Is it zucchini season again? As much as I like zucchini bread, I can only make so much of it. So I started figuring out other ways to use up that zucchini in my garden, plus that bagful of the stuff that somebody left on my porch.
The breaded zucchini that I cooked in my air fryer turned out especially well. It’s not that different from making breaded eggplant, and is just as tasty with a nice ranch dip or marinara sauce. This breaded zucchini is quite good as a side dish or a snack. In fact, it can be hard to stop eating it. (C’mon, just one more slice!)
Table of Contents
Why Make Breaded Zucchini?
Breaded zucchini is just one of many ideas for using up zucchini when you accidentally grew way too much of it. (I’ll link to some more recipes in a bit.) This particular recipe works very well as a side dish for an easy meal or as an appetizer when you’re making Italian cuisine for dinner.
The breading for zucchini is easy to customize with your favorite seasonings. Load up on oregano if you’re craving an Italian flavor, add extra garlic, or even add a dash of red pepper flakes if you’re feeling daring. The point is to get the level of flavor you like.
As importantly, they’re quick to make. You can usually have them done in less than half an hour. Just don’t forget to serve them promptly for maximum crispiness!
What You Need to Make Air Fryer Breaded Zucchini
I like to set everything out before I get started with any recipe. That way, I can make sure I have enough of everything. (Unlike some recipes where I might expect to do a lot of mixing, it’s not strictly necessary to bring everything up to room temperature, but getting everything out first is still a habit I have.)
Equipment for Air Fryer Breaded Zucchini
- Air Fryer (I like to use one with a see-through door like this Ninja Double Oven model. That way, I can keep an eye on selections like this breaded zucchini that would be easy to overcook if I’m not careful.)
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Kitchen Knife (I know it can be a pain, but sharp kitchen knives are easier and safer to work with! If your knives are getting dull, an inexpensive knife sharpener can make them nearly as sharp as the day you bought them.)
- Three Mixing Bowls
- Baking Sheet (We just need this to hold the breaded zucchini slices until we’re ready to put them in the air fryer.)
- Cooking Spray
Ingredients for Breaded Zucchini
You only need a few simple ingredients to make tasty breaded zucchini.
- Medium to Large Zucchini
- All-Purpose Flour
- Panko Bread Crumbs
- Grated Parmesan
- Eggs
- Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Optional Seasonings
- Oregano or Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Powder
- Red Pepper Flakes
Key Ingredient Roles
I always like to take a closer look at what each ingredient brings to a recipe. (Yes, I can be a nerd that way.)
Zucchini
1 medium to large zucchini
Naturally, the zucchini is the vegetable we’re going to use for this recipe. I like to wait until the zucchini is a little larger before harvesting it for a recipe like this. Usually, about 30 centimeters long will do.
Be aware that they can get huge if you wait too long to harvest them. The biggest zucchini I’d ever seen was about one meter long, and the person who showed it to me said she’d forgotten it was in her garden. Yes, they can really get that big! The downside is that they tend to be tougher and less edible when they get that size, though.
All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Flour helps give the protein in eggs something to work with when binding the rest of the breading to the zucchini. It also helps create the crispy coating while the breaded zucchini is being cooked in the air fryer.
Panko Bread Crumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Panko bread crumbs are made using crustless white bread that are turned into light, airy flakes. One neat thing about them is that they typically absorb less oil than “regular” bread crumbs. This means you can get a crispier coating for your breaded vegetables.
(Not that we’ll be using that much oil to begin with, but if you ever need to pan-fry or deep-fry something but don’t want the food to get too oily, you want to use panko bread crumbs.)
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Parmesan cheese gives the zucchini slices a mild cheesy flavor. Because it’s a less moist cheese than some cheeses that are popular in Italian cuisine, like mozzerella, it won’t get too melty in your air fryer.
Having trouble finding the Parmesan you want? If you want to grate your own Parmesan or want to make sure you’re getting “the real stuff,” look for it under its fancier name: Parmigiano Reggiano. Wheels of genuine Parmigiano Reggiano will include a Mark of Origin that includes the dotted words Parmigiano Reggiano and information about its month and year of production and the consortium and production plant that made it.
Eggs
2 eggs
Eggs are commonly used as a binder in many cooking and baking applications, including fried or breaded foods like breaded zucchini. In this case, they help keep the breading from falling off the zucchini slices.
Salt and Pepper
Salt and Pepper, to taste
I usually just need a dash of salt and about 1/8 teaspoon of pepper for this, but you can adjust the amounts to your preference.
Optional Seasonings
1/4 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
These seasonings are very much optional, but I like to use them on the days when I want extra flavor in my breaded zucchini. The red pepper especially gives them the bit of spice I like to have on the days when I want to make things a bit more interesting.
Printable Air Fryer Breaded Zucchini Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 Zucchini medium to large
- 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional Seasonings
- 1/4 teaspoon Oregano or Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini into evenly sized slices. The thickness is really a personal preference, but I usually go somewhere between 1/4″ to 1/2″.
- Place the panko crumbs in a bowl. Add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper, along with the oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Crack the eggs into a separate bowl. Use a fork to break the yolks and mix together the yolks and whites like you’re going to make scrambled eggs. (Just don’t cook them yet!)
- Place the flour in a third bowl.
- Dip a zucchini slice in the flour and shake off the excess flour. Next, dip the zucchini slice in the egg mixture and shake off excess egg.
- Add zucchini slice to a shallow bowl filled with parmesan and panko mixture. Using a small spoon, cover the top of the zucchini in bread crumbs/parmesan. Flip over and press to coat both sides evenly in the panko mixture.
- Place the zucchini slice on a tray. Repeat this process with remaining zucchini slices.
- Add coated slices to your air fryer basket in a single layer. If your air fryer model didn’t come with a basket (mine doesn’t), you may have to transfer them to a baking sheet that will fit in your air fryer before placing them in the air fryer.
- Lightly spray with a nonstick cooking oil spray. Flip over and spray the other side.
- Cook at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. Flip over and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.
- Serve breaded zucchini slices promptly with a selection of dips. I like garlic aioli, marinara, and ranch sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Method for Making Breaded Zucchini in the Air Fryer
Let’s get started with making the breaded zucchini. It really is quick and easy, so no reason to procrastinate!
Step One: Slice Zucchini
Slice the zucchini into evenly sized slices. The thickness is really a personal preference, but I usually go somewhere between 1/4″ to 1/2″.
Don’t we peel the zucchini first? There’s no need to! The zucchini peel cooks up nicely with the rest of the zucchini.
Step Two: Mix Panko Crumbs With Seasonings and Cheese
Place the panko crumbs in a bowl. Add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper, along with the oregano, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes if using.
Step Three: Prepare Eggs
Crack the eggs into a separate bowl. Use a fork to break the yolks and mix together the yolks and whites like you’re going to make scrambled eggs. (Just don’t cook them yet!)
Step Three: Place Flour in a Third Bowl
Place the flour in a third bowl.
Step Four: Bread Zucchini Slices
Now we’re ready to bread the zucchini slices. Dip a zucchini slice in the flour and shake off the excess flour. Next, dip the zucchini slice in the egg mixture and shake off excess egg.
Add zucchini slice to a shallow bowl filled with parmesan and panko mixture. Using a small spoon, cover the top of the zucchini in bread crumbs/parmesan. Flip over and press to coat both sides evenly in the panko mixture.
Place the zucchini slice on a tray. Repeat this process with remaining zucchini slices.
Step Five: Arrange Zucchini Slices in Air Fryer Basket
Add coated slices to your air fryer basket in a single layer. If your air fryer model didn’t come with a basket (mine doesn’t), you may have to transfer them to a baking sheet that will fit in your air fryer before placing them in the air fryer.
Step Six: Coat Zucchini Slices with Cooking Spray
Lightly spray with a nonstick cooking oil spray. Flip over and spray the other side.
Step Seven: Cook Zucchini Slices
Cook at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. Flip over and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.
Step Eight: Serve Promptly
I’ll be honest, I think zucchini slices are best when fresh out of the air fryer. I like to serve them promptly with a selection of ranch and marinara dips and garlic aioli.
Substitutions for Breaded Zucchini
If it’s not zucchini season but you’re craving something similar, eggplant slices work quite well! Similar vegetables like yellow squash will also work as a substitute for zucchini.
Mayonnaise makes a good replacement for eggs. I like to use Hellman’s extra heavy mayonnaise for breaded zucchini when I’m out of eggs.
If you want to use a gluten-free flour, try King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. It’s the easiest way to replace all-purpose flour with at a 1:1 ratio.
Likewise, you can try gluten-free panko bread crumbs.
Troubleshooting Tips for Making Breaded Zucchini
It can take a few tries to get these breaded zucchini slices exactly right! If they didn’t quite come out as expected, here’s a handy guide for troubleshooting common issues.
| Problem | Likely Cause | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| The zucchini slices turned soggy | Zucchini holds a lot of moisture, or the slices were not dried well before breading | Pat the zucchini slices dry with paper towels before coating. If they seem extra watery, let them sit for a few minutes after slicing, then blot again before breading. |
| The breading fell off | The zucchini was too wet, or the flour, egg, and breadcrumb coating did not stick properly | Dry the slices well first. Dip each piece fully in flour, then egg, then panko mixture, pressing lightly so the coating sticks. |
| The chips did not get crispy | The air fryer basket was overcrowded, or there was not enough airflow | Arrange the zucchini in a single layer with space between the pieces. Cook in batches if needed so the hot air can circulate properly. |
| The outside browned too fast | The slices were too thin, or the air fryer runs hotter than expected | Slice the zucchini evenly and check the chips a little earlier next time. If your air fryer cooks hot, reduce the temperature slightly or shorten the cooking time. |
| The zucchini was still watery inside | The slices were too thick, or they needed a little more cook time | Try cutting the zucchini into even, thinner rounds and add 1 to 2 extra minutes of cook time if needed. |
| The breading looked pale | Not enough oil spray, or the chips needed a little more time | Lightly spray the breaded zucchini with cooking spray before air frying. If needed, cook for another minute or two until golden. |
| The zucchini slices stuck to the basket | The basket was not greased lightly, or the coating was still soft when turned | Lightly spray the basket before adding the zucchini. Flip carefully with a thin spatula or tongs once the first side has set. |
| Some pieces cooked faster than others | The zucchini slices were uneven in thickness | Try to slice the zucchini as evenly as possible so everything cooks at the same rate. |
| The coating got messy or clumpy | Wet fingers were used in the breadcrumb mixture, or the breading station got too damp | Use one hand for wet ingredients and one for dry if possible. Replace breadcrumbs if they become too wet and clumpy. |
| Leftover zucchini chips lost their crispness | Zucchini softens as it sits, especially after refrigeration | Reheat the leftovers in the air fryer for a few minutes to help restore some crispness. They are best served fresh. |
FAQ for Breaded Zucchini in the Air Fryer
Have any questions about this breaded zucchini? I did my best to answer the most common questions here. If you think of one I haven’t thought of yet, feel free to ask in the comments section!
Can I make breaded zucchini if I don’t have an air fryer?
Making it in the oven works, too! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a baking sheet or glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Place the breaded zucchini slices in a single layer in the bottom of the baking sheet or glass casserole dish. Bake for 15 minutes, turning halfway through the baking time for even crispiness.
Can I make a lot of these for a party?
I like to double or triple the recipe every so often, especially if I have a lot of zucchini! Just be aware that you may have to make it in batches in your air fryer.
Can they be made ahead?
They could be made up to a day ahead and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just be aware that they can get soggy if not eaten right away, so they may need to be crisped up in your air fryer or the oven for a few minutes before serving. (I do not recommend microwaving them, as that can make the sogginess worse!)
Do I need to peel zucchini before making breaded zucchini?
Not necessarily! Naturally, this can boil down to personal taste. However, the skin is tender enough to be barely noticeable on the breaded zucchini and can help the slices hold their shape.
I want to try a spicy dip with these! Is there something I could whip up?
I tried my imitation Taco Bell chipotle sauce with these breaded zucchini slices once and it went over well!
Making breaded zucchini in an air fryer is a great way to quickly and easily make a healthier version of a classic snack. It’s quicker than baking them in the oven, and the results are tasty appetizers.
More Zucchini Recipes
These breaded zucchini slices are good, but sometimes the zucchini overload is so bad that you need a ton of recipes! Here’s more zucchini recipes to try.
- Sun Dried Tomato Zucchini Falafel
- Crack Zucchini Bites
- Easy Zucchini Parmesan Fritters
- Vegan Banana Zucchini Muffins with Blueberries
- Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Bread
Did you like this breaded zucchini? Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section, and don’t forget to rate this recipe!
