Air fryer zucchini and squash
by Don’t miss out on my air fryer zucchini and squash as a summer side dish! This recipe has no breading and no flour, so you know it’s healthy and quick to make!
Seasoned with garlic powder, dried basil, and parmesan cheese, it’s keto-friendly and wholesomely flavorful. I’ll also show you my secret technique to avoid soggy zucchini, so read on to find out.
In addition to the squash and zucchini air fryer dish, I know you’ll also love my air fryer zucchini fries – a tasty and crunchy snack that is also compatible with the keto and paleo diet!
Ingredients
To make air fryer squash and zucchini, you’ll simply need ingredients from your grocery store or local farmers’ markets:
- Squash: Zucchini, yellow squash
- Seasonings: Olive oil, coarse sea salt, garlic powder, ground black pepper, dried basil, red pepper flakes, grated parmesan cheese
Substitutions and variations
- Other spices: Add your favorite toppings and fresh herbs to the air fry zucchini and squash, like onion powder, oregano, Herbs de Provence, vegan cashew parmesan cheese, sweet or smoked paprika, or thyme.
- Dipping sauce: Serve air fried squash and zucchini alongside spicy garlic chili sauce, tangy bang bang sauce, or creamy bacon aioli.
- Different oil: I prefer using olive oil with roasted vegetables, but avocado oil is another great choice.
How to make it
Air frying squash and zucchini are easy. Follow these simple instructions to make your own zucchini and squash in an air fryer without breading:
- Rinse and dry the zucchini. Cut off both ends and roll cut into equal bite-sized pieces. Read more on the roll-cut method below.
- Preheat your air fryer. Toss zucchini and crookneck squash with seasonings in a large bowl.
- Spread them in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry squash and zucchini for 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking time.
- Serve warm on a plate, with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
The best way to cut zucchini and squash so that they aren’t mushy
To make air fryer squash and zucchini stay crispy, I use a special technique called roll cut as opposed to slices or rounds.
Roll cut, also known as oblique cut, is a great way to cut long veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and squash at an angle.
This method makes food look better and cook faster by showing more surface area for flavors to soak in. Combine with the right temperature and cooking method, the vegetables stay crispy and crunchy, instead of mushy.
How to roll cut:
- Hold your knife at an angle of about 45 degrees to the ingredient.
- Make the first cut near one end of the ingredient. This should result in a piece with a diagonal or oblique end.
- Next, roll the ingredient a quarter of a turn (90 degrees). Make another cut at the same 45-degree angle, roughly the same width down as the length of the first piece.
- Keep turning and cutting the ingredient at a 45-degree angle until it’s all cut.
Storage and reheat
Making zucchini and squash in an air fryer is a fast way to enjoy more healthy veggies. They taste great even the next day and you can serve them cold because there’s no flour and breading but here are some tips for storage and reheating:
- Store: Once cooked, store the remaining airfryer squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: You can enjoy it cold or at room temperature. If reheating zucchini and squash in air fryer, do so at 380°F for 3 minutes. The leftovers are also great with scrambled eggs in the morning!
What to serve it with?
Squash and zucchini air fryer with no breading is best served with protein-packed dishes, like chicken, shrimp, and salmon.
Level up dinner with crispy chicken lollipop, which you can cook in both an oven and an air fryer. Another deliciously breaded option is air fryer bang bang shrimp, generously covered in a crispy crunchy coating.
Short on time? My air fryer frozen salmon involves zero prep and makes a healthy, low-carb meal. Otherwise, these air fryer salmon bites would delight your taste buds and are perfect for summer picnics!
FAQs
Yes. When air frying zucchini and squash, arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. A little overlap is okay but don’t overcrowd it or the squash will turn soggy.
There are a few reasons zucchini and squash turn soggy: they are overcooked, sliced too thin, or cooked in an overcrowded pan or air fryer basket.
To achieve crispy fried squash like zucchini chips, coat it in a mix of starch, flour, egg wash, and breading before frying.. Fry with a proper amount of oil at the right temperature.
More air fryer recipes
Besides air fryer squash and zucchini, you can give these yellow summer squash recipes a go. Zucchini banchan is fresh, easy to make, and family-friendly! These veggie-filled zucchini and carrot fritters are one of my readers’ favorites!
Air fryers like Ninja Foodi and Cosori can make so much more than air fry squash slices. My buttery air fryer corn ribs, easy frozen asparagus in air fryer you can make straight from the freezer, and karaage-inspired air fried oyster mushrooms, are the perfect appetizer.
Umami Tips
Summer, especially August, is a great month for yellow squash and zucchini. With my best tips and tricks, you’ll have perfectly cooked veggies every single time!
- Healthy and easy: this recipe has no breading and no flour.
- Use oblique cut: Slice the zucchini and squash at an angle and cut them in similar sizes will keep the veggies perfectly tender and not soggy.
- Don’t overcrowd: Overcrowding the air fryer can lead to uneven cooking. You want air to be able to circulate around each piece of vegetable so they will be crisp outside and tender inside.
- Season properly: Season your zucchini and squash before cooking.
- Preheat the air fryer: Just like an oven, it helps to preheat your air fryer before cooking. This allows the veggies to start cooking immediately and helps to achieve a crispy exterior.
- Toss in a little oil: Even though air fryers use less oil than traditional frying methods, using a little oil can help the zucchini and squash get crispy and brown.
- Shake or flip midway: To ensure even cooking, it’s a good idea to shake the basket or flip the zucchini and squash slices halfway through the cooking time.
- Check for doneness: Air fryer cooking times can vary depending on the model and how full the basket is. Start checking for doneness a bit earlier than you think you need to.
Air fryer zucchini and squash recipe
Ingredients
- 17 oz. zucchini, 2 medium
- 10 oz. yellow squash, 1 medium
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the zucchini and squash. Trim both ends and roll cut both the zucchini and the squash to similar bite sizes.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380F (193C).
- In a large bowl, add the zucchini and squash. Season them with ingredients from oil to 2 tbsp parmesan cheese. Toss and coat evenly.
- Add them to the air fryer basket and spread them out into a single layer. A little overlap is okay. Air fryer for 8 minutes total. Toss the basket halfway through. The squash should be cooked through but still has some bite to it and not mushy. If not, cook another 2 minutes further.
- To serve, transfer them to a serving plate. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- How to roll cut – Hold your knife at an angle of about 45 degrees to the squash. Make the first cut near one end of the squash. This should result in a piece with a diagonal or oblique end that’s about 1-1.25-inch width. Next, roll the ingredient a quarter turn (90 degrees). Make another cut at the same 45-degree angle, roughly the same distance down as the length of the first piece. Repeat the process of rolling the ingredient a quarter turn, then cutting at a 45-degree angle, until the entire ingredient has been cut.
- Slice the squash into similar bite sizes for even cooking time.
- Select zucchini and squash in straight tube shapes with even thickness for even cooking time.
Nutrition
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Absolutely delicious!! Thank you for sharing!
THanks so much!
So simple and easy and the oblique cut makes the squash tastes so much better than slices – they have more texture, crunch, yet the squash is cooked through at the center so they are sweet and juicy! I will use this style for carrots next time!