Do you need a healthy and delicious side dish idea for dinner tonight? You’ll love this Air Fryer Zucchini recipe that only takes a few minutes to make and is packed with flavor! You can cut the zucchini into chips, wedges, strips, or bite-sized pieces before a light coating of panko and Parmesan cheese. Each bite turns out crispy and perfectly tender. So, grab that air fryer, and let’s get dinner on the table!
Why I Love This Recipe
Over the past few months, I’ve been completely obsessed with my air fryer. I was a bit late to jump on board with this latest trend but now that I’m on, there is no going back! I love how quickly it roasts food and the results are better than I can get in my normal convection oven. I’ve created so many air fryer recipes and don’t see an end any time soon.
With summer right around the corner, fresh zucchini and summer squash are definitely one of our go-to side dish recipes when the weather gets warm. And now that we live in Arizona, I love that I can bring my air fryer outside to cook dinner without getting the house hotter than the desert sun does all on its own. These air fryer zucchini turn out so perfectly crispy for the addition of a bit of panko bread crumbs and the zucchini perfectly roasts inside as well. I hate mushy zucchini and this recipe creates the perfect texture.
Air Fryer Zucchini Ingredients & Tools
Medium fresh zucchini
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Italian seasoning
Large mixing bowl
Air fryer
How to Make Air Fryer Zucchini
Can you believe all it takes is 10 minutes for perfectly cooked zucchini in the air fryer? Just a few simple steps and you’ll have a vegetable side dish worth raving about.
Time needed: 10 minutes
How to Make Air Fryer Zucchini
Select the proper type of fresh zucchini
Even though big zucchinis sound like a better choice, stay away from them. They are bitter, have tough skin, and are mainly large seeds on the inside instead of the flesh of the squash. Instead, use zucchini that are small to medium in size and are not too thick. Thick zucchinis have large seeds inside.
Preheat your air fryer
The key to perfectly cooked air fryer zucchini that are crispy on the outside without getting mushy on the inside is using a high temperature, and to preheat your air fryer.
Roast the zucchini at a high temperature
Using a high temperature inside the air fryer allows the moisture from the zucchini to evaporate quickly and keeps the vegetable from steaming. Roasting requires a temperature of at least 400 degrees.
Recipe FAQs
How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy when roasting?
When roasting zucchini in the oven or an air fryer, there are two important secrets to keep them from getting soggy. First, be sure you use a very high temperature and that your oven or air fryer is preheated. You want to use at least 400 degrees. Second, do not crowd the zucchini too close together. You want them in a single layer and not touching each other. Zucchinis have a high water content so you need enough space for that moisture to escape as they roast. Otherwise, they will end up steaming and turning mushy. Also, be sure not to cook them too long. They should still have some firmness when they are done roasting.
How long do you cook zucchini in an air fryer?
The length of cook time for air fryer zucchini is dependent on the power level of your air fryer. Look on the bottom of your machine for the information sticker that will tell you what power level your air fryer is. For a standard 1500-watt machine, it will take 7-9 minutes. If you have a 1300-watt air fryer, it will take 9-12 minutes. For a 1700-watt machine, it will be 6-8 minutes.
Is air fryer zucchini healthy?
Defining a food or recipe as healthy or unhealthy is nearly impossible. Healthy is completely dependent on what a person is looking for in a recipe. Vegetarians and vegans define healthy food very differently than someone who is eating a high-protein diet. In my opinion, I think this air fryer zucchini recipe is extremely healthy. Yes, even with the addition of a bit of panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. One serving is only 64 calories and is low in carbs and fat.
Can I make this recipe with no breading?
Yes, if you want to make this air fryer zucchini recipe without the panko breadcrumbs, you can leave them out completely. You can also reduce the extra virgin olive oil down to 2 teaspoons since there won’t be any breadcrumbs to absorb the extra oil. I suggest keeping the parmesan cheese for both flavor and texture, however.
Can I substitute summer squash for the zucchini?
Yes, this recipe would be delicious using summer squash in place of the zucchini, or you can also use a mixture of both together. Keep the recipe and instructions the same as it is written.
Looking for More Great Air Fryer Recipes?
If this air fryer zucchini was just as delicious as you hoped it would be, go grab these other amazing air fryer recipes because I guarantee they are just as amazing!
Add the zucchini into the hot basket and cook at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes until the breading turns golden brown and the zucchini is beginning to soften. The amount of time depends on the power level of your air fryer. See note.
Notes
This recipe was written using a 1500-watt air fryer. If yours is a 1700-watt, you will need less cooking time, while a 13000-watt will require more. Check the bottom of your machine for the sticker that will tell you what power level your machine is.
To make this without any breading, simply leave out the panko breadcrumbs and reduce the oil to 2 teaspoons.
Feel free to use summer squash in place of the zucchini, or a mixture of both together.Â
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
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