Old-Fashioned Fried Eggplant with Pancake Batter Recipe

This old-fashioned deep fried eggplant recipe is lightly battered, golden, and crispy. It’s the kind of dish that feels right at home on a well-worn table surrounded by family. If there’s one thing farmhouse kitchens do well, it’s turning simple ingredients into something downright comforting.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 30 minute meal, afterschool snack, easy appetizer, easy side dish

Servings: Servings

Calories: 124kcal

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Kitchen Essentials

skillet

Cast Iron

Ingredients

1 Medium Eggplant (about 1–1¼ pounds), sliced ¼–½ inch thick
1 Cup Pancake Mix
1 Cup Lemon-lime Soda or beer
Oil for frying vegetable, canola, or peanut oil
Salt or to taste

Instructions

Wash and slice the eggplant into rounds. Or sticks for eggplant fries. The best way is to keep the slices ¼ to ½ inch thick. If desired, sprinkle lightly with salt and let rest for 20 minutes on a baking sheet in a single layer, then pat dry. It removes the extra moisture.
1 Medium Eggplant
In a medium bowl, whisk together the pancake mix and soda or beer until smooth. It should be a little thick yet pourable. Kind of like the thickness of a gravy.
1 Cup Pancake Mix, 1 Cup Lemon-lime Soda
Heat the oil on medium-high heat. Heat 2–3 inches of oil in a heavy skillet or deep fryer. The temperature of the oil should be 350°F.
Oil for frying
Dip and fry. Dip each piece of eggplant into the batter, allowing excess to drip off. Fry in batches until golden brown, turning as needed.
You should be able to see the slices of eggplant through the batter after it has been dipped, but it should lightly coat the rounds.
Drain and season. Remove to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt while hot.
Salt

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