Not everyone loves eggplants as much as I do, but this Fried Eggplant recipe is so perfect that even if you don't dig eggplants, you could become an eggplant lover! The best fried eggplant that you've ever tasted is featured in this Eggplant Napoleon. This recipe is a restaurant version you can make at home.
We make this fried eggplant and the Eggplant Napoleon gluten-free, but you can 100% use conventional flour with perfect results. If you don't want to make the full Napoleon recipe, just use the method for frying eggplant and do what you want with it!
What is Eggplant Napoleon?
Honestly, Napoleon is just fancy name for a layered dish.
Eggplant Napoleon is a simple, beautiful vegetarian dish full of nutritious, cheesy flavor and easy to prepare. Pan-fried eggplant slices layered with basil, tomato, and mozzarella cheese before being baked to perfection.
How is this fried eggplant recipe different from others?
Between the soaking method and breading technique- this fried eggplant recipe is unbeatable! It probably has a step or two more than you're used to - but this chef-perfected method is next-level.
It has the just the right amount of crispness that pairs perfectly with the herbed goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, and homemade pesto in our Napoleon recipe. It's also fabulous for Eggplant Parmesan, eggplant fries and more.
Why do you soak and salt eggplant before frying?
You can remove the bitterness from your eggplant by salting and soaking it before cooking.
Excess moisture and some bitterness are removed by salting your eggplant. Today's eggplants are produced for mildness, so it's not as vital as it was. If you salt eggplant before frying it, it will have a creamy texture and a rich flavor.
Don’t worry about your eggplant being overly salted when you eat it, you will wash most of the salt off before frying it.
Picking the PERFECT eggplant for fried eggplant
Choose the freshest eggplants you can find and utilize them within a week after buying them. Instead of dull and wrinkled eggplants, go for glossy, plump ones.
Some say that size doesn’t matter, but with eggplants, it does. Smaller is also better because larger ones are more mature and can be bitter.
The best way to eat an eggplant is to eat it fresh. Pick them the day you plan to cook them if you have a garden.
This method for frying eggplant and the original (gluten-full) version of this Eggplant Napoleon recipe is from Chef Vatche Moukhtarian of Cracked Pepper in Fresno. We perfected it for the home cook. Once you taste it, we know you'll love frying eggplant this way too.
Eggplant Napoleon
Ingredients
For the Fried Eggplant:
- 1 medium size eggplant
- 1 cup Gluten Free flour blend
- 1 cup Gluten Free bread crumbs
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups cooking oil for frying, we like grapeseed oil
- kosher salt & pepper to taste
Herbed goat cheese:
- 6 oz goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon truffle oil
- 1 oz fresh minced herbs
Roasted tomatoes:
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Pesto sauce:
- 4 cups basil leaves well packed
- 4 cloves garlic lightly crushed and peeled
- 1 cup pine nuts or walnuts (or a combination of the two)
- 1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese (or a combination of the two)
- 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Eggplant:
- Slice the eggplant crosswise ¼ inch slices. Let soak in salted water for 1 hour. Remove from water, pat dry.
- Have 3 medium size bowls is ready: one with flour, add salt & pepper to taste; another one with 2 eggs and half a cup of water mixed well; the last bowl with bread crumbs.
- Dip eggplant in flour mixture, shake well, dip in egg mixture and place in breadcrumbs/pumpkin seeds making sure it's coated well.
- Let it sit for 1 hour on the kitchen towel in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oil to 370 F and place eggplants three rounds at a time (depending on the size of the pan). Fry the eggplants until golden brown, remove from oil, season with salt and pepper lightly.
Herbed goat cheese:
- Mix ingredients together until combined.
Roasted tomatoes:
- Slice tomatoes into 8 wedges, remove seeds, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & pepper and bake at 275 F until tomatoes wilt and get brown on the edges.
Pesto sauce:
- Place basil leaves and garlic in food processor or blender and process until leaves are finely chopped.
- Add nuts and process until nuts are finely chopped. Add cheese and process combined
- With the machine running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. After the oil is incorporated, turn off the machine and add salt and pepper to taste.
- If not using immediately, store in an air-tight container with a thin coating of olive oil on top to keep the sauce from turning dark. Pesto will keep well in the refrigerator for a week or more. This recipe yields approximately 3½ to 4 cups, and can be halved.
Eggplant Napoleon Assembly:
- Place 1 eggplant on the pan, spread pesto on top, place goat cheese on top of the pesto, add tomatoes on top of that.
- Place another eggplant on top and repeat.
- Top off with one last eggplant, place goat cheese on top and bake in the oven at 300 F degrees for about 2-6 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Place on the plate with some mixed greens on the bottom, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Love this eggplant recipe and want to try out more? Check out some of my other favorites!
Baked Eggplant With California Figs And Leeks
Fresh Mozzarella, Figs, Leeks, and Tomatoes in a Pizza-Style Baked Eggplant Recipe What's not to like about that?
Crispy Eggplant Bacon Breakfast Bowl
This eggplant bacon is fantastic in BLTs, and it's also delicious sliced up and sprinkled over cooked greens!
Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan
To make this dish memorable, stack as high as you like and put anything you want in between. We piled pieces of broiled green tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper this time. My favorite version is layered with slow-roasted Caprese tomatoes and grilled till slightly browned! Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions about Fried Eggplant:
Nope, keep the skin on; it is entirely edible. However, it might be tough on larger eggplants. If your eggplant is smaller, you should leave the nutrient-rich peel on that bad boy.
Yes, fried eggplant can be frozen. It can last up to 3-4 months in the freezer.
After frying the eggplant and letting it cool, store it in an airtight container or zip lock bag in the freezer.
Due to the way they grow, eggplants are considered fruits. Fruits are seeds that emerge from a plant's blossom, whereas vegetables are any other component of the plant, such as roots, stems, or leaves. The nightshade family includes eggplants.
Most people associate the "fried" part with being unhealthy.
Eggplants are nutrient-dense fruit containing many vitamins and minerals that can help with everything from migraines to depression. Eggplant is high in fiber, which is good for your heart and digestion and keeps you fuller for longer.
You can try out oven-fried eggplant if you want a healthier option, but it won't be the same.
King Arthur Measure for Measure or Pamela’s Gluten-Free Artisan Blend blend both make light, fluffy gluten-free fried batter or coating. If you're making your own blend, use gum free baking binder instead of xanthan or guar gum.
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