Easy, flavorful air fryer zucchini is an amazingly quick side dish that anyone can make in just minutes for a versatile side that pairs with any main! The air fryer makes the zucchini perfectly tender and brings out their delicious natural flavor!
Easy, cheesy, and super delicious air fryer zucchini is a perfect weeknight side dish!
I love fast side dishes that use fresh veggies - especially when they’re made in the air fryer! The air fryer gets the veggies crisp and golden brown without overcooking, so that way you get all the amazing nutrients fresh veggies have to offer!
My air fryer zucchini recipe is particularly delicious, because I season simply and then top the cooked zucchini with Parmesan cheese! The salty and savory Parmesan cheese really makes this veggie dish that much better.
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Air fryer zucchini is also just as versatile as it is delicious. This side dish can pair with so many different dishes or styles of cuisines that you’ll want to make it all the time!
Check out my air fryer recipes section for more amazing air fryer veggie dishes! Once you start, you’ll never want to cook vegetables another way!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Super Easy! Tossing the zucchini with a little seasoning and air frying is one of the easiest ways to make a side dish! This recipe takes just 5 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook!
So Flavorful! I love how simply this recipe is seasoned, so the natural flavors of the zucchini come through. The addition of a little Parmesan cheese really takes it over the top!
Perfect for Busy Folks! When life gets busy, you need super simple recipes that you can get done without much effort! Like all my air fryer recipes, my air fryer zucchini makes it so easy to get dinner done quickly!
🥘 Ingredients
Air fryer zucchini is so fast and delicious! I highly recommend adding a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to the finished zucchini—I love the salty, savory bite it gives the dish!
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
- 4 cups Zucchini – You’ll want about 1 pound of zucchini for this recipe! Cut them into ¼-inch thick rounds or half rounds so that they cook evenly.
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) here for the best flavor! You can use whatever oil you have on hand, too.
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt – Since the zucchini are seasoned simply, I like to use fresh-tasting sea salt! You can also use table salt or kosher salt to season.
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese – Finishing the zucchini with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese makes them extra tasty! I like to grate my own aged Parmesan for the best flavor.
Interested in more air fryer veggie recipes? Check out my crispy air fryer brussels sprouts, tender air fryer asparagus, and my tasty air fryer carrots! The air fryer is such a great way to quickly cook vegetables!
🧂 Substitutions
Want to add extra flavor to the zucchini? Try seasoning with a sprinkle of garlic powder and fresh chopped herbs like thyme or rosemary. You can also add a hint of spice with crushed red pepper!
If you’re a big fan of squash—try making this recipe with yellow summer squash, patty pan squash, eggplant—or a mix of any of these veggies!
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
It takes 25 minutes from start to finish to whip up this easy zucchini! That’s the perfect amount of time to make a side while your main dish finishes cooking!
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- Prep. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (205°C). While your air fryer is preheating, rinse and cut your zucchini into rounds or half rounds, about ¼-1/2 inch thick.
- Season Zucchini. Add sliced zucchini to a large mixing bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over the zucchini and toss to coat (add any other seasonings here, if desired).
- Air Fry Zucchini. Add seasoned zucchini to the air fryer basket and air fry at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes. When the timer is up, open the air fryer and stir around or flip the zucchini so it can cook evenly.
- Finish Zucchini. Return the zucchini to the air fryer for another 10 minutes or until it’s reached your preferred level of tenderness. When the zucchini is done, sprinkle with one tablespoon of Parmesan cheese if desired (or more if you’re like me!), and serve.
Light and flavorful Air Fryer Zucchini is a perfect quick side dish! Garnish with the Parmesan cheese and a little fresh chopped parsley or chives for color!
I love to serve this veggie with a light main dish, like my easy pan seared swordfish or crispy panko baked cod! Enjoy!
💭 Tips & Recipe Notes
- When picking out zucchini at the grocery store, pick smaller, firm zucchini! Smaller zucchini tend to be sweeter in flavor and don’t have the larger seeds that can sometimes be bitter in bigger zucchini. Make sure they’re firm, smooth, and free of pitting or too many blemishes!
- You can also make this easy, simple recipe in the oven! You can easily make this recipe in your oven if you do not have an air fryer. Preheat your oven to the same temperature listed above and bake the zucchini the exact same way! If you have a convection oven or an oven with a convection setting, that’ll make it bake just like an air fryer!
- Unsure how to cut the zucchini to the right thickness? Use your finger! The first section of your index finger is usually 1-inch long. If you measure about ¼ of that, that’ll be ¼ inch thick! This is how thick you’ll want your zucchini to be!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Store cooled, cooked zucchini in an airtight container and it will keep well in your fridge for about 2 to 3 days! You’ll want to use any extras up quickly!
Freezing
If desired, you can also freeze cooked zucchini! Again, make sure the zucchini is cooled completely - then you can transfer to a plastic freezer storage bag.
Press out all the extra air, label, then freeze! It’ll keep for about 3 months! I would defrost in the fridge for a few hours or overnight when you’re ready to reheat.
Reheating Air Fryer Zucchini
I don’t recommend reheating leftover zucchini in the microwave, because it’ll turn them into mush!
For the best results reheating your zucchini, either put it back in the air fryer or oven at 400°F (204°C) and bake for about 5 minutes or until reheated. Make sure to space the zucchini out evenly so they don’t become mushy when reheating!
❓ FAQ
If you have leftover zucchini, but don’t want to eat it on its own—try adding it to a recipe! Zucchini and eggs go together terrifically, so I recommend adding leftover zucchini to omelets, quiches, frittata, or scrambles! You can also add it to pasta dishes or anywhere you want a little extra veggie!
To make sure the zucchini is the perfect texture and not overcooked (because no one wants mushy zucchini!), make sure that your zucchini isn’t overcrowded in the air fryer basket or pan.
This will help prevent the veggies from steaming too much so they brown and are evenly cooked. I also recommend cooking just for the time listed in the recipe. If the zucchini are still too hard, you can cook for 2 to 5 more minutes—but since they’re sliced thinly, they should cook easily!
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📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Zucchini
Ingredients
- 4 cups zucchini (Cut into rounds or half rounds, 4 cups is about 1 lb of zucchini)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (205°C).
- While your air fryer is preheating, rinse and cut your zucchini into rounds or half rounds about ¼-1/2 of an inch thick.4 cups zucchini
- Add sliced zucchini to a mixing bowl and drizzle the olive oil over season with the sea salt and toss.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Add zucchini to the air fryer basket and bake at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes. Open the air fryer and stir the zucchini around so you can get even cooking.
- Return to the air fryer for another 10 minutes, or until your desired level of doneness.
- Remove from the air fryer, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional) and serve.1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Equipment You May Need
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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