Crunchy Eggplant Dippers
I love to give parties, and it’s always an interesting challenge to find appetizers and finger foods that appeal to my vegan/vegetarian friends. This one ticks all the boxes: easy to make, relatively quick, vegan, and adaptable to various tastes.
Prep time 25 minutes with cooking time of 20 minutes; this recipe serves 12, depending.
Ingredients:
2 Japanese eggplant, 8″ long (5 ounces each)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon oregano
Optional: Marinara sauce for dipping
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425⁰ Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with olive oil.
2. Cut ends of the eggplant off. Slice eggplant into 1/3 inch thick rounds.
3. Prepare red wine vinaigrette by adding red wine vinegar, water, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and oregano in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
4. In a larger mixing bowl, add breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Set aside.
5. Dip a few eggplant slices at a time into the red wine vinaigrette, then into the breadcrumb mixture. This step should be done in batches.
6. Arrange breaded eggplant on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Once golden brown, flip eggplant slices and bake for another 5-10 minutes until both sides are golden brown. When done, take out of the oven and let cool until ready to serve.
7. If desired, heat marinara sauce in a small saucepan to serve as a dipping sauce for the eggplant slices.
For the printable .pdf file, click HERE.