Air Fryer Zucchini is an easy and delicious side dish or healthy snack. The zucchini slices are perfectly tender crisp with hardly any oil. And it takes only 15 minutes to make!
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I've been air frying everything lately and so far I haven't found anything that doesn't work well in the air fryer. Zucchini (called courgette in the UK and Australia) is a favorite, and I love making zucchini fritters.
This is not a recipe for air fryer zucchini fries or air fryer zucchini chips. This air fryer zucchini recipe is a simpler one that makes a delicious side dish.
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Why You'll Love It
- Zucchini slices are perfectly tender without bread crumbs and very little oil.
- Air fried zucchini is naturally gluten free, and keto friendly.
- You need only 4 ingredients to make zucchini in the air fryer.
- This zucchini recipe is a perfect side dish to go with almost everything.
- Zucchini is low carb and low in calories, if you are counting those.
- This recipe is another great way to use up all the fresh zucchini if you have a garden, (or a friend with a garden).
Ingredients You'll Need
- Zucchini. Small to medium zucchini work best for this easy zucchini recipe. Zucchini that are too large are not as tender, and the large zucchini slices will also be too large for the air fryer. Look for fresh dark green zucchini.
- Seasoning. You can use any seasoning. I sometimes use just salt, pepper and garlic powder. Italian seasoning is great, too.
- Olive Oil. Just a little! I use extra virgin.
- Lemon Juice. Fresh squeezed is best.
How To Make Air Fryer Zucchini
Full instructions and notes are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Slice off the stem and blossom ends of the zucchini. Slice in half lengthwise and then into ¼ inch chunks.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced zucchini with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice.
- Place the zucchini in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry 15 minutes, shaking the air fryer basket halfway through.
Helpful Tips
- Choose zucchini which aren't overly small or large. A medium zucchini is about eight inches long and weighs about 7 ounces. The squash should have a smooth, dark green skin.
- You can use yellow zucchini, also called golden zucchini, or a mixture of green and yellow. There isn't really any texture or flavor difference between the two summer squash varieties.
- This recipe will yield fork tender zucchini pieces, which will turn slightly golden brown but will not be crispy.
- If you prefer crispy zucchini, slice zucchini into much thinner pieces (⅛") and air fry in batches. Put the slices of zucchini in the air fryer basket in a single layer. The crispy zucchini slices make a great healthy snack or substitute for French fries. Enjoy them with your favorite dipping sauce.
- I have a Gourmia 6 quart air fryer, and all of the zucchini fit in one batch, but depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook in batches.
- Over cooking will result in mushy zucchini. Use a fork to check for doneness a couple of minutes before the cooking time is finished.
Some Common Questions
No need to peel the zucchini. The skin is soft and edible, and contains most of the nutrition.
Zucchini has a lot of water, so the longer it's cooked, the soggier it can become. Air fryer cook times vary, so use the cook time in this recipe as a guideline and be sure to check for doneness before the end of the suggested time.
The larger the squash, the more it can tend to have some bitterness. Stick to medium squash, which have developed their flavor but are less seedy and less prone to bitterness.
Store leftover zucchini in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
To reheat, put the zucchini in the air fryer which has been preheated to 400°. Heat for 4-5 minutes.
Yes you can freeze air fried zucchini. Make sure it is completely cooled, then put the pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer. Put the tray in the freezer for a couple of hours before packing them in a zip lock bag or freezer container. My favorite way to freeze just about everything is vacuum sealing. I have a Food Saver vacuum sealer and freezing food this way avoids freezer burn and lasts much longer in the freezer.
Serving Suggestions
Air fried roasted zucchini is a great side dish for almost any entrée. Some favorites are Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs, Blackened Cod, Air Fryer Meatloaf or Air Fryer Country Style Ribs.
We love it tossed in marinara sauce, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and piled on pasta. It's also delicious cold and tossed in a salad.
More Vegetable Air Fryer Recipes
Air frying vegetables is an easy way to get a healthy side dish on the table quickly. Try these other veggies, too:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!
Recipe
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Air Fryer Zucchini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini 1.5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 lemon juice of
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°
- Trim blossom and stem ends from zucchini and discard
- Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut each half into ¼ inch slices
- In a large bowl, toss the zucchini slices with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice
- Put the seasoned zucchini in the air fryer basket.
- Cook 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Serve right away
Notes
- Choose zucchini which aren't overly small or large. A medium zucchini is about eight inches long and weighs about 7 ounces. The squash should have a smooth, dark green skin.
- You can use yellow zucchini, also called golden zucchini, or a mixture of green and yellow. There isn't really any texture or flavor difference between the two summer squash varieties.
- This recipe will yield fork tender zucchini pieces, which will turn slightly golden brown but will not be crispy.
- If you prefer crispy zucchini, slice zucchini into much thinner pieces (⅛") and air fry in batches. Put the slices of zucchini in the air fryer basket in a single layer. The crispy zucchini slices make a great healthy snack or substitute for French fries. Enjoy them with your favorite dipping sauce.
- I have a Gourmia 6 quart air fryer, and all of the zucchini fit in one batch, but depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook in batches.
- Over cooking will result in mushy zucchini. Use a fork to check for doneness a couple of minutes before the cooking time is finished.
- Store leftover zucchini in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- To reheat, put the zucchini in the air fryer which has been preheated to 400°. Heat for 4-5 minutes.
- To freeze, make sure zucchinni is completely cooled, then put the pieces on a tray in a single layer. Put the tray in the freezer for a couple of hours before packing them in a zip lock bag or freezer container.
Kayla DiMaggio
Loved the ease of this air fryer zucchini. Perfect way to get my veggies!
Colleen
Hi Kayla! It's great to hear that you loved the zucchini in the air fryer. Thanks for your feedback.
Michelle
I can't get enough zucchini in the summer, and this recipe makes it so darn easy and yummy
Colleen
So happy to hear, Michelle! Enjoy!
Tara
Oh yum! Such a wonderful use of the air fryer to use up summertime zucchini. That texture looks amazing and I love how easy it is.
Colleen
Hi Tara. I'm so glad you love it!
Janessa
This recipe is such a great way to cook up abundant zucchini in the summers!
Colleen
It really is, Janessa! Enjoy.
Gloria
It is zucchini season. I love my air fryer. This is the perfect side to so many great dishes. We can never have too many zucchini recipes this time of year.
Colleen
I agree, Gloria. There are never too many ideas for zucchini!
kushigalu
Never tried zucchini on the air fryer. Sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Colleen
I hope you give it a try!