Air Fryer is the easiest way to roast/grill eggplant for recipes like Indian Baingan Bharta, Chokha and dips like Baba Ganoush. It’s mess free and the dark skin gets charred perfectly leaving the inside of the eggplant/baingan cooked and meaty.
Always on the lookout to make traditional recipes easier and healthier, I found the roasting of eggplant/baingan in an Air Fryer a snap to make. The traditional way requires roasting on an open flame- which is great for the lovely smoky flavor but a chore to clean! My family is a huge fan of Baingan Bharta and Baba Ganoush and having the Air fryer do the work while I chop vegetables and attend to other things is definitely a plus.
Recipe updated with new pictures on 6/25/2024
For more Eggplant/Baingan Recipes do try out –
Baingan Aloo- No onion and Garlic Recipe
Baingan Bharta in a pressure cooker
For more Air Fryer recipes, do check out-
Palak Pakora/Spinach Fritter-Air Fryer Recipe
Indian Bread Rolls-Air Fried Potato Stuffed Bread Rolls
Air Fried Roasted Red pepper Hummus
Moving on to the recipe, here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one-
Air Fried Eggplant/Baingan-Roast Eggplant/Baingan in Air Fryer
Equipment
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1 Air fryer
-
1 tongs
-
1 pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant/Baingan/Aubergine
- 4 large cloves of garlic optional
- 1-2 teaspoons oil for brushing
Instructions
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Preheat Air Fryer at 370 F /190C for 5 minutes
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Wash and dry the Eggplant/Baingan/aubergine
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Make 4 DEEP slits in the Eggplant/baingan/aubergine and place a clove of garlic in the slits(optional)
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Rub oil all over the eggplant and cook at 370 F/ 190C for 5 minutes
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Brush oil, flip and cook a second time at 370 F/ 190C for 5 minutes
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Flip the eggplant and third time cook at 400 F/200 C for 5 minutes
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Last time, flip and air fry at 400 F/200 C for 5 minutes
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Remove from Air Fryer on to a plate and IMMEDIATELY use a fork to remove the charred skin
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Mash the eggplant with a fork and use in Bharta, Baba Ghanoush and Chokha
Notes
Nutrition
Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-
Wash and pat dry a large eggplant/baingan/aubergine
Make DEEP slits into the eggplant and insert garlic cloves into the slits
Rub/brush oil all over the eggplant/baingan
Preheat Air fryer at 370 F for 5 minutes
First cook the eggplant at 370 for 5 minutes
Brush oil and flip eggplant and cook again at 370 F for 5 minutes
Change side and cook at 400 F for 5 minutes
Lastly, flip again and cook at 400 F for 5 minutes
Total cook time is 20 minutes. 10 minutes at 370 F and 10 minutes at 400 F changing sides every 5 minutes
Remove the Roasted/grilled eggplant/baingan on a plate and cut the tail end with a knife
Use a knife and fork and remove the charred skin
Mash the eggplant/baingan with fork
(If using it for Bharta, you don’t need to mash it, it will become soft and mushy while cooking with onions and tomatoes)
Use for Baingan Bharta, Baba Ganoush and Chokha
Recipe for Baingan Bharta coming soon!
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Love, thanks and appreciation
Janki
Hi
Which mode to use in Air fryer ?
I have many options in my Air fryer
Aanchal Gupta
I just manually set the temperature and timer. What options are available in your air fryer?
Chris Alexanian
I’m trying this for the first time. We would normally buy our baba ganoush but it’s expensive. If I can get this right, it might change my life.
And yes! It’s perfect. And the garlic is perfect too.
Thank you.
While I’m here, may I suggest that you give temperatures in Celsius as well as Fahrenheit, though, because I almost scrolled on by.
Aanchal Gupta
Hi Chris, hope your baba ganoush turns out awesome with this recipe. Please share your feedback. Thanks for the suggestion about giving temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. Will do in future recipes. Thanks for stopping by.
Sangita
Amazing recipe! Great instructions and pictures!
It’s not nice of Chris to a take a star off due to Celsius and Fahrenheit.
Aanchal Gupta
Thanks Sangita. Glad you found the recipe helpful.
Varsha S
Hi Aanchal,
Does this recipe give the roasted baingan desi bharta flavor?
Thank you
Varsha
Aanchal Gupta
Hi Varsha, it roasts the baingan perfectly for the bharta, but for the smoked flavor, I would use a piece of smoking charcoal or liquid smoke.