Crispy, cheesy, and delicious—these air fryer courgette fries are a healthier take on a classic snack! Coated in parmesan for extra flavour, they’re quick, easy, and perfect for dipping.
I’ve grown to really love a parmesan courgette. We get an Oddbox, and apparently, courgettes are regularly odd, so I had to find more things to do with them, especially because my family aren’t keen.
So, I needed something that I could eat on my own as either a snack or a side dish. Yummy, crisp parmesan-coated air fryer zucchini fries are so nice and absolutely perfect.
First, some notes!
Firstly, courgettes have a high water content. Some recipes claim to give you very crispy courgette fries.
I do not believe them, and also, if you want something very crispy, try a potato!
Their juiciness is really what courgettes have going for them. You can take steps (see below) to crisp up the outsides, but the centre is going to be juicy and fairly soft. Embrace and enjoy it!
Secondly, I am going to occasionally use the term “air fryer zucchini fries” during this post. This is because:
- I need to appeal to an American audience more if I want to feed my family. There just aren’t enough of us in the UK looking for air-fried vegetable snacks.
- I actually prefer it. Courgette sounds a bit miserable. Zucchini is much more romantic.
Why I Love Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Aside from being delicious:
- They’re a quick and healthy snack or side dish.
- The middles are wonderfully juicy.
- Nutty parmesan works really well with courgettes.
- They are perfect dipped in lots of different sauces!
- Eating these gives me the strength to resist eating halloumi fries every single day!
- You might like it because it’s a low-carb option. I’m a big carbs fan, though!
- It’s not as sticky as using eggs to add the breadcrumb mixture.
- While not particularly high in protein, courgettes are high in fiber and potassium, and all veggies are great for adding more vitamins to your diet.
Ingredients For Air Fryer Courgette Fries
When I make my air fryer courgette sticks, I use:
Courgettes
Olive Oil – Other cooking oils are fine, too.
Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Black Pepper
Smoked Paprika
Golden Breadcrumbs – Panko bread crumbs are great, too.
Plain Flour
How to Air Fry Parmesan Courgette Fries – Step-by-Step Instructions
Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One
Chop the courgettes into 8 thick wedges. Some things need to be thin to get crispy. Courgette fries are the opposite. Too thin, and the high water content means they’ll just turn to mush. Keep them chunky.
I cut them down the middle and then into chunks, so they are short, fat fingers, not long, thin ones.
Step Two
Liberally sprinkle with salt and leave for 15-30 minutes.
This isn’t absolutely essential, but the salt will draw out moisture. After 15 minutes, you’ll be able to feel moisture on the surface. This helps to keep them from going soppy and keeps the outside crisp, with the inside staying nice and juicy.
Step Three
Mix the parmesan, paprika, breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl.
Step Four
Pat the courgettes dry with a clean towel, paper towels or a piece of kitchen roll. How much excess moisture comes out will depend on how long you’ve left them, how much salt you’ve used and how juicy the courgettes are. I don’t recommend leaving them for longer than 30 minutes.
Step Five
Brush each wedge with oil. I use my fingertips, but a pastry brush is good.
Step Six
Dip in the grated parmesan cheese mix, patting on and ensuring they are well covered. Try to use one hand for the oil and one for the dry mix to avoid getting in too much of a mess.
Step Seven
Place in the air fryer basket, skin down, taking care not to overcrowd. Air fry in two batches if you need to.
You don’t need a baking sheet or parchment paper, and you don’t need to oil the tray. Just place the straight on the crisper tray in the basket.
Step Eight
Air fry for 7-8 minutes, shaking gently halfway to ensure they aren’t stuck. You don’t need to turn them.
Step Nine
Carefully remove from the basket and serve.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve air fryer zucchini fries as they are, either as a side dish or snack, or you can serve them with a dip.
I like them with store-bought sour cream and chive dip, but they are also great with sweet chilli, mayo, ketchup, ranch dressing, garlic aioli, a herby yoghurt sauce, or even salsa. You can try any dipping sauce.
Variations
This is a fairly basic recipe, so there’s a lot that you can do differently.
Add Garlic Powder
You can add a teaspoon garlic powder to the parmesan mixture for a garlicky taste.
Add Onion Powder
Onion powder is another option, with or without garlic.
Try Other Herbs and Spices
You can add anything to the small bowl with your parmesan and breadcrumbs. I like smoked paprika, but things like Italian seasoning, chilli powder, cayenne pepper, and oregano are all great.
Leftovers
Zucchini sticks will get softer if you keep them, however you choose to reheat.
That said, while they’ll lose the crispy texture, they will still taste great. Keep them in the fridge for a day or two in an airtight container, and reheat in the air fryer, oven or microwave.
FAQ
Between 7 and 10 minutes.
Courgettes are wet and juicy. They have a high water content, so they’ll never be dry and super crispy. But, you can stop them from going soggy by salting first to draw out moisture, patting dry, not using too much oil and not over cooking.
You could also try cutting into larger wedges.
Cut into thick wedges, rest in salt for 15 minutes, and pat dry. Don’t use too much oil, and don’t overcook.
If your courgettes are very musy, try cooking them for less time, salting for longer, and using less oil next time.
Other Air Fryer Recipes
If you like these air fryer zucchini chips, you might also want to try:
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
Ingredients
- 2 Courgettes (tops and bottoms removed)
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 15 g Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 15 g Golden Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon Plain Flour
Instructions
- Chop the courgettes into 8 thick wedges.
- Liberally sprinkle with salt and leave for 15-30 minutes.
- Mix the parmesan, paprika, breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Pat the courgettes dry with a clean towel or piece of kitchen roll.
- Brush each wedge with oil.
- Dip in the parmesan mix, patting on and ensuring they are well covered.
- Place in the air fryer basket, skin down, taking care not to overcrowd.
- Air fry for 7-8 minutes, shaking gently halfway to ensure they aren’t stuck.
- Carefully remove from the basket and serve.
Video
Notes
- I chop my courgettes in half across the width and then into quarters.
- If you can’t get the courgettes into your air fryer basket in a single layer, cook in two batches.
- I don’t preheat my air fryer. If you know that yours takes a while to get to temperature, preheat for a few minutes first.
- Salting them courgettes before dipping helps to draw out moisture and stops them from getting soggy. This isn’t essential, and you can skip it if you are in a rush.
- Don’t turn the courgettes; just shake a little to dislodge any that might be stuck. You can also give them a little poke with a silicone spatula if you need to.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
