Eggplant Schnitzel with Gochujang Potato Salad
We’ve seen the eggplant schnitzel trend pretty much everywhere – it’s been haunting us in our dreams. So of course we couldn’t resist: here comes our very own Zucker&Jagdwurst version – crispy and with a little kick of heat.
How do we turn a round eggplant into a flat schnitzel? Sounds tricky, but it’s super simple: we bake the eggplant in the oven, peel it, score it slightly, and then press it flat with a fork to create a thin schnitzel. Tadaaa – the perfect base! To give it that extra special flavor, we also season the breadcrumb coating with soy sauce.
And since it doesn’t always have to be the world's best potato salad, this time we’re serving a slightly spicy gochujang potato salad on the side. The combo of creamy potatoes, subtle heat, and bold Korean gochujang paste gives the classic a fresh twist. Perfect for anyone looking for an exciting alternative to traditional potato salad.
Gochujang is a spicy, slightly sweet Korean paste made from glutinous rice flour, soy flour, chili, sea salt, barley malt powder, and rice syrup. If you’re not into too much heat, just use a bit less – and if you love chili, go ahead and add an extra half teaspoon!
No eggplant at home today but still craving a homemade schnitzel? Try our versions with soy big steaks, celeriac, or kohlrabi.
Eggplant Schnitzel with Gochujang Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the Eggplant Schnitzel:
- 1 eggplant
- rapeseed oil for frying
For the Breading:
- 60 g flour
- 120 ml plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 50 g breadcrumbs
- 0.25 tsp curry powder
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
For the Potato Salad:
- 150 g small potatoes (about 2–3 small ones)
- a pinch of salt
- pepper
- 0.5 tbsp vegan mayo
- 0.25 clove of garlic
- 0.5 tsp gochujang paste
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 0.5 spring onion
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 0.5 tsp sesame seeds
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan setting). Place the potatoes in a large pot with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until cooked but still firm. Halve the potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Poke several holes in the eggplant using a fork. Place the eggplant and potatoes on a baking sheet and put them in the oven. Bake the eggplant for 25–30 minutes until soft. Bake the potatoes for 30–40 minutes until crispy and fully cooked, turning once or twice during baking.
- For the gochujang aioli, finely chop the garlic. In a small bowl, mix vegan mayonnaise, garlic, rice vinegar, and gochujang paste. Set aside.
- Remove the eggplant from the oven and let it cool. Peel off the skin, make shallow cuts along the length of the flesh, and press it flat with a fork. Dab off any excess moisture with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
- Slice the spring onions into thin rings and finely chop the cilantro.
- Let the potatoes cool for 5–10 minutes. Mix them with the gochujang aioli. Sprinkle the potato salad with spring onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro.
- In one bowl, mix flour, plant-based milk, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. In a second bowl, combine breadcrumbs with curry powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Dip the eggplant slices first in the milk-flour mixture, then coat them in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry the eggplant schnitzels over medium heat for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Let the schnitzels drain on a paper towel. Serve with lemon wedges, cilantro, and the potato salad.
