A simple yet irresistible combination of textures and flavours. Crispy Mediterranean aubergines are fried to perfection and arranged around a creamy burrata, then finished with a drizzle of fragrant basil oil. An indulgent yet simple Mediterranean appetizer.
If you’re craving something crispy, creamy, and full of Mediterranean sunshine before the sunny season ends, this dish is it. These golden fried aubergines are light, crunchy, and perfectly seasoned, then the ultimate pairing with a ball of silky burrata. Drizzled with fragrant basil oil, it’s the kind of appetizer that looks impressive but comes together effortlessly. Whether you’re hosting friends or just treating yourself, this simple yet indulgent recipe is guaranteed to steal the show.
How to make these Crispy Mediterranean Aubergines
Start by cubing the aubergines into even pieces and sprinkling them generously with salt. Let them sit for about 30 minutes — this helps draw out any excess moisture and gives you that perfect crisp texture later on. Once the time’s up, gently pat them dry. While the aubergines rest, chop your fresh basil and stir it into olive oil with a pinch of chili flakes to make a simple, fragrant herb oil. Set that aside to infuse while you prep the rest.
In one bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper, slowly adding water until you have a light, smooth batter. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with garlic powder, oregano, paprika, and a good handful of grated parmesan. Dip each aubergine cube into the batter, shake off the excess, then coat it evenly in the breadcrumb mix — you want every piece beautifully covered.
Heat your oil to 170°C (340°F) and fry the aubergines in small batches for about 3 minutes, or until they turn golden and crisp. Don’t overcrowd the pan — this keeps them light and crunchy. Once fried, transfer the pieces to a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with a little flakey salt. To serve, arrange the crispy aubergines around a creamy burrata in a bowl or on a platter, then finish with a generous drizzle of your basil oil. Simple, indulgent, and bursting with Mediterranean flavour — the perfect appetizer to impress with minimal effort.
Tips for success!
One thing I highly recommend is to salt the aubergines at the beginning of this recipe. Salting the aubergines before cooking helps draw out their excess moisture, which means they’ll fry up beautifully crisp instead of turning soggy. It also softens the flesh for a creamier texture and gently removes any natural bitterness. A quick 30-minute re.st with a sprinkle of salt makes all the difference for perfectly golden, flavour-packed aubergines every time. However, before continuing with the method of the recipe, pat them dry after 30 minutes to remove the excess moisture.
FAQs
How to serve this dish?
I like to serve this dish with other small dishes to create a wonderful explosion of flavour and textures. Find more appetizers here! Or else these crispy fried aubergines are great with a side of rice or else in a vegetarian sandwich if they are cut in circles so to resemble a patty.
Can you store leftovers?
Ideally these crispy Mediterranean aubergines are prepared and eaten on the same day! However, if you have any leftover crispy fried aubergines on their own, simply store them in an airtight container in a fridge for not more than 3 days. When ready to eat cook again in the oven or air fryer for a couple of minutes to bring back their crispiness. I don’t recommend to microwave them! In addition, I would avoid storing any leftover aubergines that were in contact with the creamy burrata as these will become extremely soggy and will spoil quickly.
Crispy Mediterranean Aubergines with Burrata
Ingredients
- 2 medium aubergines
- 130 g plain flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 150 ml water
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 30 g parmesan cheese grated
- 1 burrata cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
Instructions
- Start by cubing the aubergines into equal sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes. Afterwards, dap dry the excess water which came out from the salting.
- Chop the fresh basil leaves, add to the olive oil with the chili flakes. Set aside until ready to serve.
- In a bowl combine together the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Slowly add in the water until you get a loose batter. In another one mix together the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, oregano, paprika and grated parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Place each piece of aubergine in the batter, lightly remove any excess batter and dip into the breadcrumbs. Make sure that each piece of aubergine is equally covered.
- In a saucepan, heat up the oil to 170°C/ 340°F. Once the oil has reached the desired temperature, start cooking the coated aubergines in batches.
- Cook for about 3 minutes, until they start to have a light golden colour. Do this in small batches so to be sure that the temperature doesn't change drastically and that the aubergines are cooked through.
- Place them on a paper towel lined plate to remove the excess oil. Sprinkle some flakey salt on top. Serve in a bowl with burrata cheese in the middle. Drizzle everything with the herb oil.
Nutrition
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