Vegetarian Eggplant Milanese Crispy And Tender

Eggplant Milanese is the perfect vegetarian version of the veal Milanese. These eggplant cutlets can be served as a vegetarian main or a delicious appetizer. Breadcrumbs are flavored with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, giving an extra crunch and a classic Italian taste. These crispy breaded eggplant slices have a soft, chunky, meaty texture. It's an easy recipe for the whole family. Your children wouldn't even know they are eating their veggies.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Frying
• Avoiding soggy fried eggplants
• What to serve with it
• Fried eggplants variation
• 📋Vegetarian Eggplant Milanese

I spent all my childhood vacations in the South of Italy, and eggplants, tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers are the stars of every summer meal.

Delicious eggplant recipes can be cooked in many different ways: roasted, baked, fried, and steamed.

With their sweet flavour and chunky flesh, fresh eggplants can give structure and texture to many recipes.

Catanians in Catania, Sicily, have made eggplants one of their most acclaimed regional ingredients.

Whatever is cooked with eggplants is called alla Norma: Pasta alla Norma, Pizza alla Norma, Arancini alla Norma.

The origin of the name comes from a well-known comedian from Catania, Nino Martoglio (1870-1921) compared the perfection of Pasta alla Norma to a famous opera from Vincenzo Bellini (originally also from Catania) "La Norma" that was presented in 1831 at the Scala theatre in Milan.

For more fresh eggplant recipes, you can read: No-fry eggplant parmigiana, Sicilian eggplant caponata, and fried eggplant balls.

Ingredients

• Eggplants (Round Purple Ones): These are the main component of the dish. The round purple eggplants are preferred for their texture and flavor.
• Breading Station:
• Flour: The initial coating for the eggplant slices. Flour helps to create a dry surface, which allows the egg to adhere better in the next step.
• Egg: Acts as a binding agent. It helps the breadcrumbs stick to the flour-coated eggplant slices, ensuring a consistent and even coating.
• Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs: These give the final crispy texture and added flavor to the eggplants, they are made with stale bread, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and fresh garlic. See below
• Salt and Pepper: Used for seasoning. Salt enhances the natural flavor of the eggplant, while pepper adds a slight heat and complexity.
• Vegetable Oil for Frying: Vegetable oil is ideal for frying because it has a relatively high smoke point, meaning it can be heated to a high temperature without burning. This ensures a crisp, evenly cooked exterior without absorbing too much oil, keeping the eggplant slices crispy and not greasy. Additionally, vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, which doesn't interfere with the taste of the eggplants.

Find measurements in the recipe card.

Round purple eggplants

For this recipe I like to use the round purple eggplants, they are sweeter than the regular one and have less seeds.

Because they are sweet, you don't need to drain them in salt to remove the bitterness; therefore, the slices remain thick and compact.

I always peel the eggplant, but it is a personal taste, if you like the skin you can leave it.

The large shape of the slices is perfect for a portion of a side dish or a child's lunch.

Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

I always use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs in many of my recipes, which is why I usually prepare a large amount and keep it in the freezer. They don’t need to be defrosted ahead of time.

If you want to know more about it, read the article: Grated Parmesan and Breadcrumbs. also check out the article: Once a Month Freezer Meal Prep to find out what else I keep in my freezer.

I always keep the stale bread aside, and when I have time, I prepare the breadcrumbs and freeze it.

Here are the ingredients I use in proportion to 3 cups of grated stale bread:

• 3 cups of grated stale bread like baguette or ciabatta. Do not use panko breadcrumbs or white sandwiched bread; you want to have the flavor and texture of stale Italian bread
• ½ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup of fresh basil leaves or parsley
• 1 fresh garlic clove

If you are making it only for this recipe, use the amount listed on the recipe card below.

Fresh ingredients are one of the main components of authentic Italian seasoning; do not use garlic powder or dried basil.

If you want to know more about it, you can read the article: Fresh herbs in Italian cuisine.

Instructions

How to prepare the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1. Grate the parmesan in a shredder
2. Cut the stale bread into chunks small enough to fit in the shredder
3. Shredd the bread, putting the garlic first so the bread absorbs the flavor
4. Take a cup of shredded breadcrumbs and blend it with the basil leaves (use shredded bread; otherwise, you risk breaking the blender as stale bread can be very hard to blend)
5. Add the shredded parmesan to the breadcrumbs
6. Then the breadcrumbs mixed with the basil

Following this procedure will minimize waste (like basil being stuck in the side of the blender or parmesan left inside the shredder) and create a perfect combination of flavors (the breadcrumbs absorbing the garlic and the basil)

It is best if the breadcrumbs rest overnight to absorb all the flavors.

I usually make a large amount and keep them in the freezer and you can read the article: Grated Parmesan and Breadcrumbs.

Removing Bitterness

Some eggplants, especially larger or older ones, can have a bitter taste. Salting helps to draw out these bitter compounds.

1. Cut the eggplants into the desired thickness, typically around ½ inch slices. Uniform slices ensure even cooking and salting.
2. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on a tray or colander. Generously sprinkle salt over each slice. Salt draws out the moisture and bitter compounds from the eggplants.
3. Allow the salted eggplant slices to sit for about 30-60 minutes. During this time, the salt will draw out excess moisture and bitterness. This process is known as "sweating."
4. You will notice moisture beads forming on the surface of the eggplant slices. This is the excess water and bitterness being drawn out.
5. After resting, rinse the eggplant slices under cold water to remove the excess salt and the bitter juice that has been drawn out.

Pat the eggplant slices dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Removing as much moisture as possible is important to ensure proper frying and prevent the oil from splattering.

Prepare the eggplants

1. Peel the eggplants and cut them into round slices
2. Prepare the breading station with three shallow bowls with flour, beaten egg and flavored breadcrumbs
3. Mix the eggs, adding 1 teaspoon of salt and some black pepper
4. Coat the slices of eggplant first in the flour,
5. then, in the eggs
6. and last in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture
7. Lay the breaded cutlets on a board

Frying

8. Deep fry the eggplants in the fryer or large skillet on a single layer at a high temperature ( 355 F - 180 C)
9. Turn them around when they are golden brown on one side
10. Remove with a slotted spoon and lay on paper towels to absorb the extra frying oil.
11. Serve while still warm with some mayonnaise or Aioli

Avoiding soggy fried eggplants

The eggplant flesh is spongy, and when fried, it absorbs the frying oil, becoming soggy and oily.

The breadcrumbs form a nice crispy coating, protecting the eggplants from absorbing too much oil.

They remain soft but firm.

Another way to avoid this problem is to fry the eggplants in very hot oil so that the external part of the eggplant forms a crust that stops the oil from being absorbed.

What to serve with it

You can serve the eggplant Milanese as a side dish with a simple salad of arugula and a slice of tomato, as I have done with the Veal Milanese.

I like to dip it in homemade mayonnaise or Aioli (which is mayonnaise mixed with garlic).

If you want to serve it as a main dish for a vegetarian lunch, you can serve it with a fresh pasta salad like pasta and red pesto, Trofie with pesto Genovese or a pasta Caprese salad.

In Italy, we would never serve a crispy cutlet with Marinara sauce, spaghetti sauce, or any tomato sauce as it would soften the crispy crust.

Chicken parmigiana is not an Italian recipe.

Fried eggplants variation

Fried eggplants are everyone's favorite, and there are many ways to make them.

In this recipe, I am using some flavored breadcrumbs to coat them and frying them like a Milanese, but not in butter.

Eggplants can also be cut into cubes and stir-fried, then added to sauces like in Pasta alla Norma or Pasta with swordfish ragu or mixed with other vegetables to make Caponata.

They can be fried in slices and used as layers for eggplant Parmesan or toppings for baked pasta Aneletti or rice Timbale.

My favorite is fried eggplant balls, steamed eggplants mixed with flavored breadcrumbs, and deep-fried.

For more appetizers with eggplants, check out the story: 15 Authentic Italian Eggplant Recipes.

You can check the recipe Sicilian spiedini made with vegetables for a vegan version of this dish.

If you are making this vegetarian eggplant Milanese leave your comment below I would like to know which one is your favourite. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.