• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Elle & Pear
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Sides & Appetizers

Fried Eggplant Chips with Rosemary and Honey

By Lauren | Updated: Jan 19, 2024 | Published: Sep 23, 2022 | 2 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

In this Fried Eggplant Chips with Rosemary and Honey dish, eggplant is sliced thinly, pan-fried, and served with a drizzle of honey and fresh rosemary. It is crispy on the outside slightly soft in the middle, sweetened with honey, and sprinkled with aromatic rosemary.

I never would have thought to combine these ingredients. However, this was a dish at a Spanish tapas restaurant that I tried on a Food Tour in Healdsburg, CA outside of Sonoma. Chances are I wouldn’t even have ordered it, except that the tour guide ordered it for the group.

Fried eggplant chips layered on each other on a white plate with honey and rosemary.

It was so good that it made me want to go back and try it again at a later time, which we did. The eggplant is mild in flavor, and it gets crispy on the outside and a little softer in the middle. What makes this recipe so good is that you’re getting the texture of the crispy eggplant, but the flavor of the honey and rosemary. Something that would also be great on pizza.

The best part about this dish is the mixture of textures and the flavors are so unexpected when combined. It’s also really quick to throw together, with just a few minutes of prep (no advanced prep or salting needed), and a few minutes to fry. Be sure to serve immediately for maximum crispiness!

Another veggie side that we love that is inspired by our travels is this recipe for lightly-pan fried and blistered Spanish peppers. They are made with peppers called pimientos de padrón, but can easily be substituted with shishito peppers. Or for a Spanish main course try Flamenquines, a dish originating in Córdoba, where thin pork cutlets are wrapped around ham and cheese, breaded and pan-fried until crispy and the cheese is melty. Or try this Spanish Salad inspired by my time living in Barcelona.

🛒 Fried Eggplant Chip Ingredients:

Ingredients to make fried eggplant chips with rosemary and honey.
  • Flour: use all-purpose flour.
  • Eggplant: if you have access to thin, narrow eggplants, choose those.
  • Salt: for seasoning the eggplant.
  • Vegetable Oil: for frying.
  • Honey: any honey will work, used for sweetness and flavor.
  • Rosemary: use only fresh rosemary, the fresher it is the better the flavor. If you do not have fresh rosemary, I recommend you skip it and just add honey.

📝 How to Make Fried Eggplant Chips with Rosemary and Honey

Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Fried Eggplant Chips with Rosemary and Honey.

*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.

Thinly sliced pieces of eggplant in a shallow dish with flour, next to an image of the eggplant slices frying in oil in a saute pan.

Step 1. Season the eggplant slices with salt. Add flour to a small shallow baking dish. Coat both sides of the thinly sliced eggplant in the flour. Shake off excess flour.

Step 2. Bring a large sauté pan to medium heat. Coat the bottom of the pan in vegetable oil. Allow to warm through. Working in batches, add the eggplant to the pan and fry, turning once to brown both sides.

Fried eggplant chips on a cookie drying rack with a paper towel underneath, next to an image of the eggplant chips on a plate sprinkled with rosemary and honey.

Step 3. Remove and set on a cookie cooling rack to cool slightly (that way the bottoms won’t get soggy and will stay crispy and fried).

Step 4. Drizzle the eggplant chips with honey and sprinkle with rosemary. Serve immediately while warm.

🪄 Tips for Crispy Eggplant Chips

Thin slices: The best way to make eggplant chips crispy is to thinly slice the eggplant to about ⅛ of an inch thick. If the slices are too thick the middle of the slices get soggy. You can use a mandolin, but I find that by cutting the slices by hand with a sharp knife, I get a more consistent thickness.

These eggplant chips are designed to be crispy on the edges and slightly soft in the middle. If you want them to have a more potato chip-like crispiness, then slice them even thinner.

Thin, narrow eggplant: The narrower, more slender, the eggplant the easier it will be to get a crispy eggplant chip. These narrow eggplants, however, can be hard to find, so just choose what is available.

Salt: I've seen recommendations to salt the eggplant slices and let them sit to draw out the water. I compared this technique with just adding some salt, coating in flour, and immediately pan-frying the slices. While the salt does draw out water from the eggplant slices, it did not make any noticeable difference in how crispy the eggplant chips were.

Set on a Drying Rack: Once fried, lay the eggplant chips in a single layer on a cookie-drying rack. This prevents moisture from getting trapped under the slices which would turn them soggy.

Serve immediately: these chips are at their crispiest right after pan-frying. Serve them immediately to ensure each one is crispy.

If you're looking for more appetizers, you may love these:

  • Green beans with toasted slivered almonds in a grey bowl with a squeezed lemon.
    Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
  • Crispy Sheet Pan Focaccia with Rosemary
  • Pimientos de Padrón: Spanish Peppers
  • Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
    Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

If you've tried these Quick Fried Eggplant Chips with Rosemary and Honey or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!

Fried eggplant chips layered on each other on a white plate with honey and rosemary.

Quick Fried Eggplant Chips with Rosemary and Honey

Eggplant is thinly sliced into chips, then pan fried and served with a drizzle of honey and fresh rosemary.
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Author Lauren Skardal
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 209 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • pinch salt
  • 2 narrow eggplants, thinly sliced to ⅛ inch
  • ½ cup flour
  • vegetable oil
  • 1 small sprig fresh rosemary, minced
  • honey

Instructions
 

  • Season the eggplant slices lightly with salt. Add flour to a small shallow baking dish. Coat both sides of the thinly sliced eggplant in the flour. Shake off excess flour.
  • Bring a large sauté pan to medium heat. Coat the bottom of the pan in vegetable oil. Allow to warm through. Working in batches, add the eggplant to the pan and fry, turning once to brown both sides.
  • Remove and set on a cookie cooling rack to cool slightly (that way the bottoms won’t get soggy and will stay crispy and fried).
  • Drizzle the eggplant chips with honey and sprinkle with rosemary. Serve immediately while warm.

Notes

  • Choose narrow, slender eggplants, if available (think similar to a zucchini).
  • Cut the eggplant into ⅛ slices, for maximum crispiness. A sharp knife and a steady hand work best.
  • Once fried, allow to rest on a cookie drying rack to ensure that they stay crispy.
  • Choose fresh rosemary, purchased same day if possible.
  • Serve immediately while warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and share a photo on instagram and tag @elleandpear or #elleandpear. I'd absolutely love to hear from you and see what you're making!

More Easy Sides and Appetizers

  • Pull Apart Dinner Rolls arranged on a gold baking sheet.
    Pull Apart Dinner Rolls
  • A hand holding a spoonful of Lemon Garlic White Wine Sauce with Butter over a bowl filled with the sauce on a light background.
    Lemon Garlic White Wine Sauce with Butter
  • A serving bowl with Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts with Shaved Parmesan and a large gold serving spoon.
    Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan
  • A Loaf of Irish Soda Bread in a loaf pan with a golden brown top with green shamrock decorations nearby.
    Easy Irish Soda Bread In A Loaf Pan

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dwight says

    August 10, 2024 at 7:39 pm

    5 stars
    I grew tons of millionaire Japanese eggplant and had no idea what to do. I pick um small 4-6”, cut on angle and start in skillet and crisp them in air frier. This is perfect flavor balance to combine with garden freshness. Thanks E&P

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 10, 2024 at 8:44 pm

      Thanks for the note! I'm so glad to hear that you liked the combination of flavors!

      Reply
4.80 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Lauren sitting at table in Tuscany with a glass of wine, charcuterie and rolling green hills and winery in the background.

I'm Lauren, I've worked in Finance, earned an MBA, and lived and traveled throughout Europe and the US. I love to cook and bake, and bring our family together around the table. Recipes shared here are real family recipes with real fresh ingredients inspired by our travels.

More about me →

Spring Recipes

  • A two layer Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake with lemon curd filling and mascarpone fosting.
    Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake
  • A Lemon Meringue Pie Cookie with a bite taken out of it on a white marble serving board with a cookie in the foreground and background.
    Lemon Meringue Pie Cookies
  • A Spanish Salad including mixed greens, olives, orange segments, kumquats, and toasted almonds on a patterened plate.
    Spanish Salad
  • Raspberry Lemon Loaf cross section with lemon glaze dripping over a slice with lemons and raspberries for garnish.
    Raspberry Lemon Loaf
  • A white plate filled with Pasta with Pancetta and Peas on a white and grey striped napkin with crusty bread, white wine, and basil surrounding the plate.
    Pasta with Pancetta and Peas
  • Broccolini Pizza

Most Popular

  • Banana Bread in square baking dish on a light background.
    Banana Bread without a Loaf Pan
  • A potato and rosemary pizza on a white background with three slices cut surrounded by rosemary garnish.
    Potato and Rosemary Pizza
  • Overhead shot of slices of lemon pie without meringue on white plates with pink flowers and the remaining pie above.
    Lemon Pie Without Meringue
  • Thick slices of banana bread covered in a white maple glaze on a light background.
    Banana Bread Glaze
  • Thick slices of banana bread with streusel topping on a white serving board surrounded by crumbs.
    Banana Bread with Streusel Topping
  • Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Cookies stacked on top of each other showing the insides of the cookies and the melted chocolate chips.
    Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Cookies

Footer

Search for a recipe or travel destination

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Footer

↑ back to top

Recipes

  • Breakfast
  • Sides & Appetizers
  • Soup
  • Main Dish
  • Dessert

Travel

  • US
  • California
  • Europe
  • Spain

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

COPYRIGHT © 2025 ELLE & PEAR

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.