Eggplant "Bacon" Recipe

Thinly sliced and seasoned eggplant is pan-fried in oil until crunchy and chewy like bacon.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 24 minutes

Ingredients

1 small eggplant
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) liquid smoke
1½ tablespoons (22 milliliters) less-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) vegetable oil, divided

Directions

Before you begin: Wash your hands.

1. Cut stem off eggplant. Using a vegetable peeler, peel eggplant into thin strips, moving from top to bottom. Discard purple peel and inside seed-filled portion.
2. In a small bowl, stir together liquid smoke, soy sauce and paprika. Lay out eggplant strips on a cutting board. Brush sauce mixture onto one side of each eggplant slice.
3. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and wait for it to slightly simmer (about 2 minutes).
4. Place several slices of eggplant in the pan, sauce side up. Be sure not to crowd the pan.
5. Cook on one side for 2 minutes (edges will start to brown).
6. Use tongs to flip and cook an additional 2 minutes.
7. Remove slices from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
8. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and repeat until all eggplant is cooked.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 6
Serving size: 5 to 6 slices (8 grams)

51 calories, 5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 129mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 1g sugar, 1g protein, N/A potassium, N/A phosphorus

This recipe originally appeared in Food & Nutrition Magazine^®, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.