Baked Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwiches with Avocado Aioli

A big, fat, juicy hamburger with bacon, cheese and caramelized onions is pretty darn close to heaven for me. I’ll take that deal all day, everyday. No complaints.

BUT that doesn’t mean that I can’t get equally excited about some vegetarian sandwich options.

I think that’s what some folks like to call “balance”. 

Enter stage left: Baked Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwiches with Avocado Aioli. These babies definitely have the ability to get my carnivorous motor running!

Eggplant can be kind of scary sometimes. It’s more often than not prepared in a way that has it coming out soggy, chewy and greasy. Um…no thanks. I like to slice mine thin, coat the slices in a light breading and then bake them in the oven. They turn out slightly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. And wouldn’t you know it, this method works great for zucchini as well!

And instead of mayonnaise on my sandwich (which you all must know by now that I don’t like), I whipped up an aioli-like spread using avocado, greek yogurt, garlic and cilantro. It gives these sandwiches the perfect amount of zip (and hint: it’s great on a burger or turkey sandwich as well!).

For you gardeners out there, my Baked Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwiches with Avocado Aioli are a great way to use up your late summer vegetables. I hope you try them out – even if you’re a carnivore!

Cheers,

Liz

Baked Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwiches with Avocado Aioli

Yield: Makes 4-6 sandwiches

Baked Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwiches with Avocado Aioli

Ingredients

  • For the Sandwiches
  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 1 medium-large zucchini
  • 1-2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 to 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • Pita-pocket bread (4 to 6 pieces)

  • For the Avocado Aioli
  • 1 avocado
  • 6 ounces Greek yogurt
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • Juice from 1/2 a lime
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Slice the eggplant and zucchini into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick rounds. Lay a few sheets of paper towels down on your counter top. Spread the eggplant and zucchini rounds out over the paper towels in a single layer. Sprinkle each round with a little salt. Flip the rounds over and sprinkle the second side with a little more salt. Lay a few more sheets of paper towels on top of the rounds and gently press down so that the paper towels make contact with the surface of the rounds. Let them sit for about 15 minutes to release some of their water.
  2. Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Make the crust mixture. Combine the Panko bread crumbs, Parmesan, cumin, paprika, garlic salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. In a separate bowl, beat the two eggs. Set aside.
  4. After your eggplant and zucchini rounds have released some of their water, remove and discard the top layer of paper towels. Working with a couple rounds at a time, first dip them rounds in the beaten eggs and then in the crust mixture, making sure to coat both sides evenly with the crust mixture. Transfer the coated rounds to your parchment paper lined baking sheets. Continue with the remaining rounds until they are all coated.
  5. Transfer the coated eggplant and zucchini to your pre-heated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden and starting to crisp up on the outside. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
  6. Meanwhile, make the avocado aioli. Slice the avocado in half and remove and discard the seed. Scoop out the flesh and at it to the bowl of your food processor with the blade attachment along with all of the other ingredients. Process until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a small airtight container and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
  7. Assemble the sandwiches. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the avocado aioli into each pita-pocket half. Stuff in a couple slices of the baked eggplant and zucchini, cutting them to fit if necessary. Add a few slices of tomato. Enjoy immediately.
  8. Any leftover eggplant and zucchini rounds can be stored in your refrigerator for up to 2 days. The avocado aioli can be stored for up to 1 day.
https://www.floatingkitchen.net/baked-eggplant-and-zucchini-sandwiches-with-avocado-aioli/

13 comments on “Baked Eggplant and Zucchini Sandwiches with Avocado Aioli”

  1. I made this tonight for my daughter.. all I can say is wow!!! Both she and I loved it. So different from her usual stir fry veggies that she normally eats. The avocado aioili is a wonderful new dish that has now become a firm favourite..thank you so much

    • Thanks, Karyl! This comment made my day! So glad you like the recipe and it can be part of your normal dinner routine. That makes me very happy! It’s one of my all time favorites too!

  2. What a cool concept! I love baked eggplant so I’m definitely going to try this sandwich very soon. Plus, you can’t beat avocado aioli 🙂

  3. Liz,
    Thanks for this recipe! I’ve added it to the Farm Fresh Feasts Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me who love to eat from the farm share.
    I appreciate your help in making this index better!

  4. My bf and I tried this last week and we LOVE it!!! I’m not big on avocado, so we used garlic aioli and it blended beautifully:) We can’t wait to make it again!

    • That’s so awesome to hear, Janis! Yeah! Thanks for letting me know. You totally just made my day! 🙂

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  6. This was a delicious sandwich for Saturday sandwich and cocktail night. I love how crispy the vegetables get and the avocado aioli is so lovely I could eat that all by itself. Thanks for a great recipe!

  7. Omg, I made this tonight and my husband went back for more. I thought he would be okay with two pita pockets. Boy was I wrong. What a delicious sandwich recipe. I served ours with a slice of fresh mozzarella. I will definitely make this again soon.

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