If you're looking for a new way to enjoy zucchini, try our air fryer zucchini fries. Thin zucchini sticks are coated in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, and then air-fried until golden and crispy.
You will just 15 minutes of hands-on preparation and only 7 minutes of cooking time to have this delicious dish on a table.
My mom used to grow zucchini, so every summer she would make a lot of dishes with the abundance of yellow and green zucchini we harvested.
My favorite was her pickled zucchini spears, she canned them for winter but we never could wait that long.
Zucchini fries are super easy to make in the air fryer and they taste best when fresh, so I prefer to make them one batch at a time.
I often make them as a veggie side for our dinners in summer. Be ready for them to disappear as soon as they are ready.
If you just saute zucchini or grill it, most people will skip them. But once you turn them into golden-brown and crispy finger food, almost everyone will be willing to give them a try.
Just like my mom, I love to be creative when it comes to seasonal veggies. Besides zucchini fries, our other favorite one is zucchini fritters with corn.
You can also add grated zucchini to your meatloaf, or even use them to make a dessert - try our zucchini loaf with chocolate chips.
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Why you will love this recipe
- Extra crispy: Panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese make these zucchini fries extra crispy.
- Kid-friendly: kids enjoy them as a side dish with some marinara sauce for dipping.
- Easy and quick: The air fryer cooks them in just 7 minutes, and no flipping is required.
- Deep-frying alternative: air fryers makes the best deep-frying food with less oil and with the whole process being so much easier and it takes less time. Just look at these beautiful air fryer croquettes, air fryer risotto balls, or air fryer crispy chicken tenders.
Ingredients needed
Besides the zucchini, you will need only a couple of more simple ingredients to make these crispy zucchini fries. You can find the quantities of the ingredients in the recipe card below.
- Zucchini: Choose medium or small zucchini that are firm and have a bright green color.
- Panko breadcrumbs: panko breadcrumbs create the crispiest coating.
- Grated Parmesan: breadcrumbs can taste plain, but Parmesan will add amazing flavor and also golden color.
- Flour: for coating the zucchini before dipping into the eggs.
- Eggs: for making sure the coatings stay on the fries.
- Seasoning: I used salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Cooking spray: I used olive oil to coat the fries before air frying. Avocado oil also works great.
How to make it
Cut zucchini into sticks (3 minutes). Cut a zucchini in half, so you have two shorter pieces. Now, cut each half into half lengthwise. Cut each half into four zucchini sticks, just like shown below.
Salt them, let them rest, and pat them dry (10 minutes). Arrange zucchini sticks on a paper towel and sprinkle them with salt. Let them sit for about 5-10 minutes, the salt will draw excess moisture. After that, pat them dry on top with another paper towel.
Bread zucchini fries (5 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare the breading station by setting up three shallow dishes.
In the first shallow dish, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
In the second dish, add whisked egg with a pinch of salt. In the third dish, combine breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Add all zucchini sticks into the bowl with the flour mixture. Toss them to coat. Now, add 1- 3 at a time to the bowl with whisked egg.
After that, transfer them into the bowl with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs gently onto the zucchini so they stick.
Arrange breaded zucchini fries on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper for now. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.
Cook them in air fryer (7 minutes at 400°F). Spray the air fryer basket with the cooking oil and preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees f for about 4-5 minutes.
Arrange breaded zucchini fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving a good space in between. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.
Spray them generously with oil spray and air fry them for about 7 minutes at 400°F or until they look golden brown.
They should be crispy on the outside and remain tender on the inside. Dump any crumbs and cook the second batch the same way.
Expert tips
- Cut zucchini in the same size sticks, so they cook evenly.
- Do not forget to use paper towels to get rid of any excess moisture.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket, cook them in batches instead.
Recipe variations
- Gluten-free: you can use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs to make them low-carb and gluten-free.
- Shape: you can cut them into rounds and cook them this way.
- Seasonings: you can adjust the seasonings, by adding cayenne pepper to make them spicy, Italian seasoning to make them more flavorful, and smoked paprika to give them a slightly smoky taste.
Serving ideas
- Side dish: we enjoy them as a veggie side dish with burgers, air fried steak bites, BBQ-pulled chicken sliders, chicken kebabs, and more.
- Snack: add them to the snack plate (kids' favorite) with some dipping sauce, like marinara, fries sauce (mixed ketchup, mayo, and mustard), ranch dressing, or garlic aioli.
- Sandwiches and wraps: sometimes, I add the leftovers into my sandwich and it's pretty good.
Storage instructions
Zucchini fries are the best when served and enjoyed right away, that's why I always make them fresh.
But you decide to store them in the fridge, line the airtight container with a paper towel, and place the fries there.
Cover them and store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. I like to reheat them in the air fryer with a little bit of oil to crisp them back up.
I do not recommend freezing them, as the crispy texture will be gone after thawing.
Frequently asked questions
When making zucchini fries in the air fryer, 400°F is the best temperature. It creates a crispy exterior without overcooking the zucchini or burning the breading. But if you decide to bake them, 425°F will be the best temperature.
To prevent them from being soggy, make sure to dry the zucchini sticks with a paper towel before coating them, avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket, and enjoy them as soon as they are ready.
Zucchini fries pair well with ranch, spicy sriracha mayo, marinara, honey mustard, and any other dipping sauce that goes well with traditional French fries.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Equipment
- Air fryer I used Ninja XL
Ingredients
- 2 medium or small zucchini
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 eggs, whisked
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Cut the zucchini in half horizontally, so you have two shorter pieces. Then, cut each half into 3-4 strips. Take each half and cut it in half vertically, lengthwise. Cut each piece lengthwise into 4 strips, so you will have about 16 fries from one zucchini.
- Place zucchini fries on a paper towel and sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon salt. Let the salt draw the moisture for about 10 minutes. After that, pat them dry with a paper towel on top.
- In the first shallow dish add 4 tablespoons flour , ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. In the second shallow dish add 2 eggs, whisked . In the third shallow dish combine ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese . Line a baking pan with some parchment paper, so you can place there breaded zucchini fries.
- Add all zucchini fries in to the bowl with flour and spices. Toss them well to coat. Now, dip 3-4 zucchini fries at a time into whisked eggs, letting the excess drip. Transfer them into the bowl with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, ensuring the breading sticks to the fries. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini, arranging them on a prepared baking pan.
- Spray the bottom of air fryer with the oil spray. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for about 5 minutes. Arrange breaded zucchini in the air fryer basket without overcrowding. Air fry your zucchini fries at 400°F for about 7-8 minutes or until they are golden brown on the outside. Repeat with the process with the remaining zucchini.
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