These Fried Eggplant Appetizers are a delicious combination of garlic mayo, fresh tomatoes, and golden brown eggplant slices, rolled up into a tasty snack.
This appetizer also goes really well with these Lazy Cabbage Rolls or Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers.
Fried Eggplant Appetizers
These Fried Eggplant Appetizers are a satisfying and tasty starter to any meal. Made of fried eggplant slices wrapped around fresh tomato wedges with a garlic mayonnaise spread, these roll ups have a lot of flavors. The garlic really sets it off and the fried eggplant slices are thick enough to give a meaty texture.
This eggplant appetizer is also easy to make and only uses a few simple ingredients, many of which might be on hand. Like my Chinese eggplant salad and roasted eggplant salad, It’s also vegetarian-friendly. If you’re looking for a healthier appetizer option, these eggplant roll ups are a delicious choice.
Ingredients for Eggplant appetizer roll-ups
- Vegetables– The main ingredient here is Italian eggplant. They work best because they are thick enough to slice into strips and still keep the tomato nicely tucked inside.
- Spread– All you need for the spread is mayonnaise, salt, and a large clove of garlic. The garlic is what gives this delicious appetizer so much flavor.
- Oil– When frying anything really, you want to use an oil with a high smoke point, like peanut, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil.
How to make Eggplant appetizer rolls
1. Cut the eggplant. Wash and cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices.
2. Prepare the eggplant slices. Generously salt both sides of each slice and put them in a colander. Let them sit for about 20-30 minutes, allowing time for the excess liquid to drain out.
3. Fry them. Heat peanut oil in a pan over high heat and fry each slice for about 1 minute on each side, until golden brown.
4. Pat dry. Place the fried eggplant on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil and pat dry.
5. Prep the tomatoes and garlic. Each tomato should be sliced into 8 equal wedges. Then, zest the garlic.
6. Make the spread. Combine the mayonnaise and zested garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
7. Assemble the roll ups. Spread the garlic mayonnaise on one side of each eggplant. Place 1 tomato wedge on top of each one and roll them up. Serve.
Tips to make these eggplant appetizers
- Tomatoes. Use small tomato wedges to make it easier to roll up the eggplant slices. If they’re too large, your roll ups will not stay together.
- Make ahead spread. You can make the spread ahead of time if you want. Just prepare the garlic and mayonnaise spread and place it in the fridge in a covered dish until you’re ready to assemble your eggplant appetizers.
- Pat off the grease. To avoid having roll ups that are too oily, pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel to get off any excess grease from the frying process.
What can I serve with it?
What can I serve with it?- Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
- Couscous Salad
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Chicken
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Rice Noodle Salad
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes! To make this eggplant appetizer even easier, you can make it ahead of time. The night before you are going to serve it, fry the eggplant and make the spread. Then, place the eggplant in an oven-safe casserole dish and cover. The spread should also be put in an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes prior to serving. Reheat the eggplant in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes, until they are warmed through. Then, assemble them and serve.
How to store them
Store these Fried Eggplant Roll ups in the refrigerator, covered. An airtight container will extend the life of the eggplant.
How long do they keep
These eggplant appetizers can last in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. After a few days, the tomatoes and eggplant will become mushy as the liquid in them leaches out. So, try to finish any leftovers within a couple of days of cooking.
More easy Eggplant recipes:
- Eggplant Napoleon
- Chinese Eggplant Salad
- Roasted Eggplant Salad
- Eggplant Caviar Spread (Ikra)
- Eggplant parmesan (VIDEO)
Eggplant Appetizer Roll ups
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 4 tomatoes
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp pressed garlic (about 1 large clove)
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- Peanut oil for deep frying (avocado, canola, and vegetable oil work too)
Instructions
Prepare the eggplants
- Wash each eggplant and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices.
- Generously salt both sides of each slice.
- Place the salted eggplant in a colander. Then, place a bowl or plate under the colander because the salt will cause the egg plant to release some liquid. Let the sliced eggplants sit for about 20-30 minutes.
Fry eggplants, then set aside to cool
- Heat oil in a pan on high heat. Then fry each eggplant about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.
- Place a paper towel on a plate before transferring the fried eggplant to absorb any extra oil.
Make the filling
- Cut each tomato into 8 equal wedges and zest the garlic. Combine the mayonnaise and zested garlic into a small bowl and set aside.
Roll them up!
- Spread the garlic mayonnaise onto one side of each eggplant. Place 1 tomato wedge onto the bottom third of the eggplant roll it up.
Notes
How to store them
Store these Fried Eggplant Roll ups in the refrigerator, covered. An airtight container will extend the life of the eggplant.Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on March 25, 2015, but we have tweaked it a bit since then.
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jessica says
What is the name of the village where your mother used to live? I am from “Odesska oblast” too; just wondering if I know that place.Thank you
simplyhomecooked says
My mother is also from Odesskaya Oblast 🙂 Tatarbunarskiy rayon selo Dimitrovka. What are your parents’ names? I wouldn’t be surprised if we are distantly related 😉 lol
jessica says
I sent you an email
Valentina says
Just made these today. Haven’t had them since I lived at home. We use the same recipe. So yummy
Inna says
I am deffinatly going to make this for Sunday! I don’t use penut oil, do you think I can substitute it for avacado oil or light olive oil? Thanks! Love your blog btw!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Inna, I’m glad you enjoy my blog 🙂 Avocado oil would work fine too 🙂