I’ve always been a fan of serving sliders at parties. They’re ideal casual food and the perfect size for using hands instead of fumbling with a plate and fork and knife. Guests don’t have to commit to serving themselves an entire meal—they can just grab a slider and mingle and eat simultaneously. These vegetarian sliders feature the simplicity of fried eggplant, bright red sauce, bubbly cheese and buttery brioche buns. I suggest laying the slider components on a large serving platter and allowing guests to build their own for a fun DIY experience.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 8 sliders |
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 quart) vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 1 large eggplant, cut into 8 slices
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup water or milk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 brioche slider buns, split
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 16 slices
- 1 cup warm pasta sauce
- Fresh basil leaves, for topping
Instructions
- For the fried eggplant: Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Meanwhile, fit a wire rack onto a baking sheet, then line the rack with paper towels.
- Sprinkle the eggplant with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Set aside and begin to prepare the dredge components.
- Put the breadcrumbs, flour, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate and stir to combine. Put the water or milk and eggs in a second wide, shallow bowl and whisk to break them up.
- Working with 2 to 3 slices at a time, put the eggplant in the egg mixture and flip to coat. Let the excess drip back into the bowl, then transfer the eggplant to the breadcrumb mixture. Toss to coat, shaking off any excess, and place on a second baking sheet in a single layer.
- Add half of the eggplant to the hot oil 1 piece at a time. Fry, flipping halfway through, until cooked through and golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the slices to the paper towels. Fry the remaining eggplant.
- For the garlic butter buns: Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, grated garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper. Brush the butter mixture onto the split slider buns and top each bun half with a slice of mozzarella. Broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
- For serving: Top each bottom bun with a fried eggplant slice, a spoonful of warm pasta sauce and basil leaves, then cover with the top buns.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 1331 |
| Total Fat | 126 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 13 g |
| Cholesterol | 79 mg |
| Sodium | 785 mg |