Air Fried Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich

This sandwich is LOADED. There is so much happening in these sammies that even the most avid meat eater won’t miss the meat one little bit!

Here’s how this is going to go down: we’re going to slice and bread some eggplant, and air fry it until it’s golden and crispy. Then we’re going to grab a ciabatta roll, schmear one side with pesto butter and one side with marinara. Then, we’ll layer our crispy eggplant and some fresh mozzarella over the marinara, pop the whole sandwich back into the air fryer, and let the cheese get melty and the bread get toasty. Does that sound like a dream, or what?

So, let’s get to it!

We’ll start with the eggplant. We’re going to slice our eggplant into roughly half inch rounds, salt them on both sides, and let them sit for a half hour on some paper towels before we do anything else. There are different schools of thought when it comes to salting eggplant before cooking it, but I do it 100% of the time. Salting first does help to draw out some of the natural bitterness of the fruit. But, it really helps to draw out the extra moisture. We want crispy eggplant, not soggy eggplant. So use that half hour while your eggplant is resting to work on gathering the rest of the ingredients for this recipe.

After the eggplant has done its thing, we’re going to pat it down really well to soak up all that extra liquid, and it’s ready for breading. We’re going to set up a standard breading station of flour, egg, and panko seasoned with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Then, we’ll give the breaded eggplant a spritz of olive oil cooking spray to help it crisp up. And, to the air fryer it goes for about 10 minutes until it’s perfectly golden and crispy.

Depending on the size of your air fryer, you’ll likely have to cook the eggplant in batches. So in between batches, let your crispy eggplant rest on a wire rack. That way, the bottoms won’t get soggy from sitting in their own warmth. Because nobody wants soggy eggplant in a sandwich!

After the eggplant is all cooked, it’s time to assemble to sandwich. We’re going to slice our ciabatta rolls in half, and give the bottom of the roll a healthy schmear of marinara sauce. Then, we’ll layer a couple slices of our crispy eggplant on top of the marinara. And, sliced pieces of fresh mozzarella will go on top of the eggplant. On the top roll, we’re going to spread a simple mixture of prepared pesto and softened butter all over the surface. Then, the sandwiches go back into the air fryer, in their open faced state, for the rolls to get toasty and the cheese to get nice and melty. After they sandwiches have a few minutes to toast, we can close the sandwich by putting that pesto butter toasted bread over the cheesy eggplant. And, it’s time to chow down.

This sandwich is pure heaven. The ciabatta roll is perfectly crunchy on the outside while still being light and fluffy on the inside. The eggplant is golden and crisp on the outside but sweet and creamy on the inside. The marinara is rich and comforting while the pesto adds some bright freshness to the party. And that gooey, stringy mozzarella makes the whole sandwich feel like a decadent treat. It’s so hearty and filling despite there not being an ounce of meat in sight!

Ok, everyone. You guys have done a great job hanging in there on this meatless journey with me. Should we keep going, or is it time to start adding some chicken back to the menu?

In the meantime, enjoy! And, let’s eat!