This Air Fryer Zucchini recipe is a great way to enjoy this versatile vegetable! With simple steps and a little effort, it makes a fast and perfect side dish or snack that's great for on-the-go!
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Whether you have leftover zucchini or it's fresh zucchini from the farmer's market, air frying will become one of your favorite ways to make an easy and great appetizer. It's a nice alternative to potato chips and it's family-friendly.
Looking for more yummy air fryer recipes? Try these air fryer waffle fries, these smashed potatoes, these sweet potato cubes, this air fryer garlic bread, or these air fryer steak tips!
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Quick and convenient. This recipe is an easy side dish that can be made pretty quickly and only requires a handful of ingredients.
- Easy to customize. Zucchini slices can be seasoned and topped any way you like, so you can load it up with your favorite spices and enjoy! it's a great recipe to experiment with.
- Foolproof recipe. It's not difficult at all to air fry zucchini. Dry, season, cook, enjoy!
- No mess. Don't worry about dipping your zucchini in an egg mixture or flour. The hot air from the air fryer will get them nice and crispy.
- Low carb and keto diet friendly. A medium zucchini has about 4 net carbs, so if you are watching your carb intake, this is the perfect option.
🥒Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Zucchini
- Olive oil - A bit of oil is necessary to help the seasoning stick to the zucchini and to help it crisp up.
- Lemon - Zest and juice.
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt & black pepper
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & variations
Here's a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this sauce.
- Zucchini - Swap zucchini for any similar vegetable, like yellow squash or eggplant.
- Oil - Swap olive oil for avocado oil, which is a nutritious oil with a high-smoke point.
- Kosher salt - Swap for any salt you have on hand, like sea salt.
- Cheesy - Feel free to add your favorite shredded cheese on top during the last few minutes of air frying for a great snack. Parmesan cheese is our preferred cheese, but any cheese you have works.
- Crispiness - If you want an extra crispy bite, you can coat the zucchini in an egg wash, followed by seasoned panko breadcrumbs before you air fry them!
- Spicy - Add chili powder, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes to the seasoning blend for a spicier kick.
🔪Prep work
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Cut your zucchini into rounds.
- Dry off the zucchini rounds with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Measure out all ingredients.
📋Instructions
In a large bowl, season the zucchini with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and kosher salt. (Image 1)
Next, add lemon zest to the zucchini. (Image 2)
✨Pro tip: Zest only until you reach the white layer, then stop, otherwise, the flavor will become bitter.
Coat the mixture with olive oil. (Image 3)
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze lemon juice on top of the zucchini, reserve the other half of the lemon for serving if desired. (Image 4)
With a rubber spatula, toss the zucchini until evenly coated. (Image 5).
Working in batches, if necessary, arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer on the tray or in the air fryer basket. Cook, flipping once halfway through, until golden brown. This should take between 11-13 minutes. (Image 6)
Sprinkle with lemon juice, and fresh parsley (optional) and serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
You can also serve these with your favorite dipping sauce or condiment. These are great for any dip you're craving. Try our Wingstop ranch dressing, garlic aioli, marinara sauce, sriracha sauce, and more.
✨Tips & tricks
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer trays or basket. This may require cooking the zucchini in batches to ensure you can place the slices in a single layer with little to no overlap. Overcrowding will create mushy zucchini.
- Dry the zucchini off with paper towels. This is another step that helps absorb excess moisture.
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat them in the air fryer for a few minutes at 400° F or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
We don't recommend freezing zucchini, as they will become very mushy during the reheating process.
More Easy Finger Foods To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Zucchini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchinis, cut about ⅓-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 medium lemon, zest (zest of 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (juice of half a lemon)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Cut zucchini into ⅓-inch thick slices. Use paper towel to remove excess moisture from the zucchini.
- In large bowl, toss zucchini together with salt, seasoning, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil.
- Working in batches, arrange zucchini in single layer in fryer tray or basket. Cook, flipping once, until golden brown about 11-13 minutes.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with lemon wedges. Serve hot.
- You can store these in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
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Notes
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or condiment. These are great for any dip you are craving. Ranch dressing, garlic aioli, marinara sauce, and sriracha sauce are all great options to pair with this.
- Season in different ways each time. Zucchinis themselves don't have a lot of flavor, so feel free to adjust or use an entirely different blend for your desired taste. Italian, Mediterranean, Cajun, etc. You can also add parmesan cheese.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer trays or basket. This may require cooking the zucchini in batches to ensure you can place the slices in a single layer with little to no overlap. Overcrowding will create mushy zucchini.
- Dry the zucchini off with paper towels. This is another step that helps absorb excess moisture.
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