Crispy baked eggplant fries dipped in a homemade marinara sauce are the perfect snack or side. This healthy alternative is easy to make and will pair perfectly with any burger night that you might have planned.

You can get such a crispy exterior without even having to add oil! You can even make these gluten free by simply swapping out the bread crumbs with chickpea breadcrumbs. Did you know that eggplant is technically a fruit? It is naturally very low in calories and carbs but also packed with nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and Potassium.

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant (cut into french fry shapes)
2 cups panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 large eggs (lightly whisked)
salt and pepper
1 cup marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)

Tips & Tricks:

Cutting the Eggplant: Try to keep your fries an even shape/thickness. This will help ensure that the baked eggplant fries cook evenly.
Other Veggies: Don’t have an eggplant on hand? This recipe works great with zucchini as well.
Air Fryer: To get the crispiest fries you can add these to a preheated air fryer and baked for 6-10 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Turn the fries halfway though the cooking process. Keep a close eye because they will burn quickly. If you want to you can spray the fries with some cooking oil to help them crisp up.
Dredging: It can get messy really quick when dredging anything. Use the 2 hand method making sure to keep one hand only for the dry breading and the other only for the wet eggs.

Serve Along Side:

A nice burger! Just swap out your regular potato fries for these beauties.
A delicious Sandwich or Wrap! My smashed chickpea sandwich would be great along side these fries.
Soup. Tomato, chicken noodle, potato leek. You can’t go wrong.