Looking for a delicious and healthy way to cook your zucchini? Try air fryer zucchini fries! They are a great alternative to traditional French fries, and they are so easy to make. In this blog post, we will show you how to make crispy zucchini fries using an air fryer. So fire up your air fryer and let’s get cooking!

air fryer zucchini fries lined up in two layers on bright blue plate

Recipe Snapshot

EASE: A little messy to prepare, but super easy to cook
PROS: Healthier than regular fries 🍟 and tastes better too!
CONS: Getting your hands dirty ✋🏻
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? I will make these often!

overhead of zucchini fries from the air fryer on a blue plate

If you’ve never had air fryer zucchini fries before, you’re in for a treat. They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they are absolutely delicious. Plus, they are a healthy alternative to traditional French fries. So if you’re looking for a healthier way to enjoy your zucchini, look no further than air fryer zucchini fries.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

IT’S CUSTOMIZABLE – If you want them to be a bit more on the salty side, add some extra salt to the bread crumbs or herb and garlic seasoning blend. If you’re looking for something with a little more heat, try using cayenne pepper in your breading mixture. The possibilities are endless!
IT’S HEALTHY – Zucchini has many health benefits and air frying it instead of deep frying it means that you’re cooking with less oil.
IT’S TASTY – These zucchini fries are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a delicious flavor that everyone (even picky eaters who won’t touch a veggie) will love.

zucchini fries lined up in air fryer basket ready to eat

Benefits

Zucchini is a highly nutritious vegetable that has many health benefits.

In fact, it’s one of the lowest calorie vegetables you can eat! It also contains vitamin C and potassium, which are both nutrients that promote good health. One cup of zucchini provides more than your daily recommended amount of vitamin C and potassium.

Zucchini is also a great source of manganese, magnesium and folate. Manganese helps with proper growth and development in children as well as proper functioning in adults, while magnesium aids digestion by pulling water into the digestive tract to help food move through easier. Folate reduces levels of homocysteine – an amino acid linked to heart disease – in the blood stream.

Air fryers are a great way to cook food without using a lot of oil. Did you know that you can use an air fryer to cook zucchini? Cooking it in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to prepare it so that you can eat this delicious treat more often!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Medium Zucchini Squash
An Egg
Potato Chips
Panko Bread Crumbs (regular or gluten-free)
Herb and Garlic Seasoning

Important Ingredient Notes

zucchini squash – When shopping at the grocery store, pick a squash that feels heavy for its size – this is usually indicative of higher quality produce. If it feels light or hollow inside then don’t purchase it because these qualities indicate poor quality. Also, look at the skin. If there are any blemishes on them (such as holes), that’s okay. However, if the skin is to wrinkled then it may be past its prime.

egg – I prefer cage-free eggs because they have a higher nutrient density and are more ethical, but any type of egg will work for this recipe.

potato chips – I used plain kettle chips, but feel free to use any variety you like. Play with the flavors to change up the outcome of your zucchini fries.

panko bread crumbs – choose panko over regular bread crumbs for the best crunchy results. It’s fine to use the gluten-free version.

herb and garlic seasoning – one of my favorite all purpose seasoning blends to keep on hand. I love seasonings that have everything, including the salt, all in one bottle because it makes quick work of so many dishes. Again, feel free to change the seasoning blend you use to change the flavor of the fries.

zucchini squash cut in half with ends removed

How to Make this Recipe

First you’ll want to prepare your zucchini by cutting it in half crosswise and then taking each half and cutting it into 4-6 pieces about the size of a large thick steak fry.
Beat the egg until smooth in a small bowl for easy dipping
Use a food processor or a fork or mallet to crush the chips and breadcrumbs together with the seasoning until you get fine crumbs
This part will be a bit messy but you’ll need to use your hands to dip each piece of zucchini into the egg and then into the chip mixture until well coated
Spray your air fryer basket generously with avocado oil spray and then spray each piece as well as you place it in the basket in a single layer.
Cook at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Cook time will vary depending on thickness of the fries. You’ll want to check it a little past halfway and carefully flip each piece so that it cooks evenly.

breaded zucchini strips in air fryer basket

Tips & Tricks

If you have any leftover chip mixture, feel free to make some extra fries by using it as a coating on other vegetables like eggplant or cauliflower.
Serve your zucchini fries with ketchup, ranch dressing, or my personal favorite – sriracha mayo (mix together equal parts of sriracha sauce and mayonnaise).
If your fries start to look dry or burned but are not fully cooked yet (tender in the centers) then spray them with a little more avocado oil spray.

Common Questions

Does the zucchini need to be peeled for zucchini fries? Nope! You will have better results and the texture will be better if you leave the skin on. And with the breading, you’ll hardly notice it.

Don’t I need to use flour? Nope! Because we are using the air fryer, we can leave out the flour and still get the nice crispy texture we want!

Will these keep as leftovers? Yes they will! Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in fridge. For best results, reheat at 350 degrees F in air fryer for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. You could even meal prep them as a side dish!

Don’t these need parmesan cheese? Many recipes for zucchini fries call for parmesan cheese. I wanted these to have the option to be dairy-free and gluten-free, so I didn’t use any cheese! I instead opted for potato chips for extra flavor and I love the results! Plus it leaves these crispier and even more delicious in my opinion.

Can I use olive oil instead of avocado oil? You could, but I don’t recommend it for this recipe, mostly because of the stronger flavor the olive has.

Zucchini fries make a delicious, healthy, and customizable side dish that the whole family will love. They’re perfect for a game day snack or as an appetizer at your next party. And with just a few simple ingredients, they’re easy to make too!