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These crispy eggplant bites are golden on the outside, buttery-soft inside, and so satisfying to dip in a tangy, glossy sweet and sour dipping sauce. They taste like something you’d order at a restaurant—but they’re surprisingly quick and easy to make at home, no deep frying needed.
You’ll get that perfectly crisp crust from the air fryer or oven, and I’ll show you how to keep the breading from falling off or turning soggy. You’ll hear that crunch with every bite—then dip into the sweet and tangy sauce, and it’s game over. My husband said I can make this anytime I want!
How to make crispy eggplant bites with sweet and sour sauce
Follow these step-by-step photos and key tips to get crispy, golden Asian-style eggplant bites—either baked or air fried.
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Step 1: Why we salt the eggplant before cooking
This step isn’t about removing bitterness—it’s about seasoning the eggplant and helping it absorb less oil. Salting pulls out excess moisture so the bites stay creamy inside, not greasy or heavy. Even 15 minutes makes a difference.
Tip: Make sure your slices are patted dry after salting.
Step 2: How thick you slice the eggplant affects the texture
For tender bites with a creamy center, slice the eggplant just over 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick. Thinner slices tend to dry out or go mushy. Uniform slices also help everything cook evenly—especially in the oven.
Tip: Stick with Chinese or baby Italian eggplants. They have thinner, tender skin that doesn’t need peeling. Avoid globe eggplants—they’re too spongy and the thick skin won’t soften enough during baking.
Step 3: The key to a crispy coating that actually sticks
Whether you go for the traditional breading or my shortcut version, the most important part is pressing the coating on firmly. A light starch layer and egg under the panko adds fat and moisture, which gives extra grip and helps the crust stay on through air frying or baking.
Step 4: Air fryer vs. oven: which one is better?
The air fryer gives a more even golden color and works best for smaller batches. The oven is great when you need to cook more at once. Both turn out crispy—you’ll just need to flip and rest the slices for the best results.
Step 5: The sweet and sour dipping sauce that makes it special
This sauce has a bright, tangy flavor with a subtle fruitiness from the pineapple (or apricot) jam. It pairs so well with the crispy eggplant—cool, slightly sweet, and the perfect contrast to the crunchy exterior and buttery-soft center.
Step 6: How to serve it and share with your friends
For the best texture, serve the eggplant hot and keep the dipping sauce on the side. That way, each bite stays crispy until the moment you dip—and trust me, they’ll go fast once the plate hits the table.
What to serve it with
These crispy aubergine slices are super versatile—great on their own or paired with other dishes for a fun, shareable meal.
- Add them to noodles: Try them on top of cold noodle bowls like my Taiwanese Cold Sesame Noodles or Spicy Peanut Noodles for a crispy, savory crunch.
- Serve with other protein bites: Pair with Bang Bang Salmon Bites or Garlic Butter Steak Bites for a party platter or easy weeknight combo.
- Balance it with a fresh salad: These go great with refreshing sides like Bok Choy Slaw or Glass Noodle Salad to lighten things up.
ChihYu’s helpful tips
- Don’t be shy with the oil spray: This dish is usually deep-fried, but we’re using the air fryer or oven—so you still need a generous amount of oil spray. It helps the crust crisp up beautifully. Trust me, you’re still using way less oil than frying. If your eggplant isn’t crisping well (and you’ve breaded it right), lack of oil is probably the reason.
- Air fryer or oven? Here’s what I learned: In my experiment, both methods turn out great—crispy on the outside, buttery-tender inside. The air fryer gives a slightly more even color, but the oven is more convenient for larger batches. Either way, you’ll get that crave-worthy texture.
- Breading trick that saves time and mess: Use one hand for the “wet” ingredients (egg + starch) and the other for the “dry” ingredients (panko). It keeps things cleaner and helps you move through the process faster.
Try these Chinese eggplant recipes next!
- Thai basil eggplant – savory, aromatic, and extra saucy!
- Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce – A classic Chinese favorite!
- Roasted Chinese eggplant – with a delicious Tahini dressing.
Crispy eggplant bites recipe with sweet & sour dipping sauce
Ingredients
Crispy eggplants:
- 1 lb. Chinese eggplants or Italian eggplants, 2 long ones
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 large egg whisked
- 8 tbsp potato starch or tapioca starch
- 0.75 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tbsp avocado oil or oil spray
Sweet and sour dipping sauce: (makes ½ cup)
- 3 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp ketchup for color
- 1 to 1.5 tbsp pineapple-mango jam or apricot jam
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
Salt the eggplant:
- Trim the tip ends and slice the eggplants crosswise into rounds, just over 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick.
- Transfer them to a large mixing bowl, toss with salt, and set aside for 15 minutes. The eggplant will sweat slightly as it sits. The salting process is mainly to season the eggplants and also helps them absorb less oil when frying. Pat them dry over a clean kitchen towel.
Bread the eggplant:
- Set up your workstation with 3 large bowls—for whisked egg, starch, and breadcrumbs.
- Dip the eggplants in egg, starch, back to the egg, and with a final stop over the panko. Use your hands to gently press and pat the breadcrumbs in to help adhere. Rest over a large plate or lined sheet pan.
- Repeat the process until you finish the whole batch.
Air fry:
- Spray the air fryer basket with a thin layer of oil. Add the eggplants into the basket one by one with some space between them. Spray a generous amount of oil on top of each eggplant so that each piece can air fry evenly.
- Air fry at 400°F (about 200°C) for 6 minutes on the first side. Open the basket, wait for 10-12 seconds to allow the hot moisture to evaporate, then carefully use a firm spatula to help you flip the eggplant.
- Spray more oil on the side that’s now facing up, then air fry for 3 more minutes. The eggplants will be light golden brown after air frying. Rest them over a wired rack to prevent the bottom from turning soggy.
- Repeat the process for the second batch.
Oven bake:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large sheet pan and brush it with a thin layer of oil.
- Place the eggplants with some space between them and spray with more oil on top of each slice.
- Bake for 12 minutes, then flip and spray more oil on the side that’s now facing up. Bake for 6 more minutes or until a light golden brown crust.
- The side that’s facing down (touch the sheet pan) will get crisp up faster so flipping the eggplants will help both sides crisp up more evenly.
- Rest over a cooling rack to keep the bottom crisp.
Sweet and sour dip:
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar and jam are fully dissolved.
- Look for big bubbles starting to rise and the sauce turning glossy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Optional. If preferred, you can pass the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove the pineapple jam bits.
- Transfer the sauce to a dipping cup. The sauce consistency will be on a thinner side. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
Serve:
- To serve, transfer the eggplants to a large serving plate. Serve with the sweet and sour dipping sauce on the side to keep the eggplants crispy. Serve warm.
Notes
- Salting the eggplant here is mainly to add more flavor—not to remove bitterness. Most eggplants sold today don’t have much bitterness, even though they’re available year-round. Unless you’re buying eggplant seriously out of season and it looks dull or old, bitterness isn’t usually an issue. So this step is really just about enhancing the flavor.
- If you can’t find Chinese eggplant, small Italian eggplant also works well. I don’t recommend using globe eggplant.
- For gluten-free, use gluten-free panko or rice panko.
- Air fry vs. oven-baked eggplants: In my experiment, the air fryer gives a more even golden crust, but both versions come out super crispy. The oven method works better when making a larger batch. The air fryer version is ideal for smaller portions or when appearance is more important to you. Both versions are equally delicious and crispy!
- About the sweet and sour dipping sauce: If you can’t find pineapple jam, apricot jam is a great substitute. Use a 1:1 ratio.
- Dipping sauce consistency: You don’t want the sauce to be too thick or gloopy—it should have a nice shine and light viscosity so it coats the fried eggplant well.
- Storage and reheat: Store the eggplant and sauce separately. Line the container with a dry paper towel to absorb extra moisture. To reheat, air fry at 360°F (182°C) for 3 minutes, or bake at 400°F (204°C) for 5 minutes. They’ll crisp back up nicely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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