Whether you need a healthy side dish or looking to up your snack game, air fryer zucchini is perfect. This recipe keeps it simple: no batter, egg, floury dredge, or breadcrumbs. Instead, it uses oil, a few seasonings, and parmesan cheese.
Freshly grated parmesan creates a light, crisp coating on the zucchini comparable to frico, a popular Italian snack made with melted cheese. You get the salty nuttiness of the cheese in each bite, followed by the mild sweetness of zucchini, and the seasonings come through nicely. Moreover, everything is warm, making each bite a real treat.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Zucchini
- Diet-friendly – Air fryer zucchini are gluten-free, egg-free, vegetarian, and easy to adapt to other dietary restrictions.
- Effortless – Slice, grate, dredge, and air fry. That’s what’s so appealing about air fryer recipes. They require minimal prep and cook fast!
- Nutritious – Zucchini is rich in vitamins A, C, and K. Additionally, it is a good source of potassium and manganese. The fact that the zucchini is air fried instead of deep-fried is also a plus.
- Affordable – No pricey ingredients are required. The only thing you may want to splurge on is parmesan cheese. However, a $6 domestic wedge will do just fine.
Air Fryer Zucchini Ingredients Notes
- Zucchini: Choose a mild, sweet variety with minimal seeds for the best result. Round is also an option but not best for air frying since larger slices occupy a lot of space in the air fryer, meaning you will have to cook the zucchini in more batches.
- Salt: It isn’t just for seasoning in this recipe. Salt is essential in air fryer zucchini because it helps pull out moisture to promote crispness.
- Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese brings a salty, nutty flavor to each slice and contributes to texture. It forms a light, crispy layer around the zucchini once melted.
(Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe card with exact measurements and recipe instructions.)
How To Make Air Fryer Zucchini
You can make air fryer zucchini in less than 10 minutes! To make it:
- Cut: Trim the ends of each zucchini and cut into ¼-inch thick slices. A quarter of an inch is thin enough to achieve a satisfying crispness but thick enough so each piece has that barely soft center.
- Toss in oil and salt: The oil will promote browning and help the coating stick, while the salt seasons and helps pull moisture from each slice to encourage texture.
- Coat with cheese and seasonings: First, combine cheese and the remaining seasonings in a bowl, then dredge both sides of each slice. Be sure to press each piece into the cheese mixture to coat evenly.
- Air fry: The zucchini takes 3-4 minutes to cook. It’s important to arrange them in the air fryer basket in a single layer so they cook evenly. Once ready, enjoy them while they are hot!
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Don’t overcook the zucchini – Instead, aim for zucchini with some bite. Overcooking will make it mushy.
Make it vegan – You can easily replace the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast. It tastes similar and will create a nice crispy coating!
Mix up the seasonings – The salt is essential, but other than that, experiment! Parsley or marjoram can replace the oregano; you can use white pepper instead of black, and other ingredients like lemon zest can change up the flavor of the zucchini.
Use pecorino instead – Pecorino crisps up like parmesan but has a brighter tangier taste. Since zucchini is a blank slate, there’s room for a bolder cheese.
What To Serve with Air Fryer Zucchini
Your favorite protein – Air fryer zucchini will be great alongside your favorite protein. Use it to complete the plate. Chicken, fish, beef, tempeh, or tofu, the choice is yours.
Dip – A quick marinara dip would be delicious, as would something creamy and rich.
Fried feta – If you’re feeling indulgent, try fried feta. Frying creates incredible texture on the exterior of a feta block but makes it soft enough to spread on air fryer zucchini. As a plus, this pairing means double the cheesy goodness!
Make Ahead
I do not recommend making air fryer zucchini in advance. It will not retain crispness for very long. The recipe is also so quick and easy that there’s no reason to. Zucchini is generally best eaten when hot.
Storage and Freezer Tips
Again, air fryer zucchini is best eaten straight out of the fryer. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them. They will only keep for 2-3 days.
How To Reheat
Reheat air fryer zucchini as you cooked them; in the air fryer! A minute or two at 400 degrees will return them to their original state if they weren’t overcooked initially.
Air Fryer Zucchini
Crispy, delicious air fryer zucchini in minutes! The healthy side dish is perfect for busy weeknights and doubles as a nutritious snack.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the air fryer basket
- 2 medium zucchinis, cut into ¼-inch thick rounds
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly brush the air fryer basket with a bit of oil.
- Transfer the zucchini to a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt. Toss to coat.
- Combine the parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and oregano in a bowl.
- Dredge both sides of each zucchini slice and transfer to a plate.
- Arrange the dredged zucchini slices in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to fry in batches.
- Air fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the zucchini from the air fryer. Serve immediately.
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