Move over chicken nuggets, I've got a tasty vegetarian alternative to share in the form of these easy baked breaded aubergine slices that are perfect for a delicious healthy meal for the whole family! They're really easy to make too, so a fun recipe to cook with children too.
I've never been a huge fan of aubergine, and nor have the rest of the family to be honest, but I've only ever really used it in ratatouille style pasta sauces, from whence it is usually picked out and left uneaten, so in recent years I've just not bothered to include it. I wanted to give aubergine another chance though, and when I spotted several different recipes for breaded aubergine fries floating around Pinterest I thought I'd give it it another try, baking it this time. Well, what a revelation - aubergine cooked in this way couldn't be more different than I expected! The middle goes all lovely and goey, the outside is crispy and it doesn't have the bitterness than I remember from past experience.
I'm a bit of a lazy cook, taking shortcuts when I can, so I just cut the aubergine into rounds rather than slicing them up into smaller fries/chips. We like to serve these up with two different meals - they're delicious on their own, with homemade potato wedges (check out my easy potato wedges recipe) and raw or steamed vegetables on the side, or alternatively with pasta and a simple tomato sauce, another favourite delicious and healthy family meal of ours.
Baked Breaded Aubergine Slices
Ingredients:
- 2 medium aubergines
- 50g plain flour
- 2 large eggs
- 200g breadcrumbs*
- 1 tbs mixed herbs
- Salt and pepper (optional)
*This is a great way to use up crusts from making fancy sandwiches - I pop the crusts in a bag in the freezer whenever I have them left over, then pull them out and whizz them up in a blended or food processor whenever I need bread crumbs, it's such a great way to avoid waste!
Method:
Preheat your oven to 200°C (Gas mark 6/390°F). Lightly oil two baking trays.
Weigh out the flour, lightly whisk the eggs and mix the breadcrumbs with the herbs and salt and pepper if using, then place the flour, eggs and breadcrumb mixture into three separate bowls.
Slice the aubergines into ½ inch thick round slices. Take each slice, dip it in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs, coating on both sides, then place it on one of the oiled baking trays. Repeat with the remaining aubergine slices.
Bake in the preheated oven for around 30 minutes until golden, turning half way through.
Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight box in the fridge, then reheated the next day for around 10 minutes until hot and crispy.
Grace
Baked Breaded Aubergine Slices
Ingredients
- 2 medium aubergines
- 50 g plain flour
- 2 large eggs
- 200 g breadcrumbs*
- 1 tbs mixed herbs
- Salt and pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (Gas mark 6/390°F). Lightly oil two baking trays.
- Weigh out the flour, lightly whisk the eggs and mix the breadcrumbs with the herbs and salt and pepper if using, then place the flour, eggs and breadcrumb mixture into three separate bowls.
- Slice the aubergines into ½ inch thick round slices. Take each slice, dip it in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs, coating on both sides, then place it on one of the oiled baking trays. Repeat with the remaining aubergine slices.
- Bake in the preheated oven for around 30 minutes until golden, turning half way through.
- Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight box in the fridge, then reheated the next day for around 10 minutes until hot and crispy.
Louise Fairweather says
That is a great leftovers tip! I love Aubergine - will give this a go and see if I can convince the boys x
Kylie says
Love this! going to give them a go!