These baked eggplant cutlets are my family's favorite way to eat eggplant. They're light and crispy but not greasy since there's no oil for them to soak up. Eat them as a tasty side dish or use them to make eggplant parmesan.
This is the absolute best eggplant recipe. The eggplant is light and crispy. If you are looking for a vegan eggplant recipe that everyone will love, this one might be your new favorite.
I love that these cutlets are baked, not fried, so they aren't soggy and greasy. There's also no egg needed - instead just a mixture of cornstarch and water.
If you love eggplant, try out my roasted eggplant hummus. It tastes similar to baba ganoush and is also made without oil. Or for a tasty side dish, try my air fryer miso eggplant.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Versatile: We love these as a side dish with some pasta or you can use them to make eggplant parmesan.
- Family friendly: These crispy breaded eggplant cutlets will win over those who claim not to like eggplant. They are my daughter's favorite!
- Fun to make: If you have kids at home that like helping you cook, this is a great recipe for them to make with you. They love dipping the eggplant.
- No oil: These are nice and light instead of greasy and oily.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour - I use regular all purpose flour in this recipe but you could substitute up to half the total amount of flour with whole wheat.
- Plain bread crumbs - I used 365 Whole Foods brand.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
How To Make Baked Eggplant Cutlets
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 400°. Prepare a baking pan by lining it with parchment paper.
Step 2: Slice the eggplant in thin, less than ¼ inch slices. You want them nice and thin so they get tender on the inside. Set aside.
Step 3: Next, start preparing the bowls for dipping and coating. Put the ½ cup of flour in a small bowl. If you want, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Step 5: In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Stir well.
Step 6: Line up the sliced eggplant, bowls and pan assembly line style. First, dip the eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off any additional flour.
Step 7: Next, quickly dip the eggplant in the cornstarch and water mixture. You do not want to leave the eggplant slices sitting in the cornstarch and water mixture as the flour could wash off.
Step 8: Place eggplant slice in the breadcrumb mixture and flip over. Make sure that both sides of the eggplant slice are covered in breadcrumbs and place on the prepared baking tray in a single layer. Repeat for all eggplant slices.
Step 9: Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the eggplant slices and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Step 10: Take the eggplant out of the oven and switch the oven to broil. Broil the eggplant for 1-2 minutes to crisp up. Be careful if you are using parchment paper as it's not technically supposed to be under the broiler.
An option is to put a spoonful of marinara sauce on each slice before broiling them.
Remove the eggplant from the oven and serve. We often like to have a small side of marinara sauce to dip them in.
Expert Tips
- The cornstarch will settle to the bottom of the bowl with the water so when you're ready to use it make sure you give it a quick stir.
- When you are doing all the dipping and coating of the eggplant slices, have one of your hands the "dirty" one and the other one "clean". Then use the clean hand to place the finished breaded eggplant on the baking pan.
- Slice the eggplant thin. This is the key to getting them nice and crispy.
- Be careful when broiling the eggplant as parchment paper is technically not supposed to be under the broiler.
Extra Crispy Option
If you want to take an extra step, you can make the eggplant extra crispy. After cutting the eggplant, place slices on a wire rack and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
The eggplant will release some of its excess water. Flip the eggplant over and repeat. Wipe the salt off the eggplant with a paper towel and continue with the recipe.
You will probably want to adjust the amount of salt in the rest of the recipe. This step is completely optional. I don't bother as my family likes this recipe as written.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat the eggplant, bake in the oven at 350 for 5-7 minutes for best texture. You can also microwave them, but they will become a bit soggy.
Yes! Lower the temperature to about 375 and bakes for about 20 minutes total.
Sure! I like the coverage that regular bread crumbs give but panko also gives a good crunch.
Yes, this can easily be turned into eggplant parmesan. Just top the eggplant cutlets with some marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese (regular or non-dairy) and you'll have a delicious eggplant parm.
Yes, my kids love eggplant fries. Just cut them into fry shape and continue to follow the recipe. You won't need to bake them for the full 30 minutes though. Bake for 23-25 minutes.
More Vegetable Side Dishes
If you tried this Oil-Free Baked Eggplant Cutlet Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Baked Eggplant Cutlets (No Oil)
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cut eggplant in thin slices, less than ¼ inch thick. Set aside.
- Put the ½ cup of flour in a small bowl. If you want, add a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the water and cornstarch and stir well. Set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Line up the eggplant, bowls and pan assembly line style. First, dip the eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off any additional flour.
- Next, dip the eggplant in the cornstarch and water mixture.
- Place the eggplant slice in the bread crumb mixture and flip over. Make sure that both sides of the eggplant slice are covered in bread crumbs and place on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Continue until all eggplant slices are prepped.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the eggplant slices and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Take the eggplant out of the oven and switch the oven to broil. Broil the eggplant for 1-2 minutes to crisp up. Be careful if you are using parchment paper as it's not technically supposed to be under the broiler. Another option is to put a spoonful of marinara sauce on each slice before broiling them.
- Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Reheat in a skillet or oven for best results.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Notes
- When you are doing all the dipping and coating of the eggplant slices, have one of your hands the "dirty" one and the other one "clean". Then use the clean hand to place the finished breaded eggplant on the baking pan.
- Slice the eggplant thin. This is the key to getting them nice and crispy.
Jen says
This is the recipe that got my kids eating eggplant. I now usually enlist the help of my youngest to do all the dipping and breading as she thinks it's fun. I love being able to eat eggplant cutlets without all the grease.