Air Fryer Eggplant Fries with Almond-Pecorino Crust and Lemon Mint Yogurt
An original recipe for eggplant fries that turn crisp on the outside and tender inside, coated in a savory almond and pecorino crust. They are served with a fresh lemon-mint yogurt sauce that balances the golden crust beautifully.
Ingredients
- 500 g / 1.1 lb g medium eggplant (1/2 inch)
- 6 g / 1 tsp g salt (divided)
- 70 g / 3/4 cup g ground almonds (fina)
- 35 g / 1.25 oz g finely grated pecorino cheese
- 50 g / 1 cup g panko breadcrumbs
- 3 g / 1 tsp g garlic powder
- 1 g / 1 tsp g dried oregano
- 1 g / 1/2 tsp g black pepper
- 2 unidades / 2 large unit eggs (batidos)
- 30 ml / 2 tbsp ml olive oil (divided)
- 180 g / 3/4 cup g plain Greek yogurt
- 1 unidad / 1 medium unit lemon (1 tbsp de jugo)
- 8 g / 2 tbsp g fresh mint (chopped fina)
- 7 ml / 1 tsp ml honey
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Place the eggplant sticks in a colander, toss them with 4 g / 3/4 tsp of the salt, and let them rest for 10 minutes to release some moisture. Then pat them very dry with paper towels.
- 2
2. In a wide bowl, mix the ground almonds, pecorino cheese, panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and the remaining salt.
- 3
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with 15 ml / 1 tbsp of the olive oil until well combined.
- 4
4. Dip each eggplant stick into the egg mixture and then into the almond, pecorino, and panko mixture, pressing lightly so the coating adheres well.
- 5
5. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F / 200°C for 3 minutes. Lightly grease the basket with some of the remaining olive oil.
- 6
6. Arrange the eggplant sticks in a single layer in the basket. Brush or drizzle them with the rest of the olive oil. Cook at 390°F / 200°C for 8 minutes.
- 7
7. Open the air fryer, carefully turn the sticks, and cook for 8 more minutes at 390°F / 200°C, or until deeply golden and crisp. Work in batches if needed.
- 8
8. Meanwhile, make the sauce by mixing the Greek yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped fresh mint, and honey in a bowl until smooth.
- 9
9. Serve the hot eggplant fries with the lemon mint yogurt on the side.
Chef tips
Drying the eggplant well after resting helps the coating crisp up nicely. For deeper color, add 1 to 2 extra minutes at the end, watching closely so the cheese does not burn.
Substitutions
You can replace pecorino with Parmesan. Mint can be swapped for fresh basil. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free panko.
