Air-Fryer Eggplant with Mozzarella and Tomato Paste
Thick slices of eggplant are baked with a garlic-tomato paste, mozzarella, and Parmesan, creating a rich, cheesy dish without frying.
- Time
- 32 min
- Serving
- 496 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $3.40
- Protein
- 25 g
Ingredients
- 1 Eggplant≈ $4.33 per kg 250 g
- 2 Salt 2 g
- 3 Olive oil 12 ml
- 4 Tomato pastepack 140 g ≈ $1.00 35 g
- 5 Garlic≈ $10.00 per kg 5 g
- 6 Mozzarellapack 125 g ≈ $1.80 80 g
- 7 Parmesanpack 200 g ≈ $6.00 15 g
- 8 Ground black pepper 1 g
- 9 Fresh basilpack 30 g ≈ $2.50 5 g
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Slice eggplant1 into ½-inch rounds, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 10 minutes; drain any released liquid.
Pat slices dry with a paper towel, brush with olive oil, and season with black pepper.
Arrange eggplant1 in the air-fryer basket and cook at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
Mix tomato4 paste with minced garlic5 and 3–4 tablespoons of water until smooth but spreadable.
Spread the sauce over the eggplant1, top with sliced mozzarella6, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan7.
Cook for another 4 minutes at 375°F (190°C) until the cheese melts and begins to golden.
Garnish with torn basil and serve hot.
Tips
- Why it works
- Salt for 10 minutes draws some moisture out of the eggplant, so the rounds brown faster in the air fryer and don't turn watery under the cheese.
- Substitutions
- Replace the 80 g of mozzarella with suluguni or a hard cheese: it will melt more densely and taste saltier.
- Common mistakes
- A common mistake is putting the cheese on still-firm eggplant; you'll notice a pale center and firm resistance to the fork after the first 12 minutes.
- Storing and reheating
- Keep in the fridge up to 2 days. Reheat in the air fryer for 3–4 minutes at 180 °C so the cheese melts again.
- Serve with
- Serve for dinner with a slice of bread or a simple green salad mix.
Comments 0
Sign in to leave a comment.
No comments yet.