Air Fryer Zucchini are easy to make, savory, crispy, and delicious! They're also vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, and keto.

This recipe was originally published on July 22, 2020. It was fully updated with a new recipe and recipe information on August 22, 2022.

These days, my air fryer has become such a staple in my kitchen that I'm surprised when something doesn't turn out well in it.

Let's be real, the times are few and far between. I have yet to have a positive experience with air fryer hash browns and let's not even talk about the time I tried 4 or 5 different ways to make homemade air fryer mozzarella sticks in it.

But otherwise? Almost everything works in there: spring rolls, frozen french fries, potato skins, chicken bites, salmon, and more.

As much as I love all of the options, one of my favorite recipes (by far) to make is air fryer zucchini! Since the vegetable has such a mild flavor, it is so versatile and can be air fried with almost any combination of seasonings (see below to see my recommended variations). The higher water content and delicate flesh of the veggie allows it to crisp up nicely under high heat.

Save this air fryer zucchini recipe for later on Pinterest:

And, oh, the fresh sweetness of this favorite veggie! Its nutty sweet notes shine in this dish-- making it balance and delicious but also a great accompaniment to almost any meal.

Though many other air fryer zucchini recipes are made with a breading or cheese topping, these air fryer zucchini chips are still made with no breading for a few reasons:

1. Thanks to the garlic seasoning blend, the zucchini doesn't need any bread crumbs or cheese to be flavorful.
2. I wanted to create a recipe that my gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and keto friends could also enjoy. Being someone who recently had to switch to a lactose-free diet, I know how hard it can be to find delicious food that fits our dietary needs, so I wanted to do my part to make life more tasty for everybody!

Why you'll love these air fryer zucchini chunks:

• Hot and crisp. These are the kind of veggies that feel like a treat. No, seriously! The zucchini chips come out of the air fryer so hot, crisp, and flavorful that they feel indulgent and special... and like I could stand there and just mow all of the zucchini right out of the pot!
• Fresh. Is it just me or is zucchini a symbol of summer produce abundance? Highlight this fresh produce with the perfect blend of light seasonings to enhance the veggies without weighing them down.
• Year-round. Even though this recipe helps use up the extra loads of summer zucchini, its delicious any time of year that you have the deep green squash on hand.
• Versatile. Serve this air fried zucchini side dish alongside anything from a burger or brat to pasta bolognese and garlic bread! See additional serving suggestions below!

Recipe ingredients:

• Zucchini - the fresher the better for this recipe! Choose zucchini that are small-to-medium in size (larger zucchini aren't as sweet and can be more spongy), have a smooth skin, and a dark green color.
• Olive oil - choose extra virgin olive oil if you can. Avocado oil also works in a pinch.
• Salt - brings out all the flavor in the air fried zucchini chips and also helps express some of the moisture from the veggie. Choose sea salt if possible.
• Lemon juice - don't worry if you aren't into lemon; the citrus juice functions to highlight the seasonings and sweetness of the zucchini without being overly lemony-flavored.
• Garlic seasoning mix - a simple homemade seasoning blend made with common pantry staples of dried parsley, garlic powder, onion power, and smoked paprika is flavorful but doesn't over power the fresh and sweet zucchini flavor. See below for other seasoning variations and options.

Want more air frying recipes? Check out my air fryer salmon bites, air fryer chicken bites, air fryer garlic bread, air fryer egg rolls, and more!

Recipe and zucchini seasoning variations:

Squash. Have extra yellow or summer squash on hand? You can easily make air fry summer squash or air fryer zucchini and yellow squash! Simply substitute any amount of the zucchini for similar size pieces of yellow or summer squash and follow the recipe directions as listed. Delicious!

Seasonings. Though the all-purpose garlic seasoning blend is a hit in our house, the neutral flavor of zucchini makes it the perfect canvas (if you will) for almost any seasoning blends. A few of our other favorite zucchini spice combinations:

• Italian seasoning: just ¾ teaspoons of bottled Italian seasoning blend will add an extra savory flair to these zucchini and make it a perfect accompaniment to almost any Italian main dish. Replace the lemon juice with balsamic vinegar. Optional: sprinkle the zucchini with grated or shredded parmesan before serving.

• Greek seasoning: sprinkle the zucchini with ½ teaspoon dried oregano + ¼ teaspoon dried thyme + ½ teaspoon garlic powder before air frying the zucchini. Toss the zucchini with red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice before serving. Optional: sprinkle the zucchini with crumbled feta.

• Herbes de Provence: add a French flair to this air fryer zucchini with no breading by tossing the zucchini with ¾ teaspoon herbes de Provence seasoning blend before air frying. Toss the zucchini with white wine vinegar instead of lemon juice before serving.

• Spicy Italian Seasoning: add a bit of heat to classic Italian flavors by seasoning the zucchini with ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend + ¼ teaspoon garlic powder + ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes before air frying. Replace the lemon juice with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the zucchini with parmesan cheese before serving, if desired!

How to cook zucchini in the air fryer:

Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the ingredient measurements and the complete directions.

• With the air fryer basket installed, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes.
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, toss together the zucchini slices, olive oil, salt, parsley garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika until combined.

• Add half of the zucchini to the preheated air fryer. Air fry the zucchini chips 9-11 minutes, tossing the zucchini every 3 minutes, or until the zucchini is golden brown and crisp.

• Squeeze the lemon juice over the zucchini and gently toss until combined. Serve piping hot!

Air fried zucchini recipe pro-tips:

• Cut the vegetables in uniform size so they cook evenly. I recommend ½-inch think half moons of zucchini; or cutting the zucchini length wise and then crosswise into ½-inch thick pieces.
• Preheat the air fryer for 2-3 minutes before adding the vegetables. This helps the zucchini slices cook evenly and crisp up quickly!
• Don't overcrowd the basket. Thought it may be tempting to add all the zucchini to the air fryer basket at once, you will want to restrain yourself. Overcrowding the air fryer basket results in soggy and wet zucchini. For the best results, cook the zucchini in two batches.
• Keep air fried zucchini warm in an oven preheated to 200 degrees while the second batch of zucchini chips air fry.
• Toss the veggies throughout the cooking time. This also helps the vegetables to cook evenly, as it ensures that all of the veggies get equal exposure to the hot air circulating within the air fryer.

How to double the recipe:

To double this recipe, simply double all of the ingredients and follow the recipe directions as listed, air frying the zucchini in 4 separate batches (to keep them from overcrowding in the air fryer and getting soggy).

Keep the air fried batches warm in the preheated oven as directed on the recipe card.

Air fryer roasted zucchini serving suggestions:

Chicken. Round out any weeknight chicken dinner with this air fryer fried zucchini. Serve it with grilled chicken thighs, crispy panko chicken breasts, or Instant Pot BBQ chicken sandwiches.

Turkey. This zucchini is fantastic with turkey sloppy joes. We also love it with my popular turkey and sweet potato skillet.

Fish. These crispy veggies are the perfect companion to everything from shrimp scampi, spicy brown sugar rubbed salmon, or seared scallops.

Beef. Since this zucchini in the air fryer is so versatile, it goes perfectly with almost any beef recipe: burgers, roast beef, grilled steaks, and more.

Vegetables. Add some green to any vegetarian or vegan meal with these zucchini chips. They are delicious with stuffed baked potatoes, veggie burgers, or even vegan shepherd's pie.

Pasta. These veggies are a match made in heaven with Italian flavors (especially if you use the Italian seasoning blends!). Serve these air fry zucchini slices with spaghetti and meatballs, no boil pasta bake, or turkey bolognese.

How do you keep air fryer zucchini from getting soggy?

If your air fryer zucchini is too soggy, here are some things to troubleshoot:

Shake the zucchini throughout the cooking time. If you haven't already, shake the zucchini every 3 minutes throughout the cooking time. This will allow the zucchini to shake off extra moisture and for the zucchini to get equal contact with the hot air in the air fryer.

Don't overcrowd the air fryer. That is, cook this zucchini in two separate batches. As I learned in the older variation of this recipe, where we cooked all 6-7 cups of zucchini together, the zucchini can get more soggy when there isn't sufficient air flow around the zucchini as it air fries.

Storage and reheating directions:

Refrigeration: leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Reheating: For best results, reheat them in an air fryer preheated to 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. The zucchini can also be reheated in the microwave at 30 second intervals, or until heated through.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing leftover air fried zucchini, as the zucchini will get mushy and soggy in the freezing and defrosting process.

Tools needed to make fried zucchini in the air fryer:

• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons
• Silicone spatula
• Air fryer: I have and love both the Ninja Foodi Tendercrisp and the Instant Pot Duocrisp

More air fryer vegetable recipes:

• Air Fryer Vegetables
• Air Fryer Green Beans {+ Video!}
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Air Fryer Kale Chips
• Air Fryer Smashed Parmesan Potatoes
• Air Fryer Butternut Squash

More zucchini recipes:

• Zucchini Lasagna
• Gluten-free Zucchini Bread
• Sauteed Zucchini & Yellow Squash with Herbed Parmesan Cheese
• Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies

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