Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan Pizzas

Make these crispy Eggplant Parmesan Pizzas in your air fryer for a delicious weeknight dinner the whole family will love [gluten-free, garlic/onion free].

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword cheese, eggplant, gluten free, parmesan, pizza

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Servings people (about 3 pizzas each)

Calories 433kcal

Ingredients

2 medium eggplant (about 1 ½ pounds)
2 tablespoon salt, divided
1 egg + 1 egg white, beaten
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup gluten-free plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, thickly shredded
1 tablespoon Romano cheese, thickly shredded (optional)
½ teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, sprigs removed
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ounces fresh burrata or mozzarella cheese, divided into 12 portions
1 cup marinara sauce (Fody Marinara Sauce)
2 ounces cured soppressata or pepperoni, diced small (optional)
Fresh basil, to garnish

Instructions

Slice the eggplant so that you create 12 rounds, each about 1/4th inch thick. Discard the ends. For the best pizzas, choose thick eggplants at least 4 inches in diameter. Any extra eggplant can be saved for another use.
Spread the eggplant rounds out on paper towels, sprinkling with 1 tablespoon salt to help remove some of the moisture. Let these sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Set up a breading station for the eggplant with two bowls and a final empty plate: In the first bowl, whisk together the egg, egg white, and water. In the second, whisk together the bread crumbs, parmesan and romano (if using), herbs, remaining salt, and red pepper flakes.
Dip each eggplant round first in the egg batter, tapping to allow any excess to drop off. Transfer the coated eggplant to the bread crumb mix, pressing it into the coating to create a thick layer. Set the finished eggplant on the empty plate. Repeat until all of the eggplant slices are sufficiently battered.
Working in batches according to the size of your air fryer, bake the encrusted eggplant at 360 degrees F for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3. The crust should become a nice golden brown.
Once all the rounds have been air fried, it's time to make them into pizzas! Top each slice with a tablespoon of marinara and one portion of burrata or mozzarella, spreading them into a thin layer. Dot each with soppressata (if using), or other toppings. Air fry the rounds in batches, cheese side up, for an additional 2 minutes. Serve immediately with fresh basil.

Notes

Make Ahead: Follow the instructions to make the bread crumb encrusted eggplant coins, but stop before adding the marinara and cheese. Lay the golden brown slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once they are room temperature, freeze for about an hour on the tray, and then transfer to a freezer safe bag. When ready to eat, DO NOT DEFROST THE EGGPLANT. Remove the desired number of eggplant slices and top each with marinara, cheese, and toppings. Finish the pizzas off in the air fryer as described in the recipe. You may need to add another 2-3 minutes to the cook time. Breaded eggplant slices will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.

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