Personal Recipe Collection Added May 2026
Vegetables · Mains · Low-Carb

Eggplant Fries,
Halloumi & Tzatziki

Salt-drawn eggplant batons coated in parmesan and almond flour, roasted on a rack until genuinely crisp. Served with pan-fried halloumi and a cucumber tzatziki made while the eggplant drains. The salting step is not optional — it's the difference between crispy and soggy.

Servings 4 servings
Prep 45 min (incl. salting)
Cook 25 min
Oven 220°C
Scale recipe
Ingredients
The Eggplant
  • 2 large eggplants (~600 g total)
  • 1½ tsp fine salt, for drawing out moisture
Coating
  • 80 g ground almonds (almond flour)
  • 60 g Parmesan, very finely grated
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
Egg Wash
  • 2 eggs
Halloumi
  • 450 g halloumi (2 × 225 g blocks), sliced 1 cm thick
Tzatziki
  • 300 g full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 large cucumber (~300 g), coarsely grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely crushed
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • to taste black pepper
Make tzatziki first — it improves after 30+ minutes in the fridge as the flavours meld.
Method
  1. 1
    Salt the eggplant 30–45 min drain

    Cut eggplant into batons roughly 7–8 cm long and 1.5 cm wide — a size that gives the best surface-area-to-interior ratio for crisping. Arrange in a single layer on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or the sink. Sprinkle the salt evenly over all sides and leave to drain for at least 30 minutes. You'll see moisture bead on the surface — this is the goal. Don't rush this step; it's what separates properly crisp fries from steamed, soggy ones.

  2. 2
    Make the tzatziki ~10 min

    Grate the cucumber on the coarse side of a box grater. Transfer to a clean tea towel and wring out firmly until very dry — more than you think necessary. A wet cucumber will make watery tzatziki. Combine with the yogurt, crushed garlic, dill, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Mix well, taste, adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.

  3. 3
    Preheat and prep 220°C

    Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a large sheet pan with foil and place a wire rack on top — this is essential for airflow underneath the fries. Mix all coating ingredients together in a wide shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl with a splash of water.

  4. 4
    Pat and coat ~10 min

    Pat the eggplant batons completely dry with paper towel — press firmly, be thorough. Dip each baton into the egg wash, let the excess drip off, then press firmly into the coating on all sides, packing it on. Arrange on the rack in a single layer with space between each piece. Don't crowd them.

  5. 5
    Roast 220°C · 20–25 min

    Roast at 220°C for 20–25 minutes. Flip each baton at the 12-minute mark using tongs. They're done when the coating is deep golden and crisp and the eggplant inside is completely tender when pierced. If your oven runs cool, add 3–5 minutes.

  6. 6
    Fry the halloumi ~5 min · do last

    In the final 5–8 minutes of the eggplant's roasting time, heat a dry non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat — no oil needed, halloumi has enough fat. Add the slices in a single layer. Fry without moving for 2–3 minutes until deep golden. Flip and repeat. Serve immediately; halloumi toughens as it cools.

  7. 7
    Serve eat immediately

    Plate the eggplant fries right out of the oven alongside the halloumi. Spoon tzatziki generously or serve in a small bowl for dipping. Everything should be eaten without delay — the eggplant fries soften quickly once off the rack.

Nutrition
Per 1 serving (~370 g) · Parmesan–almond coating · Estimates only
Calories 530 kcal
Protein 34 g
Fat 48 g
Net Carbs 12 g
Fibre 4 g
Protein per serving is around 34 g — halloumi (~20 g) plus coating, egg wash, and yogurt. Fat is high due to halloumi and almond flour; both are slow-digesting and satiating. Net carbs are low; eggplant contributes fibre. Full-fat yogurt and full-fat halloumi throughout — do not substitute low-fat versions or the texture of both will suffer.
Notes
Salting time
Non-negotiable. The salt draws moisture to the surface via osmosis. Less than 20 minutes and the fries will steam in the oven; 45 minutes produces noticeably better results. If you have time, an hour is even better. Salting also slightly softens the eggplant skin, which helps the coating adhere.
The rack
The difference between a rack and a flat sheet pan is significant. A flat pan traps steam underneath and the base goes soft. A rack allows hot air to circulate fully around each piece and the bottom crisps as well as the top. If you don't have an oven-safe rack, flip more frequently and accept some loss of crispiness on the underside.
Halloumi timing
Fry halloumi only when everything else is ready to plate. It comes out of the pan at its best and toughens as it cools. A cast-iron pan produces a better crust than non-stick; a very hot, dry surface is the goal.
Tzatziki make-ahead
The tzatziki improves significantly after 30 minutes and is excellent the next day as the garlic mellows. Make it at the start of the salting window. It keeps 3 days refrigerated.
Coating variations
The parmesan–almond mix is deliberately savoury and rich. For a lighter coating, use panko breadcrumbs instead of almond flour with the same parmesan ratio — crispier but less substantial. Adding 1 tbsp nutritional yeast to the almond version adds umami depth without dairy.
Protein boost
If 34 g per serving isn't enough, add 2 fried or poached eggs per person (adds ~12 g per serving) or serve with a side of labneh or additional Greek yogurt.