Parmesan Eggplant Fries with Basil Ketchup

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 48 fries
  • Total: 2 hr
  • Active: 1 hr
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Ingredients

Basil Ketchup:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced or smashed and peeled

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce 

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 

3 tablespoons tomato paste 

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil 

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

Eggplant Fries:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon for seasoning 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

3 large eggs 

1 cup panko breadcrumbs 

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 

1 medium eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds) 

Directions

  1. For the ketchup: In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, basil, salt and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes. Remove the garlic, cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use (can be refrigerated for up to 1 week).
  2. For the fries: Place two racks in the upper and middle thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Insert a wire rack into a large baking sheet.
  3. Whisk together the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Combine the panko and the Parmesan in another medium bowl.
  4. Slice off both ends of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and slice each half into 1/2-to-3/4-inch thick layers, then cut each layer into 1/2-inch sticks. After all of the fries are cut, drop them into the flour and lightly toss them to coat evenly. Working in batches of a few at a time, dip the floured fries into the egg and then into the panko mixture. Place the fries on the wire rack in the baking sheet, leaving an 1/8-inch space between each fry.
  5. Bake the fries until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Season the fries with the remaining salt and serve with Basil Ketchup.

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vivgrl

This is a GREAT recipe!! I made it for a dinner party and everyone ate them up.  The crunch on the outside and softness of the eggplant on the inside is wonderful just like Giada said on the show. I made the ketchup and personally did not care for it. I thought it was a little on the vinegar side for me. I suppose you could decrease the amount of vinegar by half as you can always add more. I think you can dip these in ranch or blue cheese dressing just as well. My daughter who is 15 does not normally like the texture of eggplant but she could not get enough of these. :)  You do need to remember to  sprinkle the salt on right after taking them out of the oven for the extra seasoning. This is a MUST TRY!!!! You will love them.  <br />

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