Crispy, flavorful & oh-so-summary, these panko crusted air fryer zucchini fries with Parmesan scream summer vibes like nothing else! Make these no-fuss zucchini fries in your air fryer and thank the little genie after falling for these crispy veggie bites!
I am amazed to see my social media feed flooded with one after another zucchini recipes! Yes I understand it’s summer and this humble summer veggie is currently in abundance.
So let’s take full advantage of it today! There are uncountable ways to make a mouthwatering recipe using zucchini which never fails to surprise me!
You can grate them to make zucchini breads and fritters, you can make zucchini noodles to make low-carb stir fries with a medley of other vegetables!
Or simply bake/air fry the cubes of zucchini with seasoning & spices to add to the side of your favorite summer grills!
What are air fryer zucchini fries?
So what’s my take today with this everyone’s favorite summer vegetable?
A crispy and flavorful plate of parmesan crusted air fryer zucchini fries which are proven crowd-pleaser!
The toppings of these air fryer zucchini fries are Japanese style panko breadcrumbs infused with grated parm that become super crispy when baked or air fried.
And that’s the USP of these zucchini sticks in my humble opinion! Plus the flavor of freshly grated Parmesan adds cherry on top!
There is also a thin coating of egg & flour mixture in my air fryer zucchini fries.
This semi-liquid batter not only acts as a glue for the Parmesan-panko topping but also retains the softness of the veggie while it gets air fried at a high temperature.
These air fryer zucchini fries have definitely won us over with its simple flavorfulness and leveled up our fondness for this healthy green veggie!
Ingredients for air fryer zucchini fries
Zucchini: This summer veggie is all over the internet now! When this humble vegetable meets the creativity of the content creators, possibilities become endless!
But my air fryer zucchini fries is the simplest among all the zucchini recipes that are flooding my YouTube/Insta feed right now!
All you need is a couple of fresh & firm zucchini, cut them into long sticks, remove the seeds roughly and they are ready to go!
Parmesan cheese: This classic Italian cheese adds tons of flavors to your super crispy air fryer zucchini fries! Do not skip this!
I know I am on a calorie deficit diet as I am aiming to shed some extra kilos, but the parmesan cheese in these zucchini fries doesn’t hurt my meal plans as it adds healthy fats!
Plus it not only adds beautiful flavors & aroma but also adds a good amount of protein to your fiber rich dish. Just do not over-do it!
Panko breadcrumbs: The air fryer zucchini fries have to be crispy! That’s where this Japanese style panko breadcrumbs comes in, which is the king of crispiness!
I used to make a lot of crispy fried recipes in my earlier phase of life & blogging using this special breadcrumbs thanks to its super-crispiness.
Now that I do not opt for deep frying cooking methods, panko has become a rare ingredient in my kitchen. So I had to get a new packet of panko as I didn’t want to miss this recipe and you shouldn’t too!
Egg: These zucchini sticks require a liquid coating before crusting them with the panko-parmesan mixture. This liquid is nothing but egg which acts as a glue for the crispy outer coating.
Flour: Just a couple of tablespoons of all-purpose flour is mixed with egg to make the liquid batter for the zucchini fries. Flour helps the egg to stick to the zucchini sticks while retaining the softness of the veggie.
Italian seasoning: This recipe is pretty simple where I wanted the fresh flavors of zucchini to shine through!
And that’s why I only added a dash of Italian seasoning into the liquid batter & called it a day! You don’t need loads of spices here as the zucchini fries taste best when kept simple & basic!
Garlic powder: Use a dash of my favorite aromatic, that is garlic. I used the powdered form for easy mixing.
Extra-virgin olive oil: To ensure you have a crispy coating on top of your air fryer zucchini fries, you will need to pre-prep the panko.
For that you will need a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the breadcrumbs and get them toasted which can be easily done in the microwave!
Plus the flavor combination of extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan is simply mind-blowing!
Salt & pepper: Season your zucchini fries in 2 layers – firstly through the liquid batter made of egg & flour and secondly into the crispy coating of panko & parmesan but very lightly as parm itself is a salty cheese.
How to make air fryer zucchini fries?
Step 1: Wash the zucchinis nicely to remove any dirt from their body. Then cut & discard both the ends.
Step 2: Now cut each zucchini into half lengthwise if your zucchini is not too big/long (in case of large zucchini, cut it into three pieces lengthwise).
Pro tip: Each zucchini stick should be roughly about 4 inches long.
Step 3: Now take one piece of zucchini at a time and cut it into 4 pieces again lengthwise to get 4 zucchini sticks. Then using a spoon, remove the seeds roughly. Set them aside.
Pro tip: Removing seeds will ensure your air fryer zucchini fries come out crispy as seeds release a lot of moisture.
Step 4: Next take the panko in a shallow plate and drizzle the olive oil over them. Give a good mix using a spoon.
Step 5: Microwave the panko for 2 minutes stirring once every 30 seconds. This will turn the panko very crispy.
Step 6: Take the plate out and let the panko cool down a bit. Then add the grated parmesan cheese & a dash of salt to it. Give a very good mix to blend in the cheese evenly within the panko.
Step 7: In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Give a good whisk to make a thick liquidy paste.
Step 8: We will now start the breading process of the zucchini sticks. Take each zucchini stick at a time and dip it into the egg mixture.
Step 9: Lift it up and let any extra to drip off. Then dip it into the panko-parmesan mixture until coated, pressing to adhere on all sides. Repeat the same for all the zucchini pieces.
Step 10: Start preheating your air fryer at 200 C / 400 F setting the timer for 10 minutes. Spray oil over the air fryer basket to prevent the zucchini fries from sticking.
Step 11: Once the air fryer is preheated, arrange the breaded zucchini sticks inside the basket in a single layer keeping gaps around each for even frying.
Pro tip: Do not overcrowd the air fry basket with too many zucchini fries; if needed air fry them in batches.
Step 12: Air fry your panko-parmesan crusted zucchini sticks for 10 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Step 13: While the zucchini is frying, mix Greek yogurt with salt & pepper and give a whisk. This simple seasoned Greek yogurt pairs as a fantastic dip for your crunchy air fryer zucchini fries.
Step 14: Serve the warm & crispy air fryer zucchini fries on a platter with the yogurt dip on the side and enjoy!
More delicious zucchini recipes from Flavor Quotient
- Zucchini - 2
- Grated parmesan cheese - ¾ to 1 cup
- Panko breadcrumbs - 1 & ½ cup
- Eggs - 2
- All-purpose flour - 2 tbsp
- Italian seasoning - 1 tsp
- Garlic powder - 1 tsp
- Extra virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Wash the zucchinis nicely to remove any dirt from their body. Then cut & discard both the ends.
- Now cut each zucchini into half lengthwise if your zucchini is not too big/long (in case of large zucchini, cut it into three pieces lengthwise).
- Now take one piece of zucchini at a time and cut it into 4 pieces again lengthwise to get 4 zucchini sticks. Then using a spoon, remove the seeds roughly.** Set them aside.
- Next take the panko in a shallow plate and drizzle the olive oil over them. Give a good mix using a spoon.
- Microwave the panko for 2 minutes stirring once every 30 seconds. This will turn the panko very crispy.
- Take the plate out and let the panko cool down a bit. Then add the grated parmesan cheese and a dash to it. Give a very good mix to blend in the cheese evenly within the panko.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Give a good whisk to make a thick liquidy paste.
- We will now start the breading process of the zucchini sticks. Take each zucchini stick at a time and dip it into the egg mixture.
- Lift it up and let any extra to drip off. Then dip it into the panko-parmesan mixture until coated, pressing to adhere on all sides. Repeat the same for all the zucchini pieces.
- Start preheating your air fryer at 200 C / 400 F setting the timer for 10 minutes. Spray oil over the air fryer basket to prevent the zucchini fries from sticking.
- Once the air fryer is preheated, arrange the breaded zucchini sticks inside the basket in a single layer keeping gaps around each for even frying.***
- Air fry your panko-parmesan crusted zucchini sticks for 10 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- While the zucchini is frying, mix Greek yogurt with salt & pepper and give a whisk. This simple seasoned Greek yogurt pairs as a fantastic dip for your crunchy air fryer zucchini fries.
- Serve the warm & crispy air fryer zucchini fries on a platter with the yogurt dip on the side and enjoy!
***Pro tip: Do not overcrowd the air fry basket with too many zucchini fries; if needed air fry them in batches.
Recipe adapted from https://ameessavorydish.com/zucchini-fries/
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