Air Fryer Zucchini Recipe

You might not believe it, but I was once an air fryer skeptic. I couldn’t see uses beyond getting frozen spring rolls or chicken nuggets super crispy. Thankfully, the tides have turned. The air fryer, thanks to the combination of its concentrated heat and blowing fan, makes cooking foods to golden perfection a breeze—as long as you’re using the right recipe. 

Enter air fryer zucchini. The sweet summer squash is sliced into rounds and coated with oil and a flavorful breadcrumb mixture that, when air fried, is tender on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside. 

Although air fryer zucchini does need to be cooked in batches (the recipe can be halved if needed), I promise it’s super simple and unforgettable. Make it as a side for dinner, an accompaniment to lunch, throw it on a salad, or even enjoy it as a snack. Just make sure to eat them while they’re hot!

Fire Up the Air Fryer

This air fryer zucchini is so wonderful because the contained, more concentrated heat from the air fryer in combination with a flavorful breadcrumb coating creates the most delicious, golden brown, tender zucchini. The coating that’s created from a combination of a little olive oil, cornstarch, and traditional breadcrumbs becomes delicately crisp in the air fryer, making this zucchini a family favorite. 

A Note on Air Fryer Models

This recipe was developed in a 6-quart air fryer, which is large enough to cook the zucchini in two batches. If your air fryer is smaller, you may need to cook the zucchini in three batches. Just divide the zucchini and breadcrumb mixture into thirds. 

Sometimes you don’t have time to cook in batches, and that’s okay! Almost all the ingredients in the recipe can be divided in half easily, aside from the 1/3 cup breadcrumbs. For that, use 3 tablespoons—it’s a little over half, but it works the same.

Tips for Making Air Fryer Zucchini

My favorite part about recipe development is discovering all the tricks to make a recipe as good as it can be. These thoughtful techniques ensure this zucchini comes out tender, crisp, and golden every time.

• Cut the zucchini as close to 3/16-inch thick as possible. I know how fussy that measurement sounds, but in testing I found this thickness to yield the best results. 1/4-inch is okay if you mis-cut, just note that cooking may take a few more minutes. 
• Make sure to use plain, traditional breadcrumbs, not panko. Panko won’t cling to the zucchini the same.
• Don’t skip quickly salting the zucchini. Zucchini has so much excess moisture that if you don’t salt it first it can lead to a soggy end result. 
• This recipe calls for air frying at 325°F, which is lower than many air fryer recipes. In testing, I found this temperature to be the sweet spot—low enough that the zucchini has time for the excess moisture to cook out, but high enough to get golden brown and tender. 
• Don’t bread the zucchini until just before air frying. This keeps the breadcrumbs from becoming oversaturated and clumpy and ensures the zucchini cooks evenly. 

Easy Recipe Variations

While salt and pepper are non-negotiable in my book, feel free to swap the other seasonings and the Parmesan to suit your fancy. Swap gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed, go with vegan cheese, swap cayenne for a different chili powder (or skip it altogether if you like things mild), add dried herbs, finish with lemon zest or juice for a bit of brightness—the possibilities are endless. 

Air Fryer Magic