Crispy Eggplant Chips with Honey (Berenjenas con Miel | Vegan)
Berenjenas con miel (aka crispy eggplant with honey) is a popular Spanish tapas combining super crispy eggplant chips/fries (fried, baked, or air fried) and served with black honey (aka cane molasses). Best of all, this eggplant chips recipe requires just 5 ingredients and under an hour for a delicious sweet and savory appetizer or side!
Chop the eggplant either into matchsticks/thin slices (1/8 inch) or 1/8-inch coins (0.3 cm).
Sprinkle salt on top of them and set them aside for about 15-20 minutes.
Transfer the eggplant to a large bowl of either milk (dairy) or sparkling water (vegan) and soak for 30-60 minutes, covered.I recommend 30 minutes minimum, but you can also soak them covered in the refrigerator overnight. I've tried both ingredients and had very impressive (but almost identical) results – so use either based on what you have available.
Step 2: Coat and cook the eggplant chips
Drain the milk/sparkling water from the eggplant and pat the pieces dry slightly. Lightly coat with flour- shaking off any excess, so it’s a thin coating.You can optionally season the flour for more flavor – salt, pepper, and other spices or herbs could be added. You can even add sesame seeds or wheat bran into the flour.
Then, you can cook the eggplant slices, either in the oven, an air fryer, or deep frying.Baked eggplant chips: preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Then transfer the floured eggplant chips to a parchment paper-lined baking tray sprayed with a bit of oil. Bake the eggplant chips for around 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.Air fryer eggplant chips: arrange the eggplant chips in a single layer on the greased basket (you might have to cook them in batches), then air fry at 400ºF/200ºC for about 12-15 minutes, until golden and crisp.Deep Fry: add enough oil to fill a large, deep skillet with 1 inch of oil and heat over medium heat. To check that the oil is ready, dip a chopstick or wooden skewer into the oil – if bubbles instantly form around the wood – you're ready to go. Alternatively, use a thermometer to make sure it's at 350ºF/180ºC.Fry the eggplant in small batches until golden and crispy, turning often (2-4 minutes). Then transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
To serve, drizzle the crispy baked eggplant with the black honey (or regular/vegan honey) and optionally a sprinkle of flaky salt. Then enjoy!
How to Store
Make ahead: you can leave the eggplant to soak in the milk/sparkling water overnight and then drain and continue with the recipe. Alternatively, you can freeze the soaked and flour-coated eggplant for between 3-4 months in an airtight container/bag. Then cook from frozen, adding extra time to whichever cooking method you choose.Storing: store any leftover air-fried/fried/baked eggplant slices in an airtight container for 2-3 days.Reheating: these crispy eggplant chips are best when fresh. However, if you've saved leftovers and want to reheat them to bring back some of their crispiness, I recommend placing them either in your oven or air fryer at around 350ºF/180ºC for 8-12 minutes until heated and crisp.
Notes
How much oil to use: if you're making baked or air fryer eggplant chips, you just need a little oil and can use olive oil or avocado oil, etc. However, I recommend a cheaper alternative like canola oil for deep-frying, though olive oil is also a popular option (I usually avoid using it for deep-frying due to the strong flavor and low smoking point). For deep frying, you need to fill your skillet with 1-inch oil.
Don't cut the eggplant too thick: the larger the pieces, the harder it is to make them super crispy.
Slice the pieces evenly: if you aren't confident with your knife skills, you could use a mandoline to ensure all the eggplant slices are even. That way, they’ll cook evenly, too.
How to use the leftovers: while you can reheat the leftovers to eat with honey as an appetizer, you can also enjoy the eggplant fries as part of many meals, over salads, as a snack, etc.
Air fryer times will vary: whenever I’ve posted air fryer recipes, I've received messages that the times have differed for different brands. So it's important to keep an eye on any new recipe in your air fryer to see where the times vary. That way, you'll know for next time.
Don’t overcrowd the eggplant: no matter which cooking method you use, overcrowding the eggplant will impact how crispy you're able to get the eggplant. Make sure there is space between the eggplant slices when baking/air frying and always deep-fry in small batches.
Optional add-ins and recipe variations:
Other sauces: while this eggplant chips recipe is traditionally served with honey or molasses, this crispy baked eggplant will work as "fries" with tons of different sauces: mayo, ketchup, sour cream, sriracha mayo, tahini sauce, balsamic glaze, etc. I particularly love the crispy eggplant chips with dips like tzatziki and even marinara. Salsa works well when slicing them at eggplant rounds that can scoop up the salsa.
Spice: if you want a "sweet and spicy" dish, you could add some chili/cayenne powder to the flour mixture OR sprinkle the final dish with some red pepper flakes.
Seasonings: the easiest way to add extra flavor is by seasoning the flour coating. Paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder are all favorites of mine. Cumin and oregano would also work well. Rosemary, sage, and thyme all pair well with honey.
Parmesan: parmesan will crisp up when cooked OR can be sprinkled over the cooked eggplant slices. Nutritional yeast can add a slightly nutty/cheesy flavor when making vegan eggplant chips.
Breadcrumb coating: you can use half flour and half fine breadcrumbs for "crunchier" baked eggplant slices.
Herbs: you could garnish the crispy eggplant chips with fresh herbs like finely chopped parsley.
Check the blog post for more helpful tips and serving suggestions!