Zucchini Fries in Air Fryer

Bring Out the Flavor of Veggies

When zucchini is in its peak harvest season, it’s time to make the most of this squash and turn it into all sorts of yummy food. One of my favorite things to do with this baby marrow is to air fry it until it’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 

These fries are quite similar to French fries in texture and flavor, but far lower in fat and calories. This air-fried zucchini is great whether you’re on the Portion Fix diet or the Weight Watchers plan. You can’t go wrong with this simple zucchini dish; it works great with just about everything, but my favorites are BBQ chicken burgers and chicken thighs!  

The idea is a bit like making French fries, but with green veggies and using the air frying method instead of deep frying. So these zucchini sticks are far lower in fat and calories. Mind you, we can’t really deep-fry zucchini unless we coat it with something such as egg, breadcrumbs, or batter anyway. Otherwise, this vegetable will soak up the oil if it doesn’t have a cover. I tried it, and it failed miserably. 

However, if you like deep-fried zucchini, I suggest coating it with a spiced chickpea flour batter like the one you make for pakora. Basically, you make it as a zucchini pakora. 

Anyhow.

In this air fryer zucchini fries recipe, I coat the veggies with a mix of spices, herbs, and grated hard cheese—nothing fancy or complicated, really. I just want the fries to have a delicious flavor that perfectly matches the tender texture and veggie flavor of courgettes.

This recipe is very forgiving, too. You can swap the spices and herbs with your favorite ones. You don’t need to stick with the suggestions here. 

You can serve these zucchini fries as a snack, along with some dipping sauce. My favorite one is spicy tomato chutney, which is similar to Mexican salsa. But feel free to use any sauce and dip you like. 

Things to Love About This Easy Zucchini Fries Recipe

• You’ll only need around 10 minutes to prepare the veggies, coat them in spices, and put them in the air fryer. Then, you’ll need another 10 minutes to air-fry the fries. Within less than half an hour, you’ll have crispy, nutritious, and delicious veggie snacks.
• These zucchini sticks are low in calories, fats, carbohydrates, and cholesterol. This vegetable is also an excellent source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium. So, really, we shouldn’t miss enjoying it when it’s abundant during the summer. This is a great way to get more vegetables into our diet. 
• These fries are sure to please anyone, even the little ones. This snack dish is an excellent way to add greens to the diets who may not be keen on cooked vegetables. 

Ingredients You Need

Here is the list of ingredients that you need. For exact measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Zucchini: Try to pick fresh zucchini with deep green skin and no marks. The fresh ones should feel firm when you hold them, and when you cut them, the flesh should be firm, smooth, white, and with only a few seeds.
• Olive oil: To make the zucchini fries crispy, lightly coat them with oil before cooking. Although I like olive oil best, you can always use coconut oil or any preferred oil instead.
• Paprika powder: Paprika has a spicy, sweet flavor that makes your food far from bland. And if you prefer hot food, you can swap the paprika with cayenne pepper or Kashmiri red chili powder. 
• Cumin powder: Cumin adds a warm and earthy note to the dish. 
• Salt: The most important seasoning to any food. I prefer to use pink Himalayan salt or Celtic salt. But feel free to use your preferred salt.
• Mixed Herbs: I used Italian herbs, which are a blend of rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and basil. However, you can add your favorite dried herbs. 
• Grated Hard Cheese: For religious reasons, I don’t consume any cheese that has rennet in it, such as parmesan or grana padano. Instead, I use vegetarian hard cheese that has the same texture as the above. So, if you’re ok with parmesan, feel free to use it.  

How to Make Zucchini Fries in an Air Fryer

It only takes a few basic steps and a few healthy ingredients to make zucchini fries. Before you start, take a look at the recipe outline below. 

Prepare the veggies: Cut your zucchini into finger sticks. Try to cut them into similar sizes so they cook evenly.

Spice it up: Place them in a mixing bowl. Add oil, paprika powder, cumin powder, salt, and the mixed herbs, respectively. Toss them well until every stick is coated with oil, spices, and herbs.

Sprinkle the grated cheese: Mix well again until the cheese coats every piece of zucchini. 

Air Fry: Place them in the air fryer basket lined with greaseproof paper and air fry at 400°F/ 200°C for about 10 minutes or until the zucchini looks golden and crispy on the outside. 

Storing Leftover Zucchini Fries

Refrigerating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Zucchini fries will remain fresh for up to three days.

Freezing: It’s not a good idea to freeze zucchini. Because it has a high moisture content, it becomes soggy when reheated. I suggest only making portions you can finish within a few days. Though the fries never last that long in my household.

Reheating: Reheat any remaining zucchini fries in the air fryer for a few minutes at 356°F/ 180°C. They will get crispy again like they just came out of the fryer. 

Helpful Tips

• Cut into equal sizes: Cut the zucchini into pieces of the same size, as best you can. By doing this, the air fryer will cook them more evenly.
• Pat dry: Make sure to dry your zucchini with a paper towel. Because this veggie is very watery, it’s important to extract as much moisture as possible to maintain its crispy texture throughout cooking. 
• Don’t overcrowd: Place the zucchini sticks in a single layer in the air fryer. Leave some space between each stick as you arrange them. This lets air circulate around the sticks, making the edges crisp. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to work in batches.
• It’s best to serve the fries immediately while they are still warm and crispy.

Substitutions

Replacing components in recipes allows you to express your individuality and cater to your dietary restrictions and tastes. You can do so with this recipe, too. Make it your own.

• Swap the hard cheese with almond flour or semolina flour for a dairy-free option. You can also add nutritional yeast to achieve the cheese flavor. 
• If you prefer a spicy taste, you can swap paprika powder with cayenne pepper or Kashmiri red chili powder. 
• Try experimenting with different seasonings, such as onion powder, garlic powder, etc.
• If you have leftovers, heat them and use them as “croutons” on a salad.
• You can use any mixed herbs you prefer, such as French herbs, and you can also swap them for a single herb of your choice. My favorite is basil, so I often make it with dried basil.
• For an extra crunch, you can use bread crumbs for coating. Panko bread crumbs are a good option because they add a lot of crispness. However, you need to dip the zucchini sticks in a lightly beaten egg before coating them in panko. Do so after you coat the veggies with salt, spices, and herbs. 

What Can We Serve With Air-Fried Zucchini?

These delicious parmesan zucchini fries can be served as a side dish, appetizer, or snack. They’re tasty with or without a dip!

If you fancy some dipping sauces, you can go for Mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauce, or homemade sauces such as cilantro mint chutney or tomato chili chutney.

Serve these homemade fries alongside a crispy Turkey burger, a meat and lentil burger, or kebabs for a delicious meal.  

Can I Bake These in The Oven?

The zucchini fries can be baked in the oven if you don’t have an air fryer. Follow these steps:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F. Use parchment paper to line a baking sheet. Arrange the zucchini fries on a baking sheet and lightly spray with oil spray.
• Bake the fries for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking process until they are golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork.

Zucchini Chips Instead of Fries

If you prefer, you can make zucchini chips by slicing your zucchini into round discs instead of cutting it into sticks. Make sure they have the same thickness, then follow this recipe’s steps.