Description
Air-Fryer Zucchini Fritters are the perfect vegetarian appetizer or side dish, with such a crispy exterior and creamy interior that you may think they were pan-fried in a skillet. Making zucchini fritters in an air fryer is so simple, fast and nutritious you’ll want to add them to your weekly dinner rotation.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb. zucchini (about 2 medium or 1 large)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (Italian, fresh or Panko)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp. table salt, plus more for serving
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 375F.
- While the air fryer preheats, grate the zucchini with a box grater (or use a shredder attachment on a food processor). Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Transfer the shredded zucchini to a mixing bowl and add the egg. Gently toss to coat then add the parmesan, breadcrumbs, flour, chives, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir well to combine. If the mixture feels too try, try gently squeezing the squash to release some of the water. If the mixture is too damp, add a bit more flour (1 tablespoon at a time). Form the mixture into 8 (3-inch wide and 1/2-inch thick) patties on a clean plate.
- When ready to cook, spray the air fryer basket and both sides of the zucchini patties with cooking spray. Carefully place the fritters in the hot air fryer basket, working in two batches if needed. Cook until golden brown on all sides and crispy, about 14 minutes, and be sure to flip the fritters halfway through cooking. Transfer the golden brown fritters to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with a bit more salt, if desired. Repeat with remaining fritters. Serve the fritters garnished with more chives and lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
- Serve air fried zucchini fritters with our Homemade Basil Pesto, Easy Sour Cream and Chive Dip, Creamy Chipotle Lime Sauce, Buffalo Ranch Sauce or Tahini Yogurt Sauce.
- Store leftover fritters in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Serve them cold out of the fridge, or reheat in an oven or air fryer. Note that once reheated they may dry out.Â
- To make this recipe ahead of time, try cooking the fritters for only 10 minutes then refrigerate. When ready to eat, air fry the par-cooked zucchini fritters until golden brown, another 6 minutes.
- You can make this recipe gluten-free by using a one-to-one gluten-free flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs. To make this recipe vegan, swap in nutritional yeast for the parmesan cheese and 1 flaxseed or chia seed egg.
- If you don’t want to use chives, you can also use fresh parsley, scallions, parsley, mint or tarragon.
- Try adding garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder or dried oregano instead of (or in addition to) Italian seasoning. You can even use our Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning.Â
- Do you want to pan-fry these instead of using the air fryer? Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and, working in two batches, add the patties and cook until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining zucchini patties, adding a bit more oil as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: sides
- Method: air fryer
- Cuisine: American/Italian