Fried Eggplant Sandwich with Harissa Mayo

Craving something crispy, smoky, and satisfying? This fried eggplant sandwich brings all the comfort—no meat required. Thin eggplant slices are seasoned and pan-fried until golden and crisp, then layered on hearty bread with fresh tomato, crisp greens, and a smear of harissa mayo for a little heat.

It's kind of like a Mediterranean take on the classic BLT, but more flavorful and plant-forward. You can always swap in regular or vegan mayo for a milder version, but the harissa gives it that irresistible kick that keeps you coming back for more.

This sandwich checks all the boxes—crispy, juicy, creamy, and packed with flavor. It’s perfect for a quick, 30-minute lunch or dinner. Serve it with sweet potato fries, White Bean Soup or Mediterranean Lentil Salad.

Want to customize? Try adding avocado slices, red onion, or arugula instead of romaine. You can also serve it open-faced on toasted sourdough or as sliders for a party spread.

And if you’re prepping ahead, the eggplant can be pan-fried in advance and crisped up in a hot skillet or toaster oven before assembling.

For more vegetarian sandwich ideas, try my creamy cranberry chickpea salad, crispy tofu wrap, or sweet potato hummus sandwich recipes.

Instructions

The first step for making this sandwich is to prepare the eggplant.

• First, make the breading. Mix panko breadcrumbs, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Put your beaten eggs (or flax eggs if you're making this vegan) in another bowl next to the breading. Both bowls should be wide enough to fit the largest slice of eggplant so you can dip the pieces until they're fully coated.
• Next, heat grapeseed oil (or another cooking oil) in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Dip a piece of eggplant in the egg (or flax egg), and then immediately dip it in the breading mixture until it's fully coated. Transfer it to the skillet and cook a few minutes on each side, or until the eggplant is brown and crispy.
• After you cook the eggplant pieces, transfer them to a towel-lined plate to prevent them from getting soggy until you're ready to serve.

Once the crispy eggplant is cooked, it's time to assemble the sandwiches.

• First, make the harissa mayo. Stir mayonnaise (regular or vegan) and harissa paste together in a small bowl.
• Spread the mayo on one side of each piece of bread.
• Add lettuce, cooked eggplant, tomato, and sprouts on half of the bread slices, and then top it off with the other pieces (mayo side down) to finish it off.

So easy!

Vegan Variation

This recipe is already vegetarian, but it's really easy to make it vegan, too. Just use flax eggs for dredging the eggplant and opt for vegan mayonnaise.

To make a flax egg: whisk 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds with 3 tablespoons water. Wait five minutes, or until the consistency is similar to a beaten egg.

Looking for more? You might also like these vegetarian eggplant recipes:

• Brown Butter Miso Roasted Eggplant
• Roasted Eggplant Coconut Curry

📖 Recipe

Fried Eggplant Sandwich with Harissa Mayo

Stephanie McKercher, RDN

This fried eggplant sandwich is smoky, crispy, and layered with juicy tomato, fresh greens, and a spicy harissa mayo for a Mediterranean-inspired twist. It’s an easy vegetarian lunch or dinner idea that delivers on both flavor and texture with no deep frying required.

4.6 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine vegan, vegetarian

Servings 4 peoplle

Equipment

• skillet

Ingredients

  

Crispy eggplant:

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten (or flax eggs, see note)
• Grapeseed oil to coat pan
• 1 small eggplant, sliced into ¼-inch pieces

Sandwiches:

• ½ cup mayonnaise (regular or vegan)
• 2 tablespoons harissa paste
• 8 slices bread, toasted if desired
• 1 cup lettuce
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• ½ cup sprouts (optional)

Instructions

 

Prepare crispy eggplant:

• Stir panko breadcrumbs, whole wheat flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Place another bowl with the beaten eggs (or flax eggs) next to the breadcrumb mixture. Both bowls should be wide enough to fit the largest slice of eggplant.
• Heat grapeseed oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dip a piece of eggplant in the egg (or flax egg), and then dip in the breadcrumb mixture until fully coated. Transfer to the skillet and cook 3 minutes, or until the bottom turns brown. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes, or until both sides are brown and crispy. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices, cooking in batches to allow space between each piece in the skillet.
• Once cooked, transfer eggplant to a towel-lined plate until ready to serve.

Prepare sandwiches:

• Stir mayonnaise and harissa paste and spread on one side of each piece of bread. Add lettuce, cooked eggplant, tomato, and sprouts (if using) on top of four of the slices. Place remaining slices of bread on top with the mayonnaise facing down. Slice in half if desired.

Notes

Vegan variation: Use flax eggs and vegan mayonnaise. Ensure the bread is also vegan.

 

To make a flax egg: whisk 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds with 3 tablespoons water. Wait five minutes, or until the consistency is similar to a beaten egg.

 

Serve immediately for best results.