This is the best vegan baked eggplant fries recipe for the whole family! All you do is cut, coat and bake for a crispy fun way to mix up the boring dinner routine.
These will turn even an eggplant hater into a lover! Such a great way to get veggies into kids, and mix up the types of veggies you eat.
This post was originally published on 7/17/14
These eggplant french fries are a perfect dipper. Try dipping into my vegan ranch dressing, vegan thousand island or vegan remoulade sauce!
Whether they're served as a snack or a side dish, these crunchy and tasty vegan eggplant fries (or aubergine fries if you're not in the U.S.!) are a hit in our household. And because they're baked instead of fried, they're still plenty healthy!
Ingredients
You don't need eggs to get this extra crispy, the sticky maple syrup and crunchy outer coating do the job perfectly!
How To Make Eggplant Fries
Making your own baked eggplant fries is super simple, here's what you'll do:
- Cut the eggplant.
- Season the fries.
- Coat in almond flour.
- Bake and serve!
Dipping Sauce for Eggplant Fries
We love pairing this eggplant fries recipe with dipping sauce. Nothing is better for veggies than a vegan dip! Here are some of our favorites:
- Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Homemade Vegan Thousand Island Dressing
- Marinara Sauce
- Authentic Vegan Tzatziki
- Healthy Vegan Garlic Aioli
- Caramelized Onion Aioli
- Vegan Queso Blanco (Mexica White Cheese Dip)
- Vegan Nacho Cheese
- Vegan Sour Cream
- Vegan Remoulade
- Spicy Cilantro Cream Sauce
- Creamy Dill Sauce
- Citrus Cream Sauce
What to Serve with Them
I eat these all on their own, but these eggplant fries go with just about anything! Here are some of our favorite recipes that the fries will go perfectly with:
- Easy Lentil Burger
- The Ultimate Vegan BLT
- Vegan Meatball Sub
- Gluten Free Vegan Black Bean Burgers
- Vegan Carrot Dogs
- Vegan Cheesesteak Sandwich
- The Best Vegan Panini
- Vegan Grilled Cheese
- Tofu Sandwich
- Mashed Chickpea Sandwich
- BBQ Tempeh Sandwich
Preparation tips
- Picking the perfect eggplant is the first step in making these delicious eggplant fries. You want to look for an eggplant that has shiny and smooth skin, with uniform coloring.
- Make sure it's ripe by pressing your finger gently against it. If your finger leaves a light indent, you've got a ripe eggplant.
- The thinner you cut the eggplant, the crispier they will get.
- You can sprinkle some salt on the cut eggplant and put them in a colander for around 20 minutes then pat dry. This will draw out some of the moisture and give you a crispier end result.
- When arranging the eggplant fries on the parchment paper, make sure they don't overlap to assure the most crispy result.
- You can sub another flour for almond to make this nut free. I like to mix in some cornmeal and breadcrumbs to switch it up and get a different crispy texture.
- I removed some of the outer skin to take out some of the bitterness, but peeling is optional. The touch of maple syrup helps with this too.
Make ahead and storage tips
- You can prep these eggplant fries ahead of time by cutting the eggplant into strips. Store in a freezer bag or airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
- The eggplant fries will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for 3 months.
- If you want to freeze the cooked fries:
- Bake them about ⅔ of the way.
- Then cool and store wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container.
- When ready to eat, defrost on the counter and bake the rest of the way. This is the best way to get the crispy outer coating perfectly crunchy.
Common Questions
Eggplant can have a bitter flavor, but most of that has to do with the skin. If you remove the skin, then it has a much more mild, almost sweet flavor. It can also get a little creamy when baked.
If you happen to have a lot of eggplant, there are many things you can make, other than these eggplant fries of course. My Eggplant Parmesan or Moussaka are two great ways to use up extra eggplant.
Another option is to puree it and make a dip with it, you can even use it as a sub for the carrots in this carrot hummus recipe.
The best way to cut eggplant is to first cut it down the middle, length wise. That way you have a flat surface to lay down when cutting it into smaller strips.
Lay the eggplant cut side down, then cut larger strips. From there, lay each one down and cut into thinner strips so they look like french fries. You can also use a mandoline.
Yes it is! The skin of an eggplant packs in fiber and healthy antioxidants, so if you don't mind the texture definitely leave it on!
The best way to get crispy eggplant fries is to sprinkle the cut eggplant with salt, let it sit, then dab off the excess moisture before finishing the recipe.
It is not necessary to soak eggplant before cooking it. Some people like to soak it in milk, but I think the salting method works best to improve the flavor and ensure a crispy texture.
More Vegan Side Dishes
A tasty side dish is the perfect way to complete a meal. These plant based recipes will go with a wide variety of your favorite entrees.
- Healthy Cauliflower Casserole
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Greek Farro Salad
- Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes)
- Patatas Bravas
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Easy Vegan Broccoli Casserole
Vegan Baked Eggplant Fries Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- drizzle your favorite oil , or veggie broth if you don't use oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 cup almond flour , see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Cut eggplant into thin fry like sticks. The thinner they are the crispier they will get.
- Optional, you can sprinkle some salt on the cut eggplant and put them in a colander for around 20 minutes. This will draw out some of the moisture and give you a crispier end result. I have skipped this step and still loved them. When done, wipe the eggplant pieces dry.
- Put eggplant pieces in a deep bowl and sprinkle with oil or veggie broth, salt, pepper, paprika and maple syrup. Mix to coat.
- Place almond flour in another bowl or dish. In small handfuls, put eggplant pieces in bowl and toss to coat well.
- Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment and bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on thickness, or until golden brown. Make sure they don't overlap to assure the most crispy result. Start checking at 25 minutes as ovens can vary and it also depends on the size of your pieces!
- Serve with your favorite dip.
Notes
- You can sub another flour for almond to make this nut free. I like to mix in some cornmeal and breadcrumbs to switch it up and get a different crispy texture.
- I removed some of the outer skin to take out some of the bitterness. The touch of maple syrup helps with this too.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Sarah
So delicious, everyone loved them!
Katy
Thank you for this recipe! At 35 minutes, mine were quite burnt. Another time I made them I took them out sooner, and my family ate them up!
Sophia DeSantis
Hi Katy! Yes, it can depend on the size you cut your pieces and your oven as ovens vary so much! I added a little hint on that. Glad your family liked them!