cooked, store them in the fridge in a tightly closed airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Please note that the air fryer temperature and cooking times are indicative, as they depend a lot on your specific fryer model and the size of the eggplants; however, the recipes on my blog have all been previously and rigorously tested by me, so they are well tried and tested.
You might also be interested in:
- Scialatielli Aumm Aumm with eggplant and fiordilatte. Very easy Caprese recipe.
- Neapolitan fried eggplant sandwich stuffed with salami and fiordilatte.
- Conchiglioni with peppers and fried eggplant. Family recipe
- Neapolitan eggplant parmigiana! Original family recipe
- Summer flan of cannelloni in an eggplant turban. Step-by-step recipe
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 3 Days 30 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Summer
Ingredients for Whole Eggplants in the Air Fryer for Salad
- 2 black oval eggplants
- to taste extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed, spray)
- 1 garlic (whole)
- to taste parsley
- to taste ground chili pepper
- to taste fine salt
Tools
- Bowls various sizes
- Air fryer Cosori, roomy (5.7L) even cooking
- Air fryer liners perforated
- Air fryer paper trays without holes, very thin
- Grill mat reusable, scratch-resistant
Steps for Whole Eggplants in the Air Fryer for Salad
Wash the oval eggplants and pierce them with a fork; optionally, spray them with a little oil and sprinkle with salt.
Place the whole eggplants in the basket of the air fryer.
Set the air fryer to “Manual” and program the eggplants to cook at 320°F for 20 minutes and then at 356°F for 10 minutes (30 minutes total). Let rest 5 minutes.
Place the cooked eggplants on a cutting board, cut them lengthwise in half and use a fork to scoop out the flesh, trying to remove the seeds.
Spoon all the flesh from the eggplants and arrange it in strips in a bowl,
I dressed the eggplants with a little extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chili, salt and parsley; mix and serve as a side dish (you can also blend them into a spread with a mixer).
Personally, I find them delicious served with warm toasted stale bread, first quickly moistened and then cooked – also in the air fryer – for about 11 minutes at 356°F.
You can use the dressing you prefer, e.g.: garlic, salt, oil, a splash of vinegar, basil (or parsley or mint), chili (or black pepper).
Shopping Tips!!!
Personally, I have had great results with the Cosori Air Fryer, with a roomy 5.7 liter basket, 13 functions and optimal hot air circulation that make foods: crispy outside and soft inside
A healthier way to cook, because it separates and captures excess fat (healthy and tasty dishes and up to 97% less fat). It halves cooking time compared to a conventional oven, saving money and time. The individual components are all easily removable and dishwasher safe. Highly recommended!
Disposable air fryer paper trays WITHOUT holes do not dirty the fryer, but hot air still circulates because they are very thin. They are also oil and water resistant, non-stick, do not burn and can also be used in a regular oven.
I also often use this handy perforated parchment paper for air fryer, non-stick and easy to clean, can also be used in a conventional oven.
Also, if you want to keep your air fryer clean and at the same time protected from scratches and abrasions (e.g. from tongs), these nonstick reusable grill mats, heat resistant are very useful.
To make chickpeas crispier, I sprayed the surface with this handy extra virgin olive oil spray, cold-pressed, high quality, with an integrated spray dispenser.
You can buy all the items I recommend above on Amazon at a great price; just click directly on the links.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can you fry whole eggplants in the air fryer?
Yes.
What does cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil mean?
Cold-pressed oil is a higher quality extra virgin olive oil, produced according to EU regulations on the subject.
Which air fryer parchment paper should I choose?
If you’re using the air fryer for foods that drip (e.g. batter) it’s better to use air fryer paper trays WITHOUT holes (the paper is very light and air and heat still circulate). If the foods to be cooked in the air fryer are dry and don’t drip, it’s preferable to use perforated parchment paper.
What to use to keep the air fryer clean without scratching it?
Reusable nonstick grill mats, heat resistant, for the air fryer.
