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This perfectly crisp-tender Air Fryer Zucchini with Parmesan is ready in 20 minutes! An easy air fryer recipe for beginners and aficionados alike. You’re going to love making this delicious roasted zucchini as a quick and healthy gluten free side dish!
Tender-Crisp Air Fryer Zucchini With Parmesan
One of my favorite ways to enjoy summer squash is this recipe for perfectly crisp yet tender air fried zucchini. The outsides are roasted and golden, the insides are tender, and the flavors are incredible thanks to a generous coating of simple seasoning and fresh parmesan.
This recipe for bite-sized roasted zucchini makes the perfect vegetable side dish, or party appetizer when dipped in homemade sauces! You can dress it up or down, and it never disappoints. Plus, it couldn’t be easier to make in the air fryer. A summer dish after my own heart!
What You’ll Need
You only need zucchini, plus some oil and seasoning for this super easy air fryer recipe. Here’s an overview of the ingredients, with the full amounts available in the recipe card below:
- Zucchini: You’ll need 2 to 4 medium sized, fresh zucchini for this recipe. Also called courgette, or green summer dquash, it’s readily available in the produce section of most grocery stores. You don’t need to peel the zucchini, just chop it up into bite-sized chunks for roasting.
- Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil when air frying my veggies. However, you can use avocado oil or refined (unflavored) coconut oil for this recipe, too.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan is best. I love how the cheese gets all toasted and crispy in the air fryer!
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Air Fryer Zucchini
Here’s how to make this delicious air fryer zucchini in three easy steps:
Prep the Zucchini: While your air fryer is preheating, wash and dry the zucchini. Next, use a knife to trim off the ends and halve the zucchini lengthwise. Cut the halves into half-inch chunks.
Season: Add the zucchini into a bowl with olive oil, parmesan, and seasoning, then toss to coat.
Cook: Pop the zucchini chunks into the air fryer to cook. After 5 minutes, give them a toss and then roast for another 5-10 minutes, or until the zucchini is golden and crispy, and tender in the middle. Take them out of the air fryer, and serve! See below for easy serving ideas.
Tips for Success
Some tips for the best air fried zucchini (and how to avoid soggy zucchini bites!):
- Leave Enough Space: As with most air frying recipes, the trick to crispy outsides and perfectly cooked insides is leaving enough space between the food for the hot air to circulate. This air fryer zucchini comes out best when it’s cooked in a single layer, so work in batches if needed to achieve tender-crisp perfection.
- Cut the Right Size: Aim for uniform chunks that are a ½-inch to ¾-inch thick when cutting up your zucchini. Slices that are too thin or small will overcook quickly, and different sized pieces will cook unevenly.
- Toss Halfway Through: Make sure to give the air fryer basket a shake every so often while the zucchini bites are cooking, to get them nice and crispy on all sides.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
Store any leftover zucchini airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat zucchini in the air fryer or oven, at 400ºF for a few minutes until it’s crisped up and warmed through.
Can I Freeze Air-Fried Zucchini?
Due to zucchini’s high water content, I wouldn’t recommend freezing, as it becomes mushy when it thaws. Frozen air fryer zucchini also doesn’t reheat well. Instead, use up cold leftover zucchini as a healthy addition to salads!
Variation Ideas
When it comes to a vegetable recipe as simple as this one, the door is wide open for customization! Here are some ways that you can adapt the flavors of your air fryer zucchini:
- Use Different Seasoning Blends: Instead of Italian seasoning, try tossing your zucchini in other pre-mixed blends like Herbes de Provence, Cajun seasoning, or Homemade Blackened Seasoning.
- Add Herbs and Spices: Add in paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red peppers, or fresh chopped herbs such as dill, basil, thyme, and rosemary.
- Add Lemon: Before serving, garnish air fryer zucchini with a squeeze of fresh lemon, or sprinkle of zest.
- Drizzle with Balsamic: Add balsamic vinegar into the oil and seasoning, or drizzle the finished zucchini with a bit of vinegar for extra flavor.
- Teriyaki-Style: Coat your zucchini with store bought or homemade Teriyaki Sauce for an Asian-inspired twist.
Make It a Meal
These air fryer zucchini bites are perfect as a side dish at family dinner, or even as a healthy appetizer on game day. They’re low carb, nutritious, and super versatile! Here are some ways to serve this tasty roasted zucchini:
- Make it a simple family-friendly meal with Gluten-Free Air Fryer Fried Chicken, Homemade Air Fryer French Fries and a side of healthy air fryer zucchini. Or try these crisp zucchini bites as an alternative to fries next to Air Fryer Hamburgers.
- It’s wonderful with pasta dishes like Penne with Tomato Cream Sauce or some spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce.
- Serve them warm as a veggie side next to French Onion Stuffed Meatballs, Instant Pot Ribs, or Balsamic BBQ Baked Chicken Breasts when entertaining.
- These make an excellent side dish during grilling season! Serve zucchini alongside Grilled NY Strip Steaks or Easy Greek Chicken Souvlaki.
- Enjoy air fried zucchini with other easy side dish ideas like Easy Three Bean Salad, Perfectly Oven-Roasted Asparagus, and Hasselback Sweet Potatoes.
- Air fryer zucchini with parmesan is perfect for dipping! Try these bites dunked in Marinara Sauce, Easy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce, or Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Hummus.
I use the Cosori XL 5.8 Qt air fryer. It has a nice, large and deep basket. It’s big enough that you can easily fit enough vegetables to feed the family. This has a regular spot on my countertop because I use it several times a week.
More Healthy Vegetable Sides to Make in the Air Fryer
- Roasted Air Fryer Roasted Carrots
- Air Fryer Green Beans with Lemon and Almonds
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Parmesan-Crusted Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
Air Fryer Zucchini with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2-4 medium zucchini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Wash and dry the zucchini. Slice off the ends and cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. If they are thicker, then slice them into quarters lengthwise. Then slice them into chunks about ½- to ¾-inches.
- Add the zucchini to a large bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the zucchini, then sprinkle the parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper over it. Toss everything together to coat the zucchini chunks.
- Cook in the air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes. Open the air fryer and toss everything gently. Cook at 400°F for another 5-10 minutes, checking and tossing after 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is golden-brown, crispy outside, and tender inside.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve.
Did you make this?
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