Crispy eggplant chips are cooked in spices and served with an avocado and lime dip. An easy low carb and gluten-free recipe that makes a great snack or appetizer.
I was frying up slices of an eggplant for a vegetable stack and thought to myself, why not make some vegetable chips out of this? For this batch I used my blackened spices mix as I wanted something spicy to go with the avocado dip. You could use any spice you like or just keep it simple and plain. Homemade Cajun seasoning is a great option too.
The eggplant chips were very addictive and I happily munched through a whole batch. Even the skins were delicious too! I tried this with large plump eggplants and long slim ones. It works better on the slimmer ones. The large plump slices did not really seem to crisp up enough.
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IS EGGPLANT KETO FRIENDLY?
Yes, eggplant is generally considered keto-friendly as it is a low-carbohydrate vegetable that is high in fiber and nutrients. Eggplant is also known as aubergine in the UK. I've been living out of the UK for so many years, that I rarely call it that!
One cup of raw eggplant contains about 5 grams of carbohydrates, 2.5 grams of fiber, and only 20 calories, making it an ideal food to include in a ketogenic diet.
CARBS IN SPICES
This eggplant snack recipe uses many spices. Most spices are very low in carbohydrates and are considered to be keto-friendly. To reduce the carb content of these eggplant chips reduce the spices used in the coating.
INGREDIENTS
All you need to make healthy eggplant chips is a firm eggplant, oil and the seasonings of your choice.
HOW TO MAKE KETO EGGPLANT CHIPS
These eggplant chips can be baked or air fried. Instructions for both methods are in the recipe card. We slice our eggplant with a sharp knife but you could also use a mandoline.
Thinly slice the eggplant
Mix the oil and spices in a bowl and dip the eggplant chips into the mixture.
Place the eggplant chips on a baking tray (or cook in the air fryer)
Serve with the dip of your choice.
SHOULD YOU PEEL EGGPLANT?
For this recipe we have kept the skin of the eggplant on. Whether or not to peel eggplant depends on personal preference.
If you are unsure whether to peel the eggplant or not, consider the texture and flavor you are looking for, as well as the recipe you are making. If you do decide to peel the eggplant, use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife to remove the skin.
STORAGE
Ideally these eggplant chips are best served fresh, once they have cooled down. After leftovers should be kept in an airtight container and in the fridge.
VARIATIONS
Eggplant chips are a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional potato chips, and there are many ways to add flavor and variety to them. Here are some flavor variations for eggplant chips:
- Parmesan and garlic: Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese and garlic powder on top of the eggplant slices before baking.
- Spicy: Add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the eggplant slices before baking for a spicy kick.
- Mediterranean: Sprinkle some oregano, thyme, and a little bit of feta cheese on top of the eggplant slices before baking for a Mediterranean flavor.
- Smoky: Add some smoked paprika or chipotle powder to the eggplant slices before baking for a smoky flavor.
- Herbed: Mix together some chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley, and sprinkle them on top of the eggplant slices before baking.
- Curry: Mix together some curry powder, cumin, and coriander, and sprinkle them on top of the eggplant slices before baking for a curry flavor.
These are just a few ideas, but the possibilities are endless! Experiment with different seasonings and flavors to find your favorite combination.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH EGGPLANT CHIPS
The recipe card below serves these keto eggplant chips with an avocado dip for cool contrast with the spicy snacks. Other keto dips that can be served with this eggplant snack are our sour cream and chive dip, avocado and mustard dip, cottage cheese ranch dip or zucchini hummus.
MORE LOW CARB EGGPLANT RECIPES
If you enjoy eggplant, we have many low carb and gluten-free recipes for you to enjoy!
WATCH THE VIDEO
Keto Eggplant Chips
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Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
Seasoning
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Dip
- 1 avocado
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F degrees.
- Mix the seasoning with the oil in a bowl.
- Thinly slice the eggplants into about ¼ inch slices.
- Dip the eggplants into the seasoned oil mixture and place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until crispy.
Air Fryer Eggplant Chips
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes as per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Arrange half the eggplant in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. Spray well with oil and cook at 200°C for 5 minutes. Carefully turn the eggplant and spray again with oil. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
Make the Avocado Dip
- Place the avocado, salt and lime in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
- Serve the chips with the dip.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Elaine @ foodbod
Love it all!!!!
sallybr
Love that you did not fry the eggplant, which I find to turn the slices overly oily - I have an eggplant in the fridge, but I'm afraid is a bit too big for this recipe, which I intend to try in the near future!
Angela Coleby
I always joke that when there is an oil spill, someone should chuck a couple of eggplants into the spill to soak it up! I would definitely wait until you have a thinner eggplant as a large one does not really work. The large slices didn't seem to crisp up and it all went a bit soggy (I still ate it though under the guise of research!).
sallybr
I admire your efforts in the name of research! 😉
Angela Coleby
Thanks Sally, it's a tough job but someone has to do it...hee hee 😉