These Air Fryer Zucchini Fries are very simple to make and ready in under 30 minutes! The simple, but tasty garlic and parmesan flavors are a hit with both kids and adults.
My family absolutely loves French fries, so I wanted to make a healthier alternative to mix into the dinner rotation. These Air Fryer Zucchini Fries are ready in under 30 minutes and packed with flavor. The fries are cooked in the air fryer for a quicker and crispier fry when compared to baking in an oven.
These crispy zucchini work great as a side dish for burgers or grilled chicken or as a party appetizer for game days or parties. The fries can be enjoyed solo or paired with sauces like spicy mayo or ranch dressing to boost the flavor factor even more.
Ingredient Notes
Breadcrumbs
Panko breadcrumbs work the best for me for this fried zucchini recipe. The texture is crisp and crunchy. I find these in the Asian section of my local grocery store. Plain breadcrumbs can also be substituted in, but they will have more of mozzarella stick texture.
Spices
I keep the seasoning pretty simple and basic for this recipe. The only ones I used were salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley. You could of course adjust or swap these out for some that you prefer. Some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes add a great kick.
Why These Will Be a HIT!
Family Favorite: Love by Both Kids and Adults
Super Simple: Just Slice, Bread and Air Fry
Only Basic Ingredients Needed
Versatile: Great as a Side Dish or Appetizer
Instructions
Ingredient Prep
- Add flour to a medium sized bowl along with half of the salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley and stir until combined. Set aside.
- Add eggs in separate medium sized bowl and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Into a medium bowl, add panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese and the other half of all of the spices and stir to combine. Set aside.
Zucchini Prep
- Slice the ends off of zucchini and discard. Next, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Then cut each half widthwise. You should have four pieces as shown above.
- Slice each section into stripes making a "fry" shape. The number of strips you get will depend on the size of your zucchini. Just try your best to make them all as even as possible and about ¼-1/2 inch thick. Once sliced, sprinkle with a fine grain salt and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, you should see some moisture begin to accumulate on the outside of the zucchini. Use a paper towel to dab off all the moisture.
Pro Tip!
After the zucchini is sliced into fry form, make sure to sprinkle with some fine sea salt and let rest for a few minutes! This will help pull excess moisture out of the zucchini and make it so your zucchini fries are nice and crispy and NOT soggy.
Breading & Air Frying
- Working one at a time, dredge one piece of zucchini into the flour mixture and tap off the excess.
- Next, dip the same piece into the egg an let the excess drip off.
- Finally dip into the panko mixture and thoroughly coat. I like to use my hands to really press the breading on.
- Place the breaded zucchini on a plate and repeat until all the zucchini fries are breaded. I like to let mine sit for a bit while the air fryer preheats to really help the breading stick.
- Preheat your air fryer for 375 degrees F. Once preheated, mist the basket with oil then carefully add in the zucchini French fries and lightly mist the top with oil. I was able to fit all mine into my air fryer, but if yours in smaller you may need to work in batches.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes until the outside of the fries is golden and crispy. I did not flip mine halfway through and they turned out fine. Remove from air fryer basket and enjoy warm with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!
Sauce Suggestions
The garlic and parmesan flavor is subtle and these fries can be paired with a variety of sauces or plain. My favorite sauces to enjoy with these air fried zucchini fries are hot sauce, siracha mayo, ranch dressing, or a garlic aioli.
Pro Tips
Air Fryer Tips
Just like with all my other air fryer recipes I always recommend preheating your air fryer so your food cooks faster and more evenly.
Additionally, I always mist my air fryer with olive oil or similar oil that I have on hand. You just need a bit and I think this helps food crisp up and ensures it does not stick. I do not recommend using PAM or other harsh cooking oil because it can damage the coating of the air fryer basket.
Lastly, be sure to check on the zucchini fries when they are cooking. Air fryers all cook a bit differently and this will ensure you get the cook right and they do not burn.
Breading Tips
Make sure you have salted, rested then dabbed all the liquid off of the sliced zucchini before starting to bread them. This will ensure the breading sticks and the fries get nice and crisp.
When dredging in the egg, be sure to let any excess drip off before moving to the next step.
I like to let my breaded zucchini fries rest after breading for a couple minutes before air frying them. This helps the breading stick and ensures it wont just slide right off.
My Must Have Kitchen Tools
I adore my Ninja Foodi Grill and Air Fryer Combo. I think it gets everything super crispy and cooks food fast. I highly recommend it if you are in the market for an air fryer or indoor grill.
FAQS
The best way to keep air fry zucchini fries from getting soggy is to slice, then sprinkle with salt on both sides. The salt will draw out the moisture and allow zucchini to get crispy when baking or air frying.
Yes, when comparing French fries and zucchini fries, zucchini fries are a healthier option. Zucchini is lower in carbohydrates and has more fiber than traditional potatoes. Along with being healthier they taste great and are simple to make in an oven or air fryer.
You only need about 1-2 tablespoon when making fries of any kind in your air fryer. I like to lightly oil the basket of my air fryer then mist the tops of my fries. This helps everything get nice and crispy, while still keeping it a much healthier option over traditional frying methods.
Baking Instructions
If you do not have an air fryer you can bake these zucchini fries in your oven. Follow all the same prep steps for prep and breading the zucchini. Once ready to cook, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and mist with oil. Place baking sheet in a preheated oven at 425 degrees F, and bake for 18- 20 minutes or until outside is crispy and starting to brown.
You May Also Enjoy...
Happy Eating!
Garlic Parmesan Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Large Zucchini
- ½ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- ¼ Cup Grated Parmasan Cheese
- ½ teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Add flour to a medium sized bowl along with half of the salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley and stir until combined. Set aside
- Add eggs in separate medium sized bowl and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Into a third medium bowl, add panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese and the other half of all of the spices and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Slice the ends off of the zucchini and discard. Next, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Then cut each half widthwise. You should have four similarly sized pieces. Slice each section into stripes making "fry" shapes. Try your best to make them all as even as possible and about ¼-1/2 inch thick.
- Sprinkle the sliced zucchini with a fine grain salt and let rest for at least 5 minutes. This will help release moisture and make the fries crispy. Dab the excess moisture off with a paper towel after 5 minutes.
- Working one at a time, dredge one piece of zucchini into the flour mixture and tap off the excess. Next, dip the same piece into the egg an let the excess drip off. Finally dip into the panko mixture and thoroughly coat. Place the breaded zucchini on a plate and repeat until all the zucchini fries are breaded. I like to let mine sit for a couple while the air fryer preheats to really help the breading stick.
- Preheat your air fryer for 375 degrees F. Once preheated, mist the basket with oil then carefully add in the zucchini fries and lightly mist the top with oil. I was able to fit all mine into my air fryer, but if yours in smaller you may need to work in batches. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the outside of the fries is golden and crispy. I did not flip mine halfway through and they turned out fine. Remove from air fryer basket and enjoy warm with your favorite sauce.
Notes
You can bake the zucchini fries instead of air frying them if you prefer. It does take longer but yields a similar product. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Once preheated, spread prepared fries on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until crispy and starting to brown. Leftover Storage Instructions
Leftover fries can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I like to rewarm in my air fryer or oven to help get the breading crispy again. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave. This will yield a soggy and just meh fry.
Linda B
This zucchini recipe is delicious, super crisp and snappy. I did however, sweat (sliced, salted and drained on paper towels) the zucchini for 1 hour before breading and air frying. My husband not a big fan of zucchini, loved it.
Caitlyn Erhardt
YAY! Always love turning some onto a food they thought they didn't like.