Have you tried eggplant fritters (melitzanokeftedes)? They’re easy to make, packed with flavor, and one of those dishes that disappears the moment it hits the table. Crispy on the outside, soft and savory on the inside, these Greek eggplant fritters have a way of winning over everyone, even people who swear they don’t like eggplant.
This is one of those recipes friends ask for before they leave the house. And once you make them, you’ll understand why.
Looking for appetizer ideas? Pair Sausage Bites with Feta with Crispy Fried Zucchini, a bowl of Skordalia Garlic Sauce, and Cheese Triangles with Graviera for an easy Greek-inspired spread that’s perfect for sharing.
Why you will love eggplant fritters
Here is what you need
- Eggplants – Roasting the eggplants first is key. It removes excess moisture and concentrates flavor, giving you soft, creamy flesh without bitterness.
- Feta cheese – Use a good-quality Greek feta packed in brine for the best flavor and texture. Avoid pre-crumbled feta if possible.
- Breadcrumbs – These absorb moisture and keep the fritters light. Gluten-free breadcrumbs work beautifully here.
- Eggs – For binding
- Garlic – Freshly grated or finely minced
- Herbs – Fresh herbs give these fritters their signature aroma, but dried herbs can be used in a pinch.
- Olive oil – A light olive oil is best for frying. It handles heat well without overpowering the flavor.
Step by step
Step 1: Prepare the eggplants
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern using two or three long cuts, then rotate and repeat.
Step 2: Roast
Brush the flesh lightly with olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Place eggplants flesh-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated 350°F / 180°C oven for about 30 minutes, until soft.
Step 3: Scoop & mash
Let cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh and mash it well in a bowl.
Mix the fritter batter
Add breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, herbs, dried oregano, and crumbled feta. Mix gently until combined. The mixture should be soft and fluffy, not firm.
Step 4: Fry
Heat light olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the mixture, gently shape it in your hand, and carefully place it in the hot oil.
Fry for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden.
Drain & serve
Transfer cooked fritters to paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve warm.
Tips & Tricks
- The fritter mixture is soft, not firm. Handle gently and don’t rush the flip — turning too early can cause them to fall apart.
- I always fry one test fritter first to check oil temperature and timing.
- Use a spoon to lightly shape the fritters once they’re in the oil rather than over-handling them beforehand.
Easy substitutions:
- No feta? Use grated Parmesan for an Italian-style twist.
- Swap herbs freely — parsley works beautifully if you’re out of mint or basil.
- Only have dried herbs? Dried oregano alone is perfectly fine.
Serving Ideas
I love serving these eggplant fritters with cool yogurt tzatziki sauce, but they’re equally delicious with marinara sauce, whipped spicy feta, or simply on their own as part of a Greek meze spread.
Cooked it? Rate it!
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Eggplant Fritters – Melitzanokeftedes
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for brushing
- 1 cup Greek feta cheese crumbled
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon oregano heaping
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves coarsely chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves coarsely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
you also need
- light olive oil for deep-frying. You can also use vegetable oil.
- fresh basil leaves for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Cut the eggplants in half, then score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern with two or three long cuts, rotating the eggplant to make another set of cuts. Brush a little olive oil on the flesh and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.2 large eggplants, 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper
- Place eggplant halves flesh side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Scoop out the flesh and add it to a large bowl. Add 2 cups breadcrumbs, 2 garlic cloves minced, two eggs, the chopped herbs, and one cup crumbled feta cheese. Mix well.2 large eggplants, 1 cup Greek feta cheese, 2 cups breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon oregano, ½ cup fresh mint leaves, ½ cup fresh basil leaves, 2 eggs, 2 garlic cloves
- Heat 3-4 tablespoons of light olive oil in a medium skillet.light olive oil
- Take a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and add it to the hot oil. Tidy up the fritter shape a little bit with the spoon. Add two more fritters; don't overcrowd the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Carefully, turn fritters midway for a golden brown color all over.
- Place fritters on paper towels to absorb most of the oil. Serve fritters with a yogurt-based sauce, marinara, or whipped feta cheese.fresh basil leaves
Notes
- 1 cup of greek yogurt like Fage
- a pinch of sea salt
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
Nutrition
I love vegetarian Greek food and cannot believe I’ve never heard of these fritters. They sound amazing!! I’m always looking for new ways to eat more eggplant, and I’ve GOT to try your recipe! Anything that involves feta cheese has to be delicious 🙂
Thank you so much, Heather!
I never get eggplant because I am clueless as to what to do with it, but after reading this recipe I giving these fritters a try. These will be so good with a salad.
Hope you like the fritters, Jere! Thanks so much!
These eggplant fritters are sooo good! I love the combination flavors of fresh herbs in this recipe and how they turn out
Thank you so much, Linda!
Fam loves it and super happy how it turned out! It taste perfect and amazing! Will make this again for sure and I highly recommend this recipe! Thanks a lot for sharing this eggplant fritters!
Thank you so much, Allyssa!
I’m a vegetarian so my husband and I are going to enjoy these as a main dish with a little fattoush salad on the side. I’m so excited! Thanks for the recipe!
Hope you both like the fritters, Liz! Thanks so much!
This is such a lovely vegan dish. I love the idea of enjoying this dish with the Yogurt sauce. Perfect flavors and perfect side dish.
Thank you so much, Veena!
Love this vegetarian recipe! We love aubergine in our house and we’ve just discovered a new delicious way to eat them!
I’m a HUGE eggplant fan, so I’ll be making these for sure once eggplant season starts in earnest here. The mix of fresh herbs here is fantastic!
Thanks so much, Ksenia!
We should definitely cook more with eggplant and this looks like a great start! So far we’ve only fried it in olive oil. I love the idea of using feta in these fritters!
Hope you like the fritters, Erin! Thanks so much!
You have so many fritter recipes! My mind is kind of blown. I never realized you could make fritters out of anything but potatoes and zucchini. 🤦♀️ My son would just love these!
Hope you like them! Thanks so much, Alex!
Eggplant is one of my favorite veggies. Have made it grilled but not like this need to try your recipe as it looks fantastic.
Hope you like it, Adriana! Thanks so much!
I love eggplants this time of year. This sounds so delicious and healthy. So easy to make too. Perfect dinner. I’m making this today! I bet my family will love this as well.
Thanks so much, Natalie!
These were amazing! I often find eggplant can be bitter or greasy but your recipe ensured sweet and tender eggplant!
Thank you Freya! x Jenny
Thanks Freya! x Jenny
Thank you! Loved so much! Big hit in my family. They did not realize I used 2 eggplants and was so happy with the taste. I was happy to have a recipe that used more than one eggplant and was versatile. They were grabbed for breakfast, lunch and dinner, also went pretty quickly and I got asked to make more! Thank you again, grateful to bring Greek recipes into my life and appreciate eggplant in a different way.
That’s is so good to read Tatiana! Thank you for enjoying our recipes, we love reading feedback like yours. BTW, I love these eggplant fritters so much best disguised vegetable ever!
Hello!
When it says “12 servings”, does that mean 12 fritters or for 12 people? It must mean 12 fritters, which would about right for three people from the look of it.
And can one keep half the mixture in the fridge to fry the next day? With kolokithokeftedes I’ve done that without a problem.
Hi Romeo,
It means twelve fritters. I will see if the recipe card will let me specify and correct that.
Yes, you can keep the mixture and make the rest the next day.
Thank you so much for checking out our recipe!
I hope you like them.
x Jenny
These are delicious. Can I freeze and if so how long for?
Hi Amanda,
So glad you liked the eggplant fritters! Yes, you can freeze them for up to three months and cook later. Use a freezer friendly container and stack the fritters with parchment paper in between so they won’t stick together. I prefer to thaw out the fritters before cooking.
Thanks so much!
x Jenny
Can you freeze these?
Yes you can! Separate them with parchment paper and place in a freezer bag or container. Keep for up to three months.
Thank you so much Christine! x Jenny
Love these!
Can you freeze them after cooking them?
Yes you can! Store them in layers, I suggest to put parchment paper between them so they don’t get mushy and stick together. It gives you easy access to only get a couple at a time if you want. Defrost directly in the oven, in 180 C or 380 F. Rub a bit of olive oil on each side. Heat for 15-20 minutes. You can also use a skillet with some olive oil on the stove.
The microwave should do for quick results but the outside won’t be crispy enough.
Thank you so much!
x Jenny
This was terrifyingly disgusting. Hubby and I had half of one each and scraped the 8 remaining into the rubbish bin. If you are going to make this, fry onions and brinjal cubes – add LEMON JUICE, SALT, TOMATO PASTE and add herbs as you go. Once the required taste is in the pan, cool off and add the egg, breadcrumbs and some milk. taste and adjust the flavour until it becomes something edible.
Hi Loraine,
I am sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you.
Thanks so much for trying it.
x Jenny
What a gracious reply to an unnecessarily nasty comment. They don’t come off well in this, but you do 😊
That’s music to my ears Bea! x Jenny
Made this tonight and will definitely be repeated. I cooked them on my flat top outside with just a drizzle of olive oil. I put just a little olive oil on top and bottom of my spatula to make the fritters easier to flip. My first spoonful looked pathetic so I simply rolled the mixture into balls in my hand then on to the grill. Yummy!!
I love your cooking method, Frank! So glad you liked the eggplant fritters! x Jenny
I have been loving your recipes and sharing them with family and friends. I am making these fritters for my mom’s birthday dinner this weekend. How long ahead can I make these and reheat them in the oven? Can’t wait!!
Hi Daphne!
Thank you so much for sharing the recipes with your family and friends. That truly means the world to me. And happy birthday to your mom! What a lovely dish to make for a celebration.
Yes, you can make the eggplant fritters ahead and here’s the best way to do it so they stay delicious:
You can prepare and fry the fritters up to 1 day in advance. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to place a paper towel between layers to absorb any moisture.
To reheat:
Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
Place the fritters on a baking sheet in a single layer (no stacking), and reheat for 10–15 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until warmed through and lightly crisped again.
They won’t be exactly like freshly fried, but the oven brings them back beautifully without drying them out. Avoid the microwave, it makes them soft and sad.
If you want them at their absolute best, you can also prep the mixture a few hours ahead, keep it chilled, and fry them closer to serving time.
Hope your mom’s birthday dinner is a big hit!
Let me know how it goes!
xJenny