Eggplant Parm meets air fryer in these crisp roll-ups, which provide all the flavour of the classic with less prep time and crisp up without the need for deep frying. Lightly dredge sliced eggplant in bread crumbs, stuff with an herb-filled ricotta filling and air fry to golden perfection before smothering in marinara sauce and showering with grated parmesan. The finished result ends up looking like a savoury cannoli — which, now that I’m thinking of it, would be a great idea too!
Related: High-Protein Air Fryer Quesadillas With Cottage Cheese and Chicken
ingredients
Eggplant and assembly
Ricotta filling
Marinara sauce (or use store bought)
To serve
directions
Preheat air fryer to 370°F. Cut off the ends of each eggplant. Slice into ¼-inch thick planks with a mandolin or sharp knife.
Brush both sides of eggplant slices lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Working in batches, arrange eggplant in a single layer in the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until eggplant is softened and pliable. Remove eggplant from air fryer and let cool slightly.
In a pie dish or high-sided plate whisk together the two eggs until homogenous. In a separate pie dish or plate whisk together the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Coat with bread crumbs, pressing to adhere to eggplant, then shake off any excess. Transfer to a baking sheet or plate and repeat with remaining slices.
For the ricotta filling, stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined and smooth.
Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the ricotta filling onto the wide part of each eggplant slice and roll tightly to form a log. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices. Arrange the eggplant roll-ups, seam -side down, in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook at 370°F, working in batches, until eggplant is browned and lightly crisp, 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the marinara sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook until sauce is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove garlic cloves and basil before using.
Remove roll-ups from the air fryer and spoon warm tomato sauce on top. Top with grated parmesan, sprinkle with more chopped herbs and serve immediately.
