Fresh and flavorful air fryer veggies: a simple, yet delicious 30-minute recipe perfect for any night of the week!
Article Summary:
In this article we will be making air fryer vegetables. This side dish is easy to make, fresh, flavorful, and easy to make. Read on to learn how to make the recipe, read recipe pro-tips, and more.
Table of contents
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If you like roasted vegetables, you are in for a treat with these roasted vegetables in the air fryer!
Crisp, yet tender and fresh yet caramelized, these veggies are everything you like about roasted veggies without needing to heat up the oven!
That's right-- you can make this side dish during the heat of the summer and your kitchen temperature will be no worse for the wear for it!
This recipe is made in just a few easy steps. First we roast the carrots and onions together -- they need a bit more roasting time for the heat to penetrate the carrots' dense flesh and to caramelize the onions. Next, we add in the rest of the vegetables and roast until the veggies have reached air fryer perfection.
Before serving, we toss the veggies with balsamic vinegar and shredded parmesan cheese. The result: a dimensional and delicious vegetable side dish that's so tasty the flavor belies how nutritious it is for you.
A quick note: I made this recipe with carrots, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, and sweet peppers but you can also switch up the vegetables to your liking. See my notes below for your options!
These air fryer roasted vegetables are…
- Caramelized
- Crisp
- Cheesy
- Versatile
These veggies are as good for a quick weeknight dinner side as they are for a dinner party with friends!
Ingredients:
- Carrots - baby or full-sized carrots both work
- Zucchini and/or yellow squash - use all zucchini, all yellow squash, or a combination of both
- Onions
- Sweet pepper - red, yellow, or orange are all great. Green peppers also work but won't be as sweet.
- Olive oil
- Dried Italian seasoning blend
- Balsamic vinegar
- Shredded parmesan cheese
- Salt
Substitutions:
- Veggies: you can substitute cubed sweet potato, red onions, or parsnip for the same amount of the carrots and onions. The same amount of broccoli florets, cut up green beans, cubed cabbage, and sliced mushrooms can substitute for the zucchini, squash, and sweet peppers.
- Parmesan cheese: grated parmesan cheese, vegan parmesan cheese, or a shaved hard cheese blend will all work great in place of the shredded parmesan.
More seasoning and cheese blends:
Make this dish your own by substituting any of the following seasoning blends, vinegars, and cheeses for the Italian seasoning blend, balsamic vinegar, and parmesan cheese
- Tex Mex: 1 ½ teaspoons taco seasoning, ½ squeezed lime, and ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese
- Greek: ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar, and ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Teriyaki: ½ teaspoon ginger powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅓ cup bottled teriyaki sauce (no cheese)
How to make roasted vegetables in the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
- Toss the carrots, onion, and part of the oil, and half of the salt and seasonings together in a large mixing bowl until combined.
- Air fry the carrots and onions until the onions are just starting to turn translucent.
- While the veggies cook, toss the zucchini, squash, and peppers together in the remaining oil, salt, and Italian seasoning, until combined.
- Add the zucchini and veggies to the carrots and onion. Air fry, tossing every 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender and the carrots are cooked through. Reserve the mixing bowl
- Pour the veggies back into the mixing bowl. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the veggies and toss until combined.
- Season the veggies with additional salt to taste. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the veggies and serve hot!
Recipe pro-tips:
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer. This will leave you with undercooked and slimy veggies. No fun! If you want to double the recipe, air fry the veggies in batches and keep them warm in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
- Use the air fryer basket setting. If your air fryer doesn't have a basket, use a tray. The shelf setting won't work well for this recipe, as veggies will fall between the slots if wide enough.
- Shake the vegetables throughout the cooking time. This will help them cook evenly and crisp up the best. The vegetables will crisp up when they are in contact with the hot circulating air so we will want to shake them up enough that the vegetables are evenly exposed to the air.
- If substituting other vegetables, still cook the thicker and more dense veggies (sweet potato, parsnip, etc.) first and then add in the less dense veggies (broccoli, green beans, mushrooms, etc.).
- Save on dishes by using the same mixing bowl for stirring together the different batches of veggies and tossing the roasted veggies with the vinegar and cheese.
Recipe FAQs:
You can cook so many things in the air fryer! I've developed and seen recipes for everything from brussels sprouts and zucchini to cinnamon rolls and pizza. The variety of foods you can cook in an air fryer is truly incredible.
You need to air fry the vegetables in batches for this recipe because the carrots and onions need a longer cooking time than do the other veggies. By frying them in batches, we can cook the carrots and onions fully and not overcook the zucchini and peppers.
Dietary adaptations:
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and processed sugar-free.
To make this recipe dairy-free and vegan, just substitute vegan parmesan cheese for the traditional cheese or omit it all together.
Serving suggestions:
This recipe is warmly received anywhere you would serve roasted veggies. For example, with:
- Grilled chicken
- Roast salmon
- Pumpkin Pasta
- Grilled steak
- Cheese risotto
- Baked panko chicken
- Margherita pizza
- ... and more!
Storage directions:
Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They do not freeze well.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
More air fryer vegetable recipes:
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash
- Air Fryer Broccolini
- Frozen Broccoli in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Portobellos
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Air Fryer Tater Tots
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Smashed Air Fryer Potatoes
More easy vegetable recipes:
- Honey Roasted Rainbow Carrots
- Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
- Moroccan Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Sautéed Zucchini & Yellow Squash
- Blistered Green Beans
Air Fryer Vegetables
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large onion cut into 1-inch wedges
- 2 ½ cups halved baby carrots or ½-inch carrot coins
- 5 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
- 5 cups zucchini and/or yellow squash quartered and cut into ½-inch coins
- 1 large sweet pepper red, yellow, or orange, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Fit the air fryer with the air frying basket or tray. With the tray or basket inside of it, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes
- Toss the carrots, onion, and 2 teaspoons olive oil, and half of the salt and seasonings together in a large mixing bowl until combined.
- Add the carrots and onions to the air fryer basket or tray, reserving the mixing bowl for later. Air fry the veggies for 8-9 minutes, or until the onions are just starting to turn translucent.
- While the veggies cook, toss the zucchini, squash, and peppers together in the remaining oil, salt, and Italian seasoning, until combined.
- Stir the zucchini and veggies into the basket with the carrots and onion, reserving the mixing bowl for later. Air fry for 16-18 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender and the carrots are cooked through.
- Pour the veggies back into the mixing bowl. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the veggies and toss until combined.
- Season the veggies with additional salt to taste. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the veggies and serve hot!
Notes
- Tex Mex: 1 ½ teaspoons taco seasoning, ½ squeezed lime, and ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese
- Greek: ½ teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar, and ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- Teriyaki: ½ teaspoon ginger powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅓ cup bottled teriyaki sauce (no cheese)
