Easy side dish! This air fryer zucchini recipe comes together in about 15 minutes. The pieces are coated in a homemade taco seasoning and crispy breadcrumbs. Serve them "as is" or with your favorite dipping sauce.
Air fryer zucchini is one of the best ways to serve up this popular summertime veggie. I used an easy crunchy panko breadcrumbs and homemade taco seasoning in this recipe, but feel free to switch up the seasonings.
My family adore oven baked or air fryer zucchini fries with a bowl of pesto yogurt dip on the side. We serve them up as snacks, sides and appetizers. But this version of zucchini in the air fryer is even easier for a quick side dish!
What's to love about air fryer zucchini recipes
- QUICK & EASY: This easy zucchini side dish recipe takes about 15 minutes to make and uses common spices for extra flavor. Nothing fancy here!
- KID-FRIENDLY: If your kids don't like grilled or sautéed zucchini, try adding some breadcrumbs like in this recipe. Zucchini fries are always a hit with the kids, too. A little crunch goes a long way.
- EASY TO DOUBLE: Double or triple this recipe, and cook the zucchini in batches.
Ingredients
- ZUCCHINI: The recipe calls for ¾ pound of zucchini, which is about one large zucchini. Feel free to double or triple the recipe for additional or larger servings.
- OLIVE OIL: Use either extra-virgin olive oil or light olive oil.
- BREADCRUMBS: Panko breadcrumbs can be found in many well-stocked grocery stores, in Asian markets, health food stores or online. Either regular , gluten-free or whole wheat panko bread crumbs can be used.
- SPICES: Make homemade taco seasoning with chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. This is a similar seasoning to the one I use in Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
How to make zucchini in air fryer
The basic steps are cutting the zucchini, seasoning it and cooking it. Let's talk details…
- CUT THE ZUCCHINI: Cut the zucchini into ¾-inch pieces. The easiest way to do this is to cut the zucchini lengthwise into quarters. Line up the sections and cut into ¾-inch pieces.
- MAKE THE TACO SEASONING: In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the taco seasoning - chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Add some ground pepper too, if you like. Alternatively, use 1 tablespoon of my Homemade Taco Seasoning. Or use the smoked paprika/rosemary blend that I used for Oven Roasted Zucchini.
- COMBINE: In a medium-size bowl, toss the zucchini with olive oil until coated. Add the breadcrumbs and taco spice mixture and toss to coat.
- PREHEAT: Most air fryers come with a Preheat setting. Preheat to 400 degrees F. This should take just a few minutes.
- ARRANGE THE ZUCCHINI: Transfer the spice-coated zucchini pieces to the air fryer basket. Make sure that the pieces are arranged in a single layer. If the basket of the air fryer basket is small or you doubled the recipe, cook the zucchini in batches.
- COOK: Air fry until the pieces are tender when pierced with a fork and the breadcrumbs should be a bit crisp. Take care not to overcook the zucchini! Overcooked = mushy. The cook time is about 6 to 7 minutes, but since all air fryers are a little different, I suggest checking the zucchini at about 5 minutes.
- SERVE: Serve the zucchini immediately. It's best straight from the air fryer. If you like, serve it with your favorite dipping sauce.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sure. To save time, feel free to use store-bought taco seasoning. I like to make homemade taco seasoning because I prefer the taste. Make a large batch to keep on hand, store in an airtight container. The store-bought versions tend to be extra salty. Plus, the bottled seasonings often include fillers. That being said, they're great for convenience.
Yes! Double it or even triple it. This recipe is a great way to use up a bounty of summertime veggies. Since the zucchini needs to be cooked in a single layer in the air fryer so that it doesn't become soggy, cook larger amounts in batches.
Technically yes, but I don't recommend it. Panko breadcrumbs are much crunchier and studier than other breadcrumbs. Avoid use the ground breadcrumbs found in many grocery stores.
Sure! A couple of teaspoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese adds extra flavor. If you want to keep this dish vegan, use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for a cheesy flavor.
Zucchini made in the air fryer is best when served immediately. It cools down quickly and can start to become a bit soggy when left to sit. If this happens, cook it in the air fryer for another couple of minutes, then serve.
Other air fryer recipes
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Air Fryer Zucchini Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ pound zucchini (about 1 large) cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Place the zucchini pieces in a medium-sized bowl. Toss with the olive oil and panko breadcrumbs.
- In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Sprinkle the spice mixture over the zucchini. Toss to coat.
- Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Place the zucchini in the air fryer basket in a single layer. If the basket isn't big enough to fit all of the zucchini in a single layer, cook in 2 batches.
- Cook until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork (but not mushy), 6 to 7 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was first published on May 21, 2022 and updated on May 14, 2024.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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