Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Our Air Fryer Zucchini Fries recipe is Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with flavor, these zucchini fries are a healthier twist on the classic appetizer. With just a handful of simple ingredients and the magic of the air fryer, you can enjoy guilt-free snacking without sacrificing taste or texture.
Whether you’re looking for a tasty side dish, a satisfying snack, or a creative way to incorporate more veggies into your diet, these zucchini fries are sure to impress even the pickiest eaters. Get ready to indulge in a deliciously crispy and flavorful treat that’s perfect for any occasion!”
During the summer months, I adore utilizing fresh zucchini harvested from my garden. There are endless ways to savor garden-fresh zucchini, including delectable options like Zucchini Lasagna, Zucchini Quiche, Zucchini Crisps, Zucchini Pie, and my personal favorite, Curly Zucchini Fries. Whether baked, grilled, or incorporated into various recipes, zucchini adds a delightful freshness and versatility to dishes, making it a staple ingredient for any culinary enthusiast.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- Crispy Texture: Zucchini fries are coated in a crispy breadcrumb coating that provides a satisfying crunch with every bite.
- Healthier Alternative: Compared to traditional potato fries, zucchini fries are lower in carbohydrates and calories, making them a healthier option.
- Versatility: Zucchini fries are incredibly versatile and can be seasoned with various herbs and spices to suit your taste preferences.
- Easy to Make: Zucchini fries are simple to prepare and cook, making them a quick and hassle-free snack or side dish.
- Kid-Friendly: Even picky eaters often enjoy zucchini fries due to their mild flavor and fun finger food appeal.
- Nutrient-Rich: Zucchini is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, adding nutritional value to your snack or meal.
- Great for Snacking: Whether you’re watching a movie or hosting a party, zucchini fries make a delicious and satisfying snack option.
- Perfect for Dipping: Zucchini fries pair perfectly with a variety of dipping sauces, from classic marinara to creamy garlic aioli, enhancing their flavor even further.
- Crowd Pleaser: Zucchini fries are a crowd-pleasing appetizer or side dish that will impress guests at any gathering or event.
- Garden Fresh Flavor: If you grow zucchini in your garden, zucchini fries are a fantastic way to enjoy the fresh, seasonal flavor of this versatile vegetable.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Zucchini fries
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- Oil spray
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise in half.
- Halve each zucchini piece again.
- Slice the zucchini halves into fry strips approximately 1 inch long and 1 inch thick. Set aside.
- Whisk two eggs in a small bowl.
- Place one cup of flour mixed with garlic powder on a small plate or bowl.
- Place panko bread crumbs in another dish and mix in parmesan cheese.
- Working in batches, coat each zucchini fry first in flour, then in the egg, and finally in the panko bread crumbs.
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 375°F.
- Lightly spray the Air Fryer basket with cooking oil, such as olive oil.
- Arrange the coated zucchini fries in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket.
- Cook for 15 minutes, flipping the fries once halfway through cooking (after 10 minutes), until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve hot and enjoy your crispy Curly Zucchini Fries!
Oven Directions:
For oven-baked zucchini fries, start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or greasing it lightly with cooking spray. Arrange the coated zucchini fries on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the fries are golden brown and crisp. Serve hot and enjoy these delicious and healthier alternatives to traditional fries!
Tips & Tricks
- Choose the Right Zucchini: Opt for medium-sized zucchinis that are firm and free from blemishes. Avoid using overly large zucchinis as they may contain more seeds and be less flavorful.
- Uniform Slicing: To ensure even cooking, try to slice the zucchini into fries that are similar in size and thickness. This helps them cook at the same rate and prevents some fries from becoming overcooked while others are still undercooked.
- Pat Dry the Zucchini: Before coating the zucchini fries, pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the coating adhere better and promotes crispiness.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Always preheat your air fryer before adding the zucchini fries. Preheating ensures that the air fryer is at the optimal temperature for cooking, resulting in crispier fries.
- Work in Batches: Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to allow proper air circulation. Cook the zucchini fries in batches if necessary to ensure they cook evenly and become crispy.
- Lightly Coat with Oil: Lightly spray or brush the zucchini fries with cooking oil before cooking. This helps promote browning and crispiness.
- Flip Halfway Through: Halfway through the cooking time, flip the zucchini fries using tongs to ensure they cook evenly on all sides.
- Don’t Overcook: Keep an eye on the zucchini fries towards the end of the cooking time to prevent them from becoming overly browned or burnt. They should be golden brown and crispy.
- Serve Immediately: Zucchini fries are best enjoyed hot and fresh from the air fryer. Serve them immediately as a tasty appetizer or side dish.
- Experiment with Seasonings: Feel free to experiment with different seasonings and spices to customize the flavor of your zucchini fries. Try adding garlic powder, paprika, or Italian seasoning for extra flavor.
What To Dip Zucchini Fries In
- Garlic Aioli
- Sriracha Sauce
- Ranch Dressing or homemade.
- Fry Sauce
- Avocado Dressing
The sky is the limit with this sauce and fries pairing. You can use whatever you want to elevate the flavors of your fries.
FAQs about Zucchini Fries
More Air Fryer Recipes You will Love
- Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Bread
- Potato Pancakes
- Steak Fries
- Green Bean Fries
- Beef Jerky
- Crispy Chick Peas
- Home Fries
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Air Fryer Garlic and Parmesan Zucchini Fries are such a tasty side dish or even appetizer. You have a crispy and savory zucchini fry that is loaded with flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- Oil spray
Instructions
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise in half.
- Halve each zucchini piece again.
- Slice the zucchini halves into fry strips approximately 1 inch long and 1 inch thick. Set aside.
- Whisk two eggs in a small bowl.
- Place one cup of flour mixed with garlic powder on a small plate or bowl.
- Place panko bread crumbs in another dish and mix in parmesan cheese.
- Working in batches, coat each zucchini fry first in flour, then in the egg, and finally in the panko bread crumbs.
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 375°F.
- Lightly spray the Air Fryer basket with cooking oil, such as olive oil.
- Arrange the coated zucchini fries in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket.
- Cook for 15 minutes, flipping the fries once halfway through cooking (after 10 minutes), until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve hot and enjoy your crispy Curly Zucchini Fries!
Oven Directions:
For oven-baked zucchini fries, start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or greasing it lightly with cooking spray. Arrange the coated zucchini fries on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the fries are golden brown and crisp. Serve hot and enjoy these delicious and healthier alternatives to traditional fries!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 325Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 349mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 13g
Wow those look so good. The photos make me want to just inhale them and eat a huge plate full. Will definitely have to try making these.
You could also try dipping them in Tzatziki (Greek yoghurt, cucumber and garlic dip) or Raita (Indian dip similar to Taztziki. Avocado dip sounds really good though.
I made these and they were delicious! Although I ended up reducing the amount of time in my Ninja Foodi for each batch. I found that 12 minutes was best. We used Yum Yum sauce and we thought it was the perfect sauce for these. Thank you for this recipe.
I just made these in my Ninja. 12 minutes on air fry at 375 was perfect. They are crispy and delish!
Something went wrong. To dip it’s Dry, wet, dry? Didn’t work for me. Ended up making broccoli as my side.
@Alex, it’s impt that the cut zucchini fries are dry. I pat mine with a towel first, then dip dry, wet, dry. It’s messy, but the dry first helps the egg to stick and makes for a crunchier finished product. How that helps.
@Alex, brócoli boi
@Alex, You are correct. It’s a common method used on fried foods, especially fried chicken. You may want to let them rest after dusting with flour first.
This was super easy to make and so tasty! Definitely kid approved!
This worked pretty well for me, but the proportions were a little off. For 3/4 of a huge arm-sized zucchini (seeds removed, and peeled because the flour didn’t stick to the skin), I ended up needing 4 eggs, 3 cups of bread crumbs, and at least 3/4 cup of parmesan. After going through that I still had barely used half of my seasoned flour (to which I added salt and pepper after my trial batch, along with the garlic powder). I would start with half a cup of flour at the most next time, even if I was planning to double all the rest of the ingredients like I did this time.
Once breaded the sticks cooked perfectly in my air fryer, even with the ends of some resting on others so I could get more than four sticks at a time in the tiny basket. Very crunchy with the panko coating, and I think even regular bread crumbs would have crisped up nicely.
For dipping I recommend Trader Joe’s jalapeno sauce or, if you’re not making these with calorie reduction in mind, middle eastern garlic sauce.
These are delicious. I had a huge garden zucchini so I needed an extra egg and about 1/4 c more panko/parm. It made 38 fries.
I would recommend halving the flour mixture as I has at least half if not more left over. I’ll be making these every time I have huge zucchini.
Can these be frozen? After being cooked
Thank you 🙂
Yes
These are my new favorite of everything I have ever made in the Air Fryer! Absolutely delicious! I used 2 small zucchini and scraped the seeds out before I cut and prepped. They were so crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth tender on the inside. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
This recipe is so easy and unbelievably delicious! My whole family loved it.
We dipped ours in low fat sour cream, sprinkled with paprika. Amazing!
Made this as written in air fryer and it was delicious! Nice crunch and very tasty. Served with garlic aioli for dipping.
Have no idea why but this was an epic fail. Hubby and I followed the recipe with a home grown zucchini. Couldn’t get the breading to stick. Floured, egg then breadcrumbs but no luck. Any advice?
Not sure why it wouldn’t stick sometimes you can dip them in milk first then flour