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Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Zucchini Fries Recipe
I’ve never met a fry I don’t like. If it’s crispy, crunchy, and there’s a good dipping sauce involved, I’m sold. I already love making fun fry alternatives like daikon radish fries and air fryer avocado fries, and these air-fried zucchini fries are such a good one for zucchini season.
The best part is that you don’t need parmesan cheese to get that crispy coating. While a lot of keto zucchini fries rely on parmesan, these get their crunchy texture from seasoned pork panko instead. The coating turns golden and crisp in the air fryer while the zucchini stays soft and tender inside, making them an easy snack, appetizer, or side for burger night.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Zucchini: I like using medium zucchini because they’re less watery and hold their shape well. Keep the skin on so each fry stays sturdy while it cooks. If you have extra zucchini to use up, my grilled zucchini recipe is another summer favorite.
- Egg: Helps the pork panko stick so every bite gets a crispy coating.
- Pork panko: Crushed pork rinds create the crunchy coating without flour, breadcrumbs, or parmesan cheese. You can buy pork panko or crush your own pork rinds in a food processor.
- Garlic powder: Adds savory flavor to every bite.
- Onion powder: Pairs with the garlic powder to give the coating even more flavor.
- Sea salt & ground black pepper: Bring all of the flavors together.
Fry Sauce
- Paleo mayonnaise: The creamy base for the fry sauce.
- Sugar-free ketchup: Adds classic fry sauce flavor while keeping the sauce keto-friendly.
- Hot sauce: Completely optional, but I love adding a few shakes for a little kick.
Recipe Variations
- Keep the fry sauce mild: Leave out the hot sauce if you’re serving these to kids or anyone who prefers less spice.
- Try a different dipping sauce: These crispy zucchini fries are also delicious with garlic aioli, marinara sauce, or my paleo & whole30 ranch dressing.
- Serve them with a meal: I love serving these as a side with my guacamole stuffed burgers for an easy summer dinner.
How to Cut Zucchini into Fries
To make zucchini fries that stay sturdy in the air fryer, it’s important to cut them evenly and leave a strip of skin on each piece. The skin helps hold the zucchini together while the inside becomes tender.
Here’s how I like to cut them:
- Trim off both ends of the zucchini.
- Cut each zucchini into 3 equal pieces crosswise.
- Slice each piece in half lengthwise.
- Cut each half into 3 equal sticks lengthwise. If you’re using a particularly large zucchini, cut each half into 4 thinner sticks instead.
Keeping the fries about the same size helps them cook evenly and gives you the best crispy texture.
How to Make Zucchini Fries in the Air Fryer
Step 1: Make the fry sauce first by stirring together the paleo mayonnaise, sugar-free ketchup, and hot sauce, if using. Place it in the refrigerator while you make the zucchini fries so it can chill.
Step 2: Cut each zucchini into fries. Slice each zucchini into 3 even pieces widthwise, then halve each piece lengthwise. Take each half and slice it into 3 similar-sized sticks lengthwise, so you get 6 zucchini sticks from each third of zucchini. Try to keep the pieces even so they cook at the same rate.
Step 3: Pat the zucchini sticks dry with a paper towel. This removes extra moisture so the coating sticks better and the fries crisp up more in the air fryer.
Step 4: Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk until smooth.
Step 5: In another bowl, stir together the pork panko, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
Step 6: Dredge the zucchini sticks in the egg wash, shaking off any excess. Press each piece into the pork panko mixture so the coating sticks, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining zucchini sticks.
Step 7: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spray the coated zucchini fries with cooking oil for extra crispiness and browning.
Step 8: Arrange the zucchini sticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Do not overlap them. Work in batches if needed, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Step 9: Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the coating is crispy and browned and the zucchini is tender inside.
Step 10: Serve immediately with the chilled fry sauce.
Expert Tips
- Leave the skin on. It helps each zucchini fry hold its shape while it cooks. Medium zucchini also work best because they tend to have fewer seeds and less moisture than oversized ones.
- Cut the air fryer zucchini sticks evenly. Similar-sized fries cook at the same rate and crisp more evenly.
- Pat the zucchini dry before breading. Removing excess moisture helps the pork panko stick and creates a crispier coating.
- Press the pork panko onto each fry. When transferring the zucchini from the egg wash to the breading, chopsticks make the process much easier and less messy.
- Cook in a single layer. Avoid overlapping the fries so they crisp instead of steam. Work in batches if needed.
- Serve right away. Air fryer zucchini fries are crispiest straight out of the air fryer.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- I don’t recommend freezing them because zucchini releases too much moisture after thawing, which makes the fries lose their crispy texture.
- These air fryer zucchini fries are best enjoyed fresh for the crispiest texture.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes until they’re crispy again.
Recipe FAQs
They may be too wet, overcrowded, or left sitting too long after cooking. Pat the zucchini dry, cook in a single layer, and serve immediately for the best texture.
No. Keep the skin on because it helps the zucchini sticks hold their shape.
Yes. These air fryer zucchini fries are naturally keto, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-carb because they’re coated with pork panko instead of flour, breadcrumbs, or parmesan cheese.
Pork panko gives these zucchini fries an especially crispy coating while keeping them keto and paleo. Other coatings can work, but the texture and flavor will be different.
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If you make these air fryer zucchini fries, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries (Crispy & Keto!)
Video
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 cup pork panko
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Fry Sauce
- 1/4 cup paleo mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sugar-free ketchup
- Optional: a few shakes of hot sauce
Instructions
- Make the fry sauce first by combining all the ingredients. Place in the refrigerator while you make the zucchini fries.1/4 cup paleo mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sugar-free ketchup, Optional: a few shakes of hot sauce
- Cut zucchini into fries: Cut each zucchini into 3 even pieces widthwise. Halve each piece of zucchini lengthwise. Take each 1/2 and slice in 3 similar-sized sticks lengthwise, so you have 6 zucchini sticks from 1/3 of a zucchini.2 medium zucchini
- Pat dry the zucchini sticks with a paper towel.
- In a separate bowl, crack and whisk the egg.1 egg
- In another bowl, mix together pork panko, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.1 cup pork panko, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- Dredge the zucchini sticks in the egg wash. Shake off the excess and press into the pork panko mixture. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest of the zucchini sticks.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F, and spray the zucchini fries with cooking oil for an extra crispy texture.
- Arrange the zucchini sticks in a single layer in the air fryer. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes until crispy and browned.
- Serve immediately with fry sauce.
- If you have leftovers, store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes at 400 degrees F to crisp up again.
Notes
- Leave the skin on. It helps each zucchini fry hold its shape while it cooks. Medium zucchini also work best because they tend to have fewer seeds and less moisture than oversized ones.
- Cut the air fryer zucchini sticks evenly. Similar-sized fries cook at the same rate and crisp more evenly.
- Pat the zucchini dry before breading. Removing excess moisture helps the pork panko stick and creates a crispier coating.
- Press the pork panko onto each fry. When transferring the zucchini from the egg wash to the breading, chopsticks make the process much easier and less messy.
- Cook in a single layer. Avoid overlapping the fries so they crisp instead of steam. Work in batches if needed.
- Serve right away. Air fryer zucchini fries are crispiest straight out of the air fryer.
- These air fryer zucchini fries are best enjoyed fresh for the crispiest texture.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes until they’re crispy again.
- I don’t recommend freezing them because zucchini releases too much moisture after thawing, which makes the fries lose their crispy texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
