This Air Fryer Zucchini recipe is so simple, uses only a handful of ingredients, and is ready in less than 20 minutes! Crispy, crunchy, keto air fryer zucchini fries with no breading are the perfect side dish or snack to whip up when you need something quick and healthy!
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It’s no secret that I freaking love zucchini and since my family actually agrees with me, we make it all the time. And while I do love whipping zucchini up into baked good like these Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins or putting a Taco Tuesday spin on it like with my Lazy Zucchini Enchilada Skillet or my Cheesy Zucchini Taco Skillet, I also love just making it as a simple side. And using my Air Fryer to cook it has been a game changer this summer!
It doesn’t matter if you’re following a Weight Watchers plan or using your Portion Fix containers, this Air Fryer Zucchini is the perfect addition to your menu. This easy zucchini recipe really goes with anything, but I love serving it with my BBQ Chicken Burgers or alongside my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs to get those green containers in! My husband eats it for a snack when he is craving something savory and since it’s an Air Fryer recipe, he can prep it in no time. I can’t wait for you to try it!
While you are at it, I have a bunch of other healthy Air Fryer recipes that you should add to your repertoire, too! Let me know which dish is your favorite!
Why I love this Recipe
- This recipe only requires 5 simple ingredients and no breading necessary – this cheese gives it a nice crisp without the carbs
- It takes less than 5 minutes to prep, thanks to quick air fryer cooking
- A great way to get your veggies in when you have an abundance of summer fresh zucchini
- Easy to scale and make a bunch for meal prepping
- A great low-calorie side dish or snack
- Kids love the french fry shape, and it helps keep the zucchini from getting too mushy while roasting
Ingredients and Substitutions
Zucchini – Grab some from the grocery store, farmer’s market or your backyard garden
Olive oil cooking spray or extra virgin olive oil – You can swap this out for a different cooking oil like avocado oil, if needed, keep in mind what fits into your plan.
Garlic powder – Gives just the right amount of flavor, but you can add additional seasonings if you’d like. (Italian seasoning is fun!)
Salt – Enhances the flavors of everything. I like to use sea salt or kosher salt.
Parmesan cheese – Pairs nicely with the garlic, and it gets nice and toasty, helping to get a crispy texture without breading. For dairy free, try nutritional yeast as a sub.
How to Make Parmesan Zucchini Fries
After washing your zucchini, be sure to dry it well with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Slice zucchini into fries by cutting it in half lengthwise, then cutting each half into quarters. Cut the squash down the center so you have a french fry type shape.
For best results, preheat your Air Fryer to 400 degrees F for a couple of minutes first.
Place the zucchini sticks into a shallow bowl, then coat with olive oil spray. Shake on some garlic powder and salt and mix up to make sure they are evenly seasoned. You can add a dash of black pepper if you like it!
Using small tongs or a fork, place zucchini fries in a single layer in the air fryer basket or tray, then if using cheese, sprinkle over the top, directly onto the fries. Air Fry for 8-10 minutes or until zucchini is tender and the cheese is crispy!
Always check your fries when they’re getting closer to the end of the cook time. You want to make sure you end up with zucchini that’s golden brown and each bite is crispy, cheesy perfection!
Helpful Tips
- If you want to, you can add some panko bread crumbs to your mixture to give the otherwise healthy snack a little breading.
- If you don’t want fries, you can cut your zucchini into slices and make crispy zucchini chips.
- Depending on the size of your Air Fryer basket, you may need to work in batches when making these. This can be quite common to do with many Air Fryer recipes if you have a smaller Air Fryer.
- Your first batch will be your test batch and once you’ve done it the first time, you’ll see how easy it is. Then adjust your cooking time as necessary, depending on your specific Air Fryer model, and you will be the master at this healthy side dish.
- Be sure you place the zucchini sticks close together and place the cheese directly on top so you don’t lose the cheese during the cooking process.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, yellow squash is another great vegetable for air frying. You can slice it up just like you do your zucchini and have another delicious snack option.
We like to eat these as is, but you could definitely enjoy these with your favorite fry sauce, marinara sauce, ranch dressing, or my yum yum sauce.
Any leftover zucchini should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat your healthy vegetables, I recommend preheating the Air Fryer and popping them back in the Air Fryer for a minute or until heated through, and you’ll have perfect zucchini to munch on again.
You can freeze your zucchini fries, for sure. Once they’ve cooked, let them cool down to room temperature. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the fries on the sheet and pop it in the freezer for about 2 hours. After the fries are frozen all the way through, you can transfer them to a freezer safe airtight container or freezer safe bag. This way they don’t all end up clumping together as they freeze.
When you’re ready to eat them, remove the bag from the freezer and let thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat in the Air Fryer!
More Healthy Zucchini Recipes
If you’re looking for more ways to use up your zucchini, check out these fantastic and on-plan healthy zucchini recipe ideas:
- Healthy Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Sauteed Zucchini
- Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters
- Taco Zucchini Boats
- Low Carb Lasagna Zucchini Boats
- BBQ Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Air Fryer Zucchini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- olive oil cooking spray
- garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/6 - 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Slice zucchini into fries by cutting it in half lengthwise, then cutting each half into quarters. Cut the squash down the center so you have a long french fry type shape.
- Preheat airfryer to 400 degrees F.
- Place zucchini fries into a bowl, then coat with olive oil cooking spray. Shake on some garlic powder and salt and mix them up to make sure they are evenly seasoned. You can add a dash of pepper if you like it!
- Using small tongs or a fork, place zucchini fries in a single layer in the air fryer. Then, if using cheese, sprinkle directly onto the fries. Air Fry for 8-10 minutes or until zucchini is tender and the cheese is crispy!
Beatrice says
I made it last night and it was good I used chicken seasoning and used the Spaghetti parmesan cheese cause I didn’t have the other cheese and it made it taste great..even my boyfriend loved it.
Nancylynn says
Thank you Beatrice!
Paul James says
Wonderful way to serve zucchini. Even the kids ate without complaining. I have added this recipe to my planner for future meals. My only alteration to the recipe was to add a little time as the air fryer oven was already baking potatoes.
Nancylynn says
Thank you Paul! Great feedback!!
Cathie Boccanfuso says
So quick and easy. I made this zucchini recipe for Sunday dinner and tonight I used the same method for asparagus! Delicious 😋
Nancylynn says
Oooh – I LOVE asparagus! Sounds delish!
Carmela M. says
Asparagus!!! Thanks for the reminder!
Marianne A says
We had them with dinner tonight and my family could not get enough of them. This was such an easy, fool proof recipe that garnered wonderful results. We’ll deftest this often.
Nancylynn says
Yay!! Thank you so much for taking the time to rate and review!
Janis says
If I don’t have an air fryer can I do it on the oven putting it at 425? How much time will you suggest? Thanks
Nancylynn says
Yes! 425 for about 20 minutes, but only add the cheese for the last 5 minutes!