Vegan Aubergine Schnitzel

This vegan aubergine schnitzel has a crunchy panko breadcrumbs coating, a perfectly juicy, meaty center, and is served with a smoky tomato and butter beans sauce—the ultimate comfort dish.

Aubergines (or eggplants) are incredibly versatile, with a naturally creamy yet meaty texture that makes them a staple in our kitchen. They’re one of our favorite vegetables due to their flavor and satisying texture.

This vegan aubergine recipe is inspired by the viral TikTok and Instagram trend where a whole aubergine is roasted until meltingly soft, then peeled, battered, and fried to perfection. The result is an irresistibly crispy, golden crust with an incredibly tender and juicy interior.

We coat the roasted eggplant in a light vegan batter and panko breadcrumbs, then fry it until beautifully crisp. It’s served over a rich, smoky tomato sauce with creamy butter beans, balancing sweetness, saltiness, and depth of flavor. The combination of textures and tastes makes this dish both indulgent and satisfying.

While this vegan eggplant recipe takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, most of the time is hands-off—the aubergine roasts in the oven for 1 hour, leaving you free to go on about your other business.

Completely plant-based yet hearty and satisfying, this vegan eggplant schnitzel is a crowd-pleasing meal, perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike.

If you love aubergine, you need to try our Easy Aubergine Stir Fry.

Why you’ll love this Vegan Aubergine Schnitzel

• Comforting – A crispy, golden panko coating, a thick and juicy center, rich smoky tomato sauce, and creamy butter beans—this dish is pure comfort on a plate.
• High in protein – With 28 grams of protein per serving, this meal is as nourishing as it is delicious, making it a great option for a filling plant-based dinner.
• High in fibre – hanks to aubergine and butter beans (or lima beans), this schnitzel is packed with gut-friendly fiber to keep you full and satisfied (read about health benefits of fiber here).
• For the butter bean lovers – If, like us, you can’t get enough of these creamy, protein-rich gems, be sure to check out our Curried Butter Beans (Vegan), Creamy Leek Pasta With Butter Beans (Vegan), and 15-Minute Butter Beans In Tomato Sauce With Burrata for more delicious ways to enjoy them!

Ingredients

• Aubergine – Find a medium-sized firm aubergine with an intense dark purple color. If it has green spots, it is not ripe. If it’s soft to the touch, it’s overripe.
• Flour, starch, and water – Make the delicious vegan frying batter. 
• Water – Goes in the wet frying batter.
• Panko breadcrumbs – Add a satisfying crunch to the frying batter.
• Tomato sauce  – Since tomato sauce is a key component of the dish, we recommend getting a good quality one. Our go-to is the Italian Mutti brand. 
• Butter beans – Add protein, fiber, and an extra texture. We use canned butter beans.
• Smoked paprika – Adds more depth to the tomato sauce. 
• Turmeric – Adds a layer to the tomato sauce by adding a bit of earthiness to it. 
• Salt – For seasoning eggplants and the tomato sauce. 
• Rapeseed oil – for frying the eggplant. 

Ingredient replacement

• Panko breadcrumbs: Use sesame seeds, or cornflakes instead of panko breadcrumbs.
• Butter Beans: Substitute with cannellini beans or chickpeas.
• Smoked Paprika: Try chipotle powder for a smokier kick or sweet paprika + a drop of liquid smoke as an alternative.
• Rapeseed Oil (for Frying): Use sunflower oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil (though coconut oil adds a slight sweetness).

Step-by-step process to make Vegan Aubergine Schnitzel

Roast the aubergine

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (450°F).
2. Using a fork, stab the whole aubergine 7–10 times, depending on its size.
3. Place the pierced aubergine on a baking tray (no oil or salt is needed at this stage).
4. Bake for 1 hour until the aubergine appears deflated and is vry easy to pierce with a fork.
5. Let it cool while you prepare the sauce.

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Make the tomato and butter beans sauce

1. In a small pot, combine the tomato sauce, salt, sugar, turmeric, smoked paprika, and half a can of drained butter beans.
2. Let the sauce simmer on low heat while you fry the eggplant schnitzel.

Make the aubergine schnitzel batter

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, starch, water, and salt until smooth. Small lumps are fine.
2. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a separate shallow bowl.
3. Peel the skin off the roasted aubergine using a fork, as it may still be hot.
4. Season the peeled aubergine and gently flatten it with a fork.

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Fry the aubergine

1. Heat a frying pan with rapeseed or sunflower seed oil over medium-high heat (I heat it on setting 7 out of 10 on our induction).
2. Holding the aubergine by its top cap (stem attachment), gently dip it into the batter, coating one side, then the other. Be careful not to flip it too much to prevent the top from falling off.
3. Transfer the battered aubergine to the panko breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to coat evenly on all sides.
4. Once the frying oil reaches 190°C (375°F), carefully place the aubergine in. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the temperature by dropping a small amount of batter into the oil—if it sizzles immediately, it’s ready.
5. Fry for 3–5 minutes on each side until the breadcrumbs turn a deep golden brown.

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Assemble the dish

1. Spread the tomato and butter bean sauce onto a large plate.
2. Place the whole schnitzel on top, or slice it into strips on a cutting board before adding it to the sauce.

Recipe video

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Vegan Aubergine Schnitzel

Author: Darja

This vegan aubergine schnitzel has a crunchy panko breadcrumbs coating, a perfectly juicy, meaty center, and is served with a smoky tomato and butter beans sauce—the ultimate comfort dish.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Mains

Cuisine American, European, German, vegan

Servings 1

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• 1 small baking tray
• 2 Shallow bowl
• 1 Frying pan
• 1 fork

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Oven-roasted aubergine

• 1 aubergine
• 1 teaspoon salt

Frying batter

• 1/2 cup all-purpose white flour
• 1/2 cup cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon panko breadcrumbs

Tomato sauce

• 120 grams canned butter beans drained
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frying oil

• 1/2 cup rapeseed oil

Instructions

 

Make the aubergine

• Roast the aubergine Preheat the oven to 220°C (450°F).
• Using a fork, stab the whole aubergine 7–10 times, depending on its size.
• Place the pierced aubergine on a baking tray (no oil or salt is needed at this stage).
• Bake for 1 hour until the aubergine appears deflated and is very easy to pierce with a fork.
• Let it cool while you prepare the sauce.

Make the tomato and butter beans sauce

• In a small pot, combine the tomato sauce, salt, sugar, turmeric, smoked paprika, and half a can of drained butter beans.
• Let the sauce simmer on low heat while you fry the eggplant schnitzel.

Make the aubergine schnitzel batter

• In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, starch, water, and salt until smooth. Small lumps are fine.
• Add the panko breadcrumbs to a separate shallow bowl.
• Peel the skin off the roasted aubergine using a fork, as it may still be hot.
• Season the peeled aubergine.
• Season the peeled aubergine and gently flatten it with a fork.

Fry the aubergine

• Heat a frying pan with rapeseed or sunflower seed oil over medium-high heat (I heat it on setting 7 out of 10 on our induction).
• Holding the aubergine by its top cap (stem attachment), gently dip it into the batter, coating one side, then the other. Be careful not to flip it too much to prevent the top from falling off.
• Transfer the battered aubergine to the panko breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to coat evenly on all sides.
• Once the frying oil reaches 190°C (375°F), carefully place the aubergine in. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the temperature by dropping a small amount of batter into the oil—if it sizzles immediately, it's ready.
• Fry for 3–5 minutes on each side until the breadcrumbs turn a deep golden brown.

Assemble the dish

• Spread the tomato and butter bean sauce onto a large plate.
• Place the whole schnitzel on top, or slice it into strips on a cutting board before adding it to the sauce.

Notes

• The aubergine is done baking in the oven when it looks flattened, feels very soft, and can be easily pierced with a fork. If it still feels firm in any areas, let it bake a little longer.
• Let the aubergine cool before peeling – After roasting, allow it to cool slightly before peeling, as it will be very hot and delicate
• Season the peeled aubergine before battering! Skipping this step will result in a bland schnitzel, as the seasoning won’t penetrate through the batter.
• The frying oil should reach 190 Celsius, or 375 Fahrenheit degrees before adding schnitzel. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small amount of batter into the oil—if it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. If not, heat it a little longer.
• When handling the aubergine by its top cap (the part where it was attached to the plant), be gentle—it can break off easily. Try not to move or flip it too much while coating and frying.
• Best served fresh. This schnitzel is crispiest right after frying. If making it ahead, reheat it in an oven or air fryer to bring back the crunch. Avoid microwaving, as it will make it soggy.

Nutrition

Calories: 1106kcalCarbohydrates: 134gProtein: 28gFat: 58gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 40gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 8302mgPotassium: 3438mgFiber: 32gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 3542IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 13mg

Keyword Butter beans recipe, eggplant schnitzel, vegan aubergine recipe, Vegan aubergine schnitzel, vegan eggplant recipe

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