Crispy, crunchy, and packed with flavor, this Air Fryer Fried Zucchini is the perfect way to turn simple zucchini into a breaded, Parmesan-crusted snack or side dish! Coated in a savory blend of Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and crispy breadcrumbs, these zucchini chips deliver the satisfying crunch of traditional fried zucchini—without all the oil.
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.
This post was originally published in 2019. It has since been updated.
Whether you dip them in marinara, ranch, or enjoy them on their own, they’re an easy and delicious way to add more veggies to your plate. Ready in just minutes, they’re the ultimate guilt-free indulgence.
Deep-fried zucchini chips are awesome! But they are loaded with a ton of unhealthy fat. The air fryer can help solve that problem.
What can we cook in the air fryer? Just about anything! Be sure to pair these chips with Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Crispy Fried Chicken, Air Fryer Steak, Air Fryer Salmon, or Air Fryer Chicken Breasts.
Key Ingredients
These are easy to make with simple, everyday ingredients.
- Zucchini – The star of the dish! Zucchini has a mild flavor and a tender yet sturdy texture, making it perfect for air frying. It crisps up beautifully while staying soft inside, giving the perfect contrast of textures.
- Flour – Acts as the base layer for breading, helping the egg stick to the zucchini. It also creates a light coating that contributes to the crispy outer texture.
- Eggs – Serve as the “glue” that binds the breadcrumbs to the zucchini, ensuring an even, crunchy coating. They also add a bit of richness to the breading.
- Breadcrumbs – The key to that crispy, golden crunch! Regular or panko breadcrumbs create a light, crispy texture that mimics deep frying while staying light and airy in the air fryer.
- Italian Seasoning – A flavorful blend of herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme that enhances the zucchini with a classic Italian-inspired taste. It pairs perfectly with Parmesan and gives the coating a delicious, aromatic flavor.
- Smoked Paprika – Adds a subtle smoky depth and a pop of color to the breading. It enhances the overall flavor profile with a mild warmth that complements the crispiness.
What is an Air Fryer and How Does it Work?
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance, a lot of people compare it to a convection oven. It circulates hot air in a tight space, which helps crisp food.
You only need a small amount of oil with air frying, compared to the large amounts required for deep frying.
Air frying cuts up to 80% of the fat of traditional frying, making it a much healthier alternative. Most deep-fried recipes require 2 to 3 cups of oil. With the air fryer, you need only a tablespoon. Because air-fried meals are so much lighter, you will feel less bogged down after eating them.
How to Make Fried Zucchini in the Air Fryer
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Add eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs to separate bowls.
- Slice the zucchini about ¼ of an inch thick.
- Season the flour.
- Dip the zucchini in flour, then egg, and then the cheese and breadcrumbs and place in the air fryer.
- Air Fry.
Cook Time/How Long to Cook
The zucchini chips will brown around 8 minutes. For crunchy chips you may require 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Air Fryer Temperature
I fry the zucchini chips on 400 degrees.
How to Keep the Breading Intact From Falling Off the Zucchini
- Pat the Zucchini Dry – Moisture is the enemy of crispy breading!
- Follow the classic flour → egg → breadcrumb method noted in the recipe to create a strong coating: Flour helps the egg stick. Egg binds the breadcrumbs to the zucchini. Breadcrumbs create the crispy outer layer.
- Don’t Skip the Oil Spray – A light mist of oil on the breaded zucchini helps the coating crisp up and adhere better. Avoid drenching them in oil, as too much can cause sogginess.
- Flip Carefully – If flipping the zucchini halfway through cooking, use tongs or a spatula to gently turn them without scraping off the breading.
Soggy Zucchini Chips
No one likes soggy chips. Follow these tips to ensure the perfect texture:
- Slice Evenly – Cut zucchini into ¼-inch thick rounds for the perfect balance of crispiness and tenderness. Thicker slices may stay too soft, while thinner ones can burn.
- Remove Excess Moisture – Zucchini holds a lot of water! After slicing, sprinkle with salt and let sit for 10-15 minutes to draw out moisture. Then, pat dry with a paper towel before breading or air frying.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Air Fryer Basket – Arrange zucchini chips in a single layer with space between them. Overlapping leads to steaming instead of crisping. Cook in batches if needed.
- Use a Light Oil Spray – A light mist of olive oil or avocado oil on the chips before air frying helps them crisp up without making them greasy. Avoid over-oiling, which can make them soggy.
- Serve Immediately – These are best enjoyed fresh out of the air fryer. Letting them sit too long can cause them to lose crispiness due to their natural moisture content.
How to Store
Store in the refrigerator (tightly covered and sealed) for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat
Air Fryer: Reheat at 375 degrees for 3-5 minutes until crispy.
Oven: Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes.
Avoid the Microwave: It will make the zucchini soft and soggy.
Freezer Tips
You can prep and bread the zucchini and freeze it for later (prior to air frying). You can air fry the frozen zucchini following the same temperature noted and until crisp.
You can also freeze fully cooked zucchini chips for up to 2 months.
More Air Fryer Appetizer Recipes
Air Fryer French Fries
Air Fryer Onion Rings
Air Fryer Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Air Fryer Fried Pickles
Air Fryer Ravioli
Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
Air Fryer Roasted Asparagus
Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli
Air Fryer Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Air Fryer Loaded Baked Potatoes
Air Fryer Loaded Sweet Potatoes
Air Fryer Butternut Squash
Check out The Best Way to Pick Zucchini here.
Be sure to dip the zucchini in my homemade Keto Low-Carb Ranch Dressing. If you love your air fryer, check out a full list of Air Fryer Recipes here.
Air Fryer Fried Zucchini (Breaded)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs Beaten
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½-2 cups breadcrumbs I used panko breadcrumbs.
- ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large zucchini Mine weighed 1.5 pounds.
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika or your favorite seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
- Add eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs with Parmesan to separate bowls.
- Slice the zucchini into chips about ¼ of an inch thick. You can also use a mandolin for precise slicing. You want to get the zucchini chips all about the same size so that they cook at an even temperature.
- Season the flour with salt and pepper to taste, paprika, and Italian Seasoning.
- Dip the zucchini in the seasoned flour, then egg, and then the cheese breadcrumbs mixture, and place in the air fryer. Make sure to coat the chip fully in the eggs so that the breadcrumbs will stick.Keep a moist towel nearby because your hands will get sticky.
- Spray the zucchini chips with cooking oil spray using a spray bottle.
- Air Fry for 5 minutes on 400 degrees.
- Open and flip the chips. Spray with additional oil and cook for an additional 4-7 minutes on 400 degrees. The zucchini chips will brown by 8 minutes, if you like them crispy, cook them a little longer. Mine were ready around 10-11 minutes.
Lee Ann Guynn says
Brandi, I made these over the weekend and they were so delicious! Thank you for this keeper of a recipe!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! So glad you enjoyed it.
Lori Christenson says
I am certainly impressed with your website! Love that you give so many tips for us Keto followers to adapt your recipes. Am giving an air fryer to my daughter for Christmas and after using your website, will add your cookbook to the gift! Thank you Brandi!
staysnatched says
That will make a wonderful gift! I'm glad you enjoy the site!
Gay Springfield says
I am not following the Keto Diet but as a diabetic, I am minimizing carb intake. Additionally, I am trying to lose weight, so the air fryer is a huge help in many recipes as it allows me the pleasure of fried foods without all the carbs and fat. Thank you for your recipes and tips.
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Jamie says
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂
staysnatched says
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Brooke says
Made these last night-Keto version. I salted the zucchini for 30 minutes prior to breading to remove excess water as mentioned in the post and wow there was a lot of liquid! Very glad I did this step. I thought they were very good-next time I will grind the pork rinds a little finer next time but it’s the closest thing I’ve had to real fried zucchini in almost 3 years! Great recipe for successful keto breading-and versatile since you can simply change the spices to suit your mood.
Thanks for another keeper!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! And I'm glad the zucchini trick worked!
William says
Consider how lots of people you feed regularly, and make certain that the air fryer can handle cooking enough food for the amount of people in one batch so that you can all eat at the exact same moment.
staysnatched says
The air fryer can do everything! Air fryer veggies are the best.
Beth says
Made these tonight as a side dish for burgers and they were delicious!! I used a mandolin to do the slicing, so that went super quick. I used a yellow squash and a quartered pattypan squash from my CSA. I’ve made air fryer zucchini before using other recipes but the breading didn’t stick well or came out to eggy. Not a problem here!! Will definitely make these again. Thanks for an awesome recipe 🙂
staysnatched says
So glad this method worked out for you!
Karri says
These were so good that my teens asked for seconds! My only regret is not having a larger air fryer
staysnatched says
I love when I can satisfy the kids!
Roe says
Can I do frozen breaded zucchini in the air fryer?
staysnatched says
Yup! Use the same temperature and then monitor them.
Izzy K says
I just made these for my family as an alternative to French fries with steak dinner and they went crazy for them! Used 3 whole zucchini’s and they are all already gone! This is totally going to become a new staple way to make zucchini in my house!
staysnatched says
I love to hear a new staple!
Tyla says
Tried these last week and they were so easy to make and tasty! Thank God for Brandi and this website for throwing down new and tasty recipes!
staysnatched says
haha! Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed them.
Jamie says
I loved this recipe! The zucchini chips came out so crunchy and delicious. The only confusion I had was that in the recipe instructions, it says to "season the flour with salt and pepper to taste, and paprika and add shredded parmesan" so I added the parmesan to the flour instead of the breadcrumbs like the video showed. I would just maybe clarify that in the instructions because I could barely taste the parmesan since I was confused by that. Other than that, they turned out great! Will definitely try them again with the parmesan added to the breadcrumbs instead. Thank you for the recipe!
staysnatched says
Interesting, I do it both ways and taste no difference. Thanks for sharing!
Kristen B says
My husband doesn't like zucchini much, but has requested these again! They are so crunchy and tasty. This recipe will be in our regular rotation, from now on. Thank you for the recipe, Brandi!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Jessica says
This is the only not way I can get my son to eat zucchini, he loves it and so do I!
staysnatched says
I love that it's kid friendly!
Kristin Walker-Smith says
Quick, simple, healthy alternative to chips or other deep fried veggies.
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed these!
Stephanie says
Hello, my Parmesan did not stick to the zucchini. Suggestions?
staysnatched says
Use real parmesan, finely grated, and not processed cheese. Make sure your eggs are fully beaten.
Scott Whall says
Wow - first of all, loving this site and ALL the great Air Fryer Recipes!!! As for this one, tried it last night...these didn't even need dipping sauce. They went so fast!
As an aside, we did alter a little - I sliced an eggplant to go with the zucchini. Had to alter the number of eggs for the dipping (4), and the panko (we only had two cups), but in a surprising twist, after using all of the Panko flakes, I used grated Parm cheese as the final coat...it was like taking parm crisps and attaching to the veggies. SO GOOD!!!!!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Lisa Miller says
I made these last night and they were delicious. The only problem was that my finely shredded parmesan cheese didn't stick to the zucchini, it just sat in the bowl of flour and was pretty much wasted. I think next time I may try a little bit of grated parm cheese instead, that way it will mix through and stick to the zucchini. Other than that, it was definitely a winner and I will be making them again!
staysnatched says
Glad to hear you will make them again.
Felicia says
These are so good! Very easy to make. I had my daughter help me, she’s 4. I used the chili lime salt and all I can say is they were so good I made a second batch so I could have leftovers for lunch. Thank you for another great veggie recipe!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Anonymous says
I just made the Air Fried Zucchini. It was a lot of breading and crunch. I enjoyed it so much I did not realized I ate a whole zucchini by myself. So good but so addicting. Awesome recipe. Will make again but next time when someone else is around!
Debora D says
I just made the Air Fried Zucchini. It was a lot of breading and crunch. I enjoyed it so much I did not realized I ate a whole zucchini by myself. So good but so addicting. Awesome recipe. Will make again but next time when someone else is around!
Debora D says
I just made the Air Fried Zucchini. It was a lot of breading and crunch. I enjoyed it so much I did not realized I ate a whole zucchini by myself. So good but so addicting. Awesome recipe. Will make again but next time when someone else is around!
staysnatched says
haha! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Arizona Grandma says
These were delicious! I only used one sliced zuchinni, it was part of my lunch. The only thing I did different and it turned out less messy is use 2 eggs beaten with a fork really good then adding 2 tbsp flour to the eggs, then beat some more. It's better if you use a small deeper bowl. Then I added the sliced zuchinni and made sure all the slices were coated well with the egg mixture using a spoon. At that point I took them out one at a time and put them in the bread crumbs pressing hard to stick. It worked better than dipping in flour first, then egg, then bread crumbs AND less messy!
Tim says
I made these for the second time tonight and they were perfect. The first time I tried them the taste was good but they were not as crisp as I like. So this time I left out the flour and just added the seasoning to plain bread crumbs and they were awesome. I will definitely makes these a lot and I think the next time I will try the chili lime seasoning or maybe chili lime flavored pork rinds.
staysnatched says
Awesome!
Jay Haley says
Going to try. Looks good. I’m going to try them.
staysnatched says
I hope you try them.
Robert says
Tried this recipe tonight and they turned out great, thank you for sharing it.
I was a bit confused about step 4 saying to add shredded parmesan to the flour, I thought it went with the breadcrumbs, so that's where I put the cheese.
There's no mention of where to put the Italian seasoning, maybe step 4 was supposed to mention Italian seasoning instead of parmesan?
staysnatched says
Yes, that's correct.
Jeni says
These were delicious with our favorite dipping sauce. Thank you.
staysnatched says
Awesome!
Shari says
I have always put a coating on my zucchini and pan fried it. This recipe is BY FAR THE BEST! I will never pan fry again. The only thing I may change next time is switch the eggs for milk. Only reason being is the price of eggs have skyrocketed
staysnatched says
I'm glad you loved them!