Crispy Pesto Eggplant
These Crispy Pesto Eggplant bites are crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside, loaded with garlicky basil pesto, and finished with melty vegan mozzarella and parmesan if you’re feeling extra. They’re dangerously snackable and completely transformed me into someone who willingly buys eggplants. (Who even am I? I don’t even like eggplants!)
Watch how to make Crispy Pesto Eggplant over on my YouTube channel! And don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it 😉
Inspiration & Ingredients
I have a confession to make: I pretty much loathe eggplant. It’s usually mushy, bland, weirdly slimy and disappointingly sponge-like. The fact that eggplant is so popular has always left me dumbfounded. But I figured if so many people like eggplant, there’s got to be some secret to making it taste good.
And so this recipe was born from one very important mission: teach myself to love eggplant. I knew I needed to solve everything I disliked about it. The solution? Get rid of the sogginess, add plenty of crunch, pile on bold flavours, and never underestimate the power of pesto (the best condiment on the planet, in my opinion!)
The first secret I learned is salting the eggplant before cooking. This draws out excess moisture so the slices roast up beautifully instead of turning into little vegetable sponges.
Next comes a seasoned chickpea flour batter infused with homemade basil pesto, followed by a cheesy breadcrumb coating that becomes unbelievably crispy in the air fryer.
My favourite homemade pesto is wonderfully simple—fresh basil, roasted pumpkin seeds, garlic, lemon, nutritional yeast, olive oil, and just enough water to blend into a vibrant, herby sauce. It pulls double duty by flavouring the coating and acting as the perfect dip for serving! I feel so clever with this one.
These crispy eggplant bites are dynamite on their own, but also fabulous:
- Served with ranch or marinara for dipping
- Topped with melty vegan mozzarella or parmesan
- Alongside your favourite pasta
- Stuffed into sandwiches or wraps
- Sneakily eaten straight off the cooling rack before anyone else gets one (highly recommended).
Ingredients you’ll need:
Other than the eggplant 😉
pesto
- 2 cups packed basil leaves, large stems removed
- ½ cups roasted pumpkin seeds (or sub raw)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup cold water as needed to blend
batter mix
- ⅓ cup chickpea flour
- ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp soy milk
- ½ tsp garlic powder
breadcrumb mix
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 3 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp salt
Why You Need to Make Crispy Pesto Eggplant
If you’ve sworn off eggplant forever, this recipe deserves a fair trial.
The crispy coating gives every bite a satisfying crunch, while the inside becomes silky and tender instead of watery. The pesto adds fresh, garlicky flavour, and the cheesy coating makes everything wildly addictive.
It’s also:
- A fantastic way to rescue that lonely eggplant slowly shrivelling on your counter.
- Perfect as a party appetizer or game-day snack.
- Naturally dairy-free and packed with flavour.
- Easy enough for weeknights but impressive enough for guests.
- One of those recipes that makes people ask, “Wait… this is eggplant?!”
Honestly, if this recipe can’t convince you to like eggplant… I’m not sure anything can.
How to Make Crispy Pesto Eggplant
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant, salt both sides, and let sit for 20–30 minutes. Pat dry.
- Blend all pesto ingredients until smooth, adding water as needed.
- Stir 2 tbsp pesto into the chickpea flour, soy milk, and garlic powder.
- Mix together all dry coating ingredients.
- Dip each eggplant slice into the wet mixture, then coat well in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Air fry at 370°F (188°C) for 17–20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Optional: Top with vegan mozzarella and air fry 2–3 more minutes to melt.
- Garnish with vegan parmesan and serve with extra pesto, ranch, or marinara for dipping.
Egg-Plant Me Another Batch
Who knew the vegetable I’d spent years avoiding would become something I’d willingly make on purpose? Not I! These Crispy Pesto Eggplant bites are crunchy, cheesy, herby, and completely addictive. They’re proof that sometimes all a misunderstood vegetable needs is a crispy coating, a generous amount of pesto, and a little love.
So whether you’re an eggplant enthusiast or a lifelong skeptic like I was, do yourself a favour and give these a shot. Worst case? You end up with a fantastic excuse to eat more pesto. Best case? You accidentally become… an eggplant person.
If you like pesto you might LOVE my Pesto Tofu or my Protein Pesto Pasta!
Love this recipe? I’d really appreciate if you gave me a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below! Lastly, if you made any of these recipes and decide to share them on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to check me out on YouTube — I have HUNDREDS of recipe videos to give you limitless plant-based inspiration!
Crispy Pesto Eggplant
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Slice the eggplant, salt both sides, and let sit for 20–30 minutes. Pat dry.
- Blend all pesto ingredients until smooth, adding water as needed.
- Stir 2 tbsp pesto into the chickpea flour, soy milk, and garlic powder.
- Mix together all dry coating ingredients.
- Dip each eggplant slice into the wet mixture, then coat well in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Air fry at 370°F (188°C) for 17–20 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Optional: Top with vegan mozzarella and air fry 2–3 more minutes to melt.
- Garnish with vegan parmesan and serve with extra pesto, ranch, or marinara for dipping.
