Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

Ingredients

For the Eggplant:

• 1 large (1½-pound) Italian eggplant, peeled
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

For the Seasoned Panko Crust:

• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Egg Batter:

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Elevated Marinara Sauce:

• 2½ cups jarred marinara sauce
• ½ small onion, finely diced
• ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (divided)
• 1 pinch red chili flakes
• 1 pinch sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for sautéing
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

For the Cheese:

• 4 ounces whole-milk block mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

For Garnish:

• Fresh whole basil leaves
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Good quality extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

1. Prep and Salt the Eggplant Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Peel the eggplant and slice it crosswise into twelve ½-inch-thick rounds, trying to keep them all the same thickness. Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon of the salt over both sides of all the eggplant slices and arrange them in a single layer on the wire rack. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes to draw out moisture. You'll see beads of water forming on the surface. After 10 minutes, pat the slices completely dry with paper towels to remove all that moisture before breading.
2. Make the Elevated Marinara Sauce While the eggplant is resting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and red bell pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add half of the chopped sun-dried tomatoes (reserve the other half for layering), the pinch of chili flakes, and the pinch of sugar. Stir everything together. Pour in the jarred marinara sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and let everything simmer together for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so all those flavors can meld. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh chopped basil. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Toast the Panko In a microwave-safe bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with the ⅓ cup olive oil and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt until all the crumbs are evenly coated. Microwave the panko mixture until it turns golden brown, about 3-5 minutes total, stirring every 30 seconds to ensure even toasting. Watch it carefully as microwaves vary in power! Transfer the toasted panko to a shallow dish and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Once cooled, stir in the grated Parmesan, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper flakes until everything is well combined.
4. Make the Egg Batter In a second shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, flour, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until completely smooth with no lumps. The flour helps the coating adhere better to the eggplant.
5. Bread the Eggplant Working with one eggplant round at a time, dip it into the egg batter, turning to coat both sides and letting any excess drip off. Transfer to the dish with the seasoned panko and press firmly on both sides and all around the edges, really pressing the crumbs in so they stick well. You want a substantial coating! Return the breaded round to the wire rack. Repeat with all remaining eggplant slices.
6. Air Fry the Eggplant (First Batch) Arrange 6 of the breaded eggplant rounds in an even layer in your Cosori Iconic Air Fryer basket, making sure they're not overlapping. Air fry at 350°F for 15-18 minutes, carefully flipping them over with tongs or a spatula at the halfway point (around 7-9 minutes). The panko should be deep golden brown and crispy when done. Transfer the cooked rounds to a platter and repeat with the remaining 6 rounds.
7. Build the Stacks Once all the eggplant is cooked, select the 4 largest rounds and place them on a clean cutting board. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the elevated marinara sauce over each one. Scatter a few pieces of the reserved sun-dried tomatoes over the sauce. Sprinkle each with a heaping tablespoon of shredded mozzarella and a little freshly grated Parmesan. Place another eggplant round on top of each stack and repeat the layering: sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Top each stack with a final eggplant round, more sauce, and the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese divided evenly among the four stacks.
8. Melt the Cheese Using a wide spatula, carefully transfer the assembled eggplant stacks to the air fryer basket. Air fry at 350°F for about 5 minutes until the mozzarella is completely melted, bubbly, and starting to get spotty brown on top. Watch them closely since the cheese can go from melted to burnt quickly!
9. Plate and Serve Carefully transfer each stack to an individual serving plate using a spatula. Spoon some of the remaining warm elevated marinara sauce around the base of each stack. Drizzle a little good quality extra virgin olive oil over the top of each stack. Garnish with fresh whole basil leaves and add a lemon wedge to each plate. Serve immediately while hot and the cheese is still melty!