Air fryer zucchini is one of the most delicious ways to eat zucchini. You'll have a tasty, juicy, and tender-crisp zucchini dish in less than 15 minutes and with zero effort.
If you are short on time but want to eat well, there's no better way than this to cook zucchini in an air fryer.
Check out our Best Zucchini Recipes
Air fryer zucchini has become our favorite way of cooking zucchini when we are looking for a quick, tasty, and healthy recipe for this delicious vegetable.
Our recipe is not air fryer zucchini chips. We tried that but honestly, it was a bit of a bummer. It takes too long to make because you need to cook the zucchini in batches, in a single layer, to get perfectly crunchy chips. Unfortunately, we don't have the patience for that.
This air fryer zucchini recipe is about getting tender-crisp, chunky zucchini wedges that are a pleasure to bite into. Each air-fried zucchini piece is a little charred on the outside, but still perfectly juicy and "meaty" on the inside.
Air frying zucchini is so effective because the hot air roasts the zucchini at a high temperature quickly, with very little oil.
That allows the zucchini to roast, brown, and become flavorful, without shrinking too much, or losing too much water and becoming soggy, as it usually happens in a standard oven.
You'll find yourself eating one piece after another, without being able to stop. It's a great and effortless way to up your veggies intake.
All you need to do is cut the zucchini, chunkily, then toss them in mixed spices. You can pick your own favorite spices, but we do have a simple favorite mix we'll share with you. Air fry for 12 to 15 minutes and you are done!
This is the best way, in our opinion, to cook zucchini in an air fryer. No breading, no parmesan cheese, no single layers, and no long cooking time.
It's a quick practical recipe to get delicious veggies on your table with no effort. Let's see how it's done!
Ingredients
Zucchini: we use green zucchini but any type of summer squash is good for this recipe. Try globe zucchini, yellow crookneck, yellow squash, yellow zucchini, and grey zucchini.
For best results, try to use the freshest zucchini so that they stay tender-crisp and won't be bitter. To check if the zucchini is fresh, apply pressure with your fingers close to the tip of the zucchini (opposite the stem). The zucchini should feel firm, and not yield to pressure.
Oil: just a teaspoon to help the zucchini cook. We use extra virgin olive oil because it's flavorful, rich in antioxidants, and stable at high temperatures. Other good oils are avocado oil or canola oil, but we do find that extra virgin olive oil adds more flavor. We prefer not to use cooking spray in our kitchen, so it's not needed for this recipe.
Garlic powder: we find it to be more effective than fresh garlic in this recipe. It coats the zucchini evenly, adding a pleasant garlic aroma. You can also use onion powder if you like.
Paprika: it adds a touch of color and spice. You can also use smoked paprika, and even chipotle powder if you are into hot smokey flavors.
Dry herbs: we use oregano. You can also use thyme, mint, basil, or mixed Italian seasoning.
Salt and pepper: zucchini needs salt so we do recommend adding some sea salt or kosher salt. Freshly ground black pepper adds fragrance. If you are on a low sodium diet you could try a potassium chloride salt substitute, but talk to your doctor first.
Dietary Note: this recipe is vegan and gluten-free. It does not contain eggs, parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, or flour.
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 390°F or 200°C for 3 minutes.
In the meantime, wash and dry the zucchini. Trim the ends, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then chop it chunkily into ⅓ Inch (0.8 cm) half-discs.
Transfer the zucchini into a bowl. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and dried herbs.
Mix well with your hands or with a spoon to distribute the seasoning evenly. Transfer to the air fryer container/tray and air fry at 390°F or 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes.
You can overlap the zucchini slices. They don't have to be on a single layer.
Shake the air fryer basket every 3 to 4 minutes to make sure the zucchini cook evenly.
The zucchini are ready when crisp and slightly browned on the outside. Tender, juicy, and still with a bite on the inside. Taste one to check if they are done.
Transfer onto a serving plate and serve as an appetizer, snack, or side dish. You can add some fresh herbs on top (thyme, mint, basil) and a squeeze of lemon if you like.
Serving suggestions
This air fryer zucchini recipe is versatile and a great pairing with most meals. It's an easy way to increase your veggie intake and get a little more green into your diet:
- Serve with protein-rich main: such as this vegan fish, marinated tofu, or fried tofu.
- Pair with a condiment: it's best with a creamy sauce such as chipotle sauce, basil pesto, or vegan mayo.
- Add to your favorite salad: serve next to a vegan pasta salad, tofu salad, or upgrade a chickpea salad with extra veggies.
- Serve as a side dish for pasta: either pasta aglio e olio, lemon pasta, or any of these vegan pasta recipes.
More air fryer recipes
Air frying is a fantastic way of making easy recipes with less oil. Here are some of our favorites:
- 12-min air fryer green beans
- Easy air fryer asparagus
- Crispy air fryer tofu
- Tender air fryer eggplant
- 10-min air fryer mushrooms
- Or any of these best air fryer recipes
More zucchini recipes
If you love zucchini as much as we do, check out these vibrant recipes:
- Sauteed zucchini: a super easy and basic recipe, ready in just 10 mins.
- Zucchini frittata: an egg-free frittata perfect for picnics, brunch, and lunch.
- Zucchini pesto: a healthy condiment with plenty of good fats and vitamins. A great addition to pasta and vegan salads.
- Roasted zucchini easy baked zucchini in 2 ways that you can serve as a flavorful side or appetizer.
- Zucchini risotto: a creamy and indulgent dinner idea perfect for social gatherings.
- Tofu soup: one of our favorite easy dinners as it's ready in just 20 mins.
Storage
Store leftover zucchini in the fridge. You can keep the on a plate covered with some foil, or transfer them to an airtight container.
Leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave or in the air fryer. You can also eat air-fried zucchini at room temperature, for instance, if you use them in a salad or as a cold appetizer. In this case, take them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before eating. We don't recommend freezing air-fried zucchini.
For many more side dishes ideas, check out our sides category page.
Recipe
Air Fryer Zucchini
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized zucchini (about 1½ pound)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 twists black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F or 200°C for 3 minutes.Wash and dry the zucchini. Trim the ends, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then chop it chunkily into ⅓ Inch (0.8 cm) half-discs.
- Transfer the zucchini into a bowl. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and dried herbs.
- Mix well with your hands or with a spoon to distribute the seasoning evenly. Transfer to the air fryer container/tray and air fry at 390°F or 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes.You can overlap the zucchini slices. They don't have to be on a single layer. Shake the air fryer basket every 3 to 4 minutes to make sure the zucchini cook evenly.
- The zucchini are ready when crisp and slightly browned on the outside. Tender, juicy, and still with a bite on the inside. Taste one to check if they are done.
- Transfer onto a serving plate and serve as an appetizer, snack, or side dish. You can add some fresh herbs on top (thyme, mint, basil) and a squeeze of lemon if you like. We absolutely love them with our chipotle sauce.
Notes
Nutritional Values
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cookhomey
This looks absolutely delicious! Can't wait to try this amazing recipe.
Hello from a fellow food blogger, https://www.cookhomey.com/ 🙂