If you love fries (and who doesn't?!?!) and spicy food, you're gonna go crazy over these buffalo eggplant fries! Coated with spicy buffalo sauce, tahini and crispy Panko breadcrumbs, you won't be able to stop at one!
Sometimes, it's the simplest things that end up being the best. I think most of us tend to overthink, overcomplicate things, when all we need to do really is take a step back and go back to the basics.
As recipe developers, we find ourselves in that situation all the time. Trying to come up with fancy recipes and exotic ingredients that, at the end of the day, make no difference whatsoever.
These eggplant fries are the perfect example.
This was one of those open-the-fridge-see-what-we-have-to-work-with kind of recipes. Literally. Tahini and buffalo sauce are two things we always have on hand. We (obviously) always have veggies in the fridge (and eggplant is one of our staples) and everyone in our house is a little obsessed with crunchy stuff. Put it all together and bam! Buffalo eggplant fries FTW.
The end result, a recipe that checks all the boxes:
- Crunchy √
- Spicy √
- Yummy √
- Easy √
- Comforting √
- Family approved √
One thing to keep in mind though. Buffalo sauce can be pretty spicy. Make sure to use a mild one if you have to! Also, you can use gluten free Panko if you need a gluten free option.
Check out our other eggplant recipes.
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Buffalo Eggplant Fries
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 40 fries
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you love fries (and who doesn't?!?!), you're gonna go crazy over these buffalo eggplant fries! Coated with spicy buffalo sauce, tahini and crispy Panko breadcrumbs, you won't be able to stop at one!
Ingredients
- 3 Japanese eggplants (you can also use 1 large regular eggplant)
- ½ cup vegan buffalo sauce (see note)
- ½ cup tahini
- 4 tbsp water
- 3.5 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt ( you can use more or less to taste)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush it lightly with oil (or use cooking spray)
Peel the eggplants, cut them in half lengthwise and slice them into fry size pieces. Set them aside
Combine the buffalo sauce, tahini and water in a large bowl and whisk until well combined (you can add an extra tablespoon of water if the mixture seems too thick)
Place the Panko, onion powder and salt in a large bowl
Place the eggplant fries in the buffalo sauce bowl (you might need to do this in 2 batches) and toss well until well coated
Coat the eggplant, one piece at a time, in Panko, pressing each piece lightly with your hands so the breadcrumbs stick well to each piece. Arrange them on the lined baking sheet in one single layer (use 2 if the one you have is not big enough). Bake for 25 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender and the coating is golden and crispy
Notes
Choose the level of heat you like for the buffalo sauce!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: appetizer
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 fries
- Calories: 195
- Sugar: 2.6
- Sodium: 107.2
- Fat: 10.7
- Saturated Fat: 1.1
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 21.3
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0
Bob Bush
Looks great, easy to make and doesn't use strange ingredients that I have to research and maybe have to order on the internet. I think it makes this great and I'm looking forward to making it. Thank you!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you!! Hope you enjoy them 🙂
Lee Cohen
I really thought I was eating cheese. These are amazing, I couldn't stop eating them.
Vicky & Ruth
That's so funny! Glad you liked them 🙂
Helen Scarr
Oh WOW! Those buffalo eggplant fries are extraordinary! The recipe sounded so fantastic I bought a beautiful eggplant on my way home to make for dinner. (Then didnt have buffalo sauce so I used HP sauce which is spicy, with tahini and water. Also ran out of panko crumbs so used 1 cup of semolina to make up the amount for the crumb). Not necessarily the recipe to make in a hurry but so worth the fiddle with coating the chips with sauce. The end result was wonderful: a complete surprise and so different from other eggplant recipes. That vegetable is emerging as something quite magical with its Middle Eastern treatment. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipe. Loving it. Can't wait to try them again.
Vicky & Ruth
So glad you liked it! Love how you used semolina instead of panko!!
Alocasia
Can you use cashew butter in place of the tahini?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi!
Cashew butter is a lot thicker than tahini, so we suggest adding a little water and whisking well, to loosen it up a bit.
Ruchama Burrell
Do you think these would work in my air fryer? Seems as if they should. Any hints on how to make them this way?
Vicky & Ruth
We don’t own and air fryer, but based of what we have read about air fryers they should come out great if you use it . Let us know !
D. Golden
Soooo good! Easy to make and healthy if you can stop eating them!
Vicky & Ruth
Judy
would zucchini work? or are they too wet?
Vicky & Ruth
We think these fries will work for this recipe as well