Fried Zucchini in an Air Fryer

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword air-fryer-zucchini-fries, fried-zucchini-air-fryer

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings (may vary)

Calories 254kcal

Ingredients

3-4 large zucchini
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 cup Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
oil spritzer or cooking spray

Instructions

Thoroughly clean zucchini. Slice off rounded ends. Slice zucchini through the middle lengthwise into two equal halves.
Lay zucchini on the cutting board, flat side down, slicing into 1/3-1/2 inch slices. Next, cut long strips into 3-4-inch sticks or "fries." (Keep them uniform in length, this can vary slightly depending on the length of the zucchini). Use paper towels to pat dry removing any excess moisture.
Assemble 3 Shallow Bowls:
1st Bowl - Whisk together flour, seasoned salt, granulated garlic, onion powder and black pepper.
2nd Bowl - Beat together milk and egg.
3rd Bowl - Whisk together breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
Dip each zucchini stick into flour mixture, milk and egg wash and breadcrumb mixture. Have nearby a sheet pan lined with wax paper, placing the coated zucchini on the pan.
Spray the basket of the air fryer with an oil mister or liberally with cooking spray. Arrange zucchini in the basket in a single layer leaving space between for air to circulate. Spray liberally with an oil mister or cooking spray.
Cook zucchini fries in batches at 400℉ for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, and spraying with additional oil or cooking spray. Fry until crispy and golden brown. Keep warm on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper in a 200°F oven repeating the process until all of the zucchini is fried. (Don't stack)
Serve immediately with ketchup, ranch dressing, pizza sauce, marinara sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Oven Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a sheet pan fitted with an oven safe rack liberally with cooking spray.
Prepare the zucchini per the recipe. Arrange side by side on the rack. Spray the zucchini with cooking spray or drizzle with melted butter.
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes OR until golden and crispy.
Allow to cool on the rack for a 2-3 minutes then carefully remove to a serving platter and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

- Zucchini - this recipe was tested with large zucchini. If you have medium-size or smaller zucchinis then the amount needed will differ. You should end up with about 50-60 zucchini strips that are about 3-4 inches long and about 1/3-1/2-inch thick after cutting.

- Squash - You could adapt this air fryer zucchini recipe using yellow squash.

- Whole Milk - Whole milk works best. You could also use buttermilk, almond milk or soy milk. Most types of milk should work well in this recipe.

- Breadcrumbs - Regular Italian bread crumbs are used in this recipe. Plain breadcrumbs can be used instead, adding ½-1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning, if you want the Italian flavor. You can also use panko bread crumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs.

- Air Fryer Zucchini Chips - You can slice narrow zucchini into 1/2-inch slices to make zucchini "chips". The process is the same, but the cooking time may need to be adjusted.

- How to Make Sure the Zucchini Isn't Soggy - Pat dry the zucchini strips with paper towels to remove excess moisture prior to coating in the seasoned flour will help prevent this from happening. Also, make a special effort to completely coat during each step.

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