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Eggplant fritters are quick & delicious appetizers that take less than 20 minutes. These are vegan and gluten-free as well. Serve them as appetizers or as sides too.
Eggplant is a spongy vegetable that has bland taste. Rather it absorbs the flavor of the sauces and spices when we cook them. This is also not much loved vegetable like potatoes or cauliflower. But this is one of the best vegetables loaded with lots of vitamins and minerals.
Read more about the health facts and benefits of eggplants here. Check out my air fryer eggplant recipe here.
These eggplant fritters are vegan and gluten-free. However, you can also try them with refined flour too if you are not allergic to gluten. Here I’m using chickpea flour to make the fritters. There are few ingredients in these eggplant fritters.
Flour options to make the batter
There can be 2 ways you can make the batter for these eggplant fritters –
1. Chickpea flour + Rice flour —–> Gluten-free
2. Refined flour + Corn starch
3. Buckwheat flour (this also makes crispy fritters) ——> Gluten-free
4. Almond flour + Flax meal ——> Gluten-free
5. Cornmeal + starch ——-> Gluten-free
Why you will love them?
These are delicious.
Easy to make
Quick appetizers- 15 minutes
Vegan
Gluten-free
Eggplant fritters
This doesn’t require any preparation also. It takes only a few minutes to prepare the fritters. Just make the batter and dip the eggplant slices. Deep fry or bake. You can also air fry the coated eggplants for a healthier twist.
Ingredients
Eggplant (large size)
Flour (chickpea flour + rice flour) – Both are gluten-free flours. rice flour is optional though it adds crispiness to the fritters.
Salt (with a pinch of black salt – optional )
Baking powder – This is optional though.
Spices – garlic powder, onion powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, chili powder
Oil – canola for pan frying or deep frying
You can also air fry with little variation in the recipe since we can’t put the wet batter into the air fryer like deep frying way.
Instructions
In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder, and spices. Add water (or plant-based milk) gradually whisking the batter till you reach desired consistency. The batter should be medium thick but flowing consistency. Whisk it completely lumps free.
Then prep the eggplant. Clean and cut the crown of the eggplant. Now cut into your favorite shape and size. I prefer slices of eggplant. And if the eggplant is large in size resulting in larger slices, I cut them into halves.
No need to soak in water or rubbing of salt on the slices. The new age eggplants especially the larger globe ones don’t oxidize that quickly to discolor.
Heat oil in a pan depending on your choice of cooking the eggplant fritters. I do pan-fry and deep-fry occasionally. Then take the slice one at a time dip in the batter to coat. Take out and drop immediately into the hot oil. Cook both the sides till golden.
Now take out the fritters and serve them hot with any of your favorite dips and sauces. These are vegan and gluten-free eggplant fritters.
Recipe card for eggplant fritters
Eggplant Fritters
Equipment
- skillet
- Hand whisk
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour or refined flour
- 2 tbsp rice flour or corn starch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder or 1/4 tsp baking soda
- water as required to make the batter appx 1/2 – 3/4 cup
Spices
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chilli powder
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp coriander powder
Instructions
Prepare the batter
- In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder, ground spices mentioned in the above list. Mix well.
- Now add water or plant based milk slowly gradually whisking nicely till the batter is formed.
- Keep consistency slightly thicker yet flowing free.
Prepping the eggplant
- Clean and remove the crown of the eggplants.
- Now slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices.
- No need to soak or add salt to the eggplants here.
- Heat oil in a pan or deep frying pan .
- Now take 1 slice at a time and dip it into the prepared batter.
- Drop them one by one in to hot oil.
- Don't overcrowd the pan.
- When one side looks crisp and fluffs, flip and cook till both the sides are cooked.
- Ones both the ends are cooked and looks golden and crispy, remove from pan.
- Place them on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
- Serve them hot with your favorite dips.
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