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Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

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Posted by:

Erin Lynch

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Updated:

March 8, 2025

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5 from 25 votes

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Air fryer zucchini sticks pinterest image.
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Air Fryer Zucchini Fries are perfect for snacking. Strips of zucchini, coated in panko cook up perfectly tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Hand dipping zucchini fry into aioli.

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I love my air fryer. 

  • I love that it makes fried foods healthier.
  • I love that there’s no preheating.
  • I love that it is small and portable.
  • I love how it makes things extra crispy.

Growing up, I have fond memories of our mom making us zucchini fries. They were crispy, salty and so good dipped in marinara sauce. Mom would deep fry hers, but I have a long standing fear of deep frying things. There’s just something about a massive pot of boiling oil that totally freaks me out.

So, as soon as I got my air fryer, I knew that zucchini fries were one of the first things I’d be making in it. Second only to my other childhood snacking obsession – Buffalo Wings.

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients needed
  • Tools used
  • How to make them
  • How to reheat zucchini fries
  • FAQs
  • Dipping sauce ideas
  • Full Recipe

Why you’ll love them

These air fryer zucchini sticks are a healthy alternative to french fries and I’d have to say they’re equally as delicious! Whether you serve them as an appetizer, a snack, or a side dish, they’re guaranteed to be a hit!

Uncooked zucchini fries in air fryer.

I grew up eating these zucchini fries with marinara sauce.

But today, I went a little fancy and served them with a lemon tarragon aioli. If you’re not into the flavor of tarragon (licorice-like), you can leave it out entirely. Or, substitute it with another fresh herb. Basil would be amazing in this garlic aioli too.

Or, dip them in this homemade ranch dressing, chipotle crema, remoulade sauce or cilantro lime crema.

Ingredients needed

  • Zucchini – I used two medium zucchini for this recipe.
  • Flour + Eggs – Used to help the breadcrumb mixture adhere to the zucchini fries.
  • Panko + Italian Bread Crumbs – Or, you can use just panko or just breadcrumbs.
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt + Pepper
Zucchini fries arranged on serving tray.

Tools used

  • Air Fryer – You likely already have an air fryer since you are reading this post. But in case you’re in the market to buy a new one, here are my TOP 5 Favorite Air Fryers! Or, see below for instructions to make them in the oven.
  • Tongs – Perfect for grabbing those hot fries out of the basket.

How to make them

  • The breading trio. I dip my fries first in flour, then eggs, then a panko-bread crumb mixture that’s seasoned with nutty parmesan cheese.
  • Single layer cooking. Be sure that you cook these in a single layer in your air fryer basket. You’ll need to work in batches, but while the first batch is cooking, you can be dredging more zucchini fries. Cooking in a single layer ensures that the air has room to move around the fries and gives them that perfect, crispy texture.
  • High temperature. I air fry these at 400 degrees and they crisp up right around the 8 minute mark.

Making them in the oven

  • Yes! You can also bake these in a 425-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

How to reheat zucchini fries

  • You can reheat these zucchini fries right in your air fryer set to 400 degrees for 3-5 minutes.
Overhead close up of zucchini fries on platter.

FAQs

Why are my zucchini fries soggy?

To ensure crispy zucchini fries, you want to be sure to cook them at a high temperature and in a single layer. Work in batches to be sure your zucchini fries don’t overlap, and cook them at 400-degrees.

Should zucchini be salted before frying?

If you would like to draw excess water out of your zucchini, you can salt the zucchini generously with salt and let them sit in a colander for 30 minutes. Then, rinse off the salt and follow the directions below.

Dipping sauce ideas

  • Honey Mustard Sauce
  • Jalapeno Ranch Dip
  • Sweet Potato Fry Dipping Sauce
  • In-N-Out Sauce
  • Chick-Fil-A Sauce
  • Remoulade Sauce
  • Green Goddess Dressing
  • Marinara Sauce
  • Boom Boom Sauce
  • Cilantro Lime Crema
  • Bang Bang Sauce
  • More → 35+ Sauces for Fries

More zucchini recipes

  • Sriracha Glazed Salmon with Zucchini Noodles
  • Zucchini Bread
  • Sauteed Zucchini
  • Zucchini Pizza Boats
  • Half & Half Linguini with Zucchini Noodles, Herbs & Fried Capers
  • Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
  • Creamy Zucchini Soup
  • Spaghetti Alla Nerano (Spaghetti with Zucchini)
  • More → 37+ BEST Zucchini Recipes

More air fryer recipes

  • Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts 
  • Pasta Chips
  • Air Fryer Artichoke Hearts
  • Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
  • Air Fryer Burgers
  • Green Bean Fries
  • Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
  • Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Buffalo Sauce
  • Air Fryer Falafel
  • More → 40+ Air Fryer Appetizers

Did you make these zucchini fries in the air fryer?

If you loved these air fryer zucchini sticks, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on  Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.

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Overhead close up of zucchini fries on platter.

Full Recipe

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries with Lemon Tarragon Aioli are perfect for snacking. Strips of zucchini, coated in panko cook up perfectly crispy in the air fryer. Dip them in an easy-to-prepare creamy aioli flavored with tarragon and lemon. 
5 from 25 votes
Print Pin
Serves 6 people
Created by Platings and Pairings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

Zucchini Fries

  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 eggs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Lemon Tarragon Aioli

  • 1 egg
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves

Instructions

Zucchini Fries:

  • Cut the zucchini into sticks no more than 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long.
  • Add the flour to a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl whisk the egg and season with salt and pepper. In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and olive oil.
  • Dredge zucchini in flour, then eggs, then Panko mixture.
  • Heat air fryer to 400 degrees.
  • Working in batches, place the zucchini fries in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until crispy. Season with kosher salt while warm.

Lemon Tarragon Aioli:

  • While the fries cooking, prepare the aioli.
  • Combine egg, garlic, and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the canola oil until emulsified.
  • Fold in the tarragon leaves and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

Zucchini Fries can be reheated in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 3 minutes. 
Lemon Tarragon Aioli can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 13.3mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2.3mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

This post was originally published in 2018. It was updated in 2025 to add new information. The air fryer courgette fries recipe remains the same. Enjoy!

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5 from 25 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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16 responses

  1. Mary
    August 28, 2018

    5 stars
    I’m totally jealous of your air fryer! My friend has one and I’ve been so curious about it ever since she got hers. That won’t stop me from trying these in the oven though. We’ve got zucchini out our ears, and I’m having a hard time getting my kids to eat it. They’ll totally go for these fries!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 30, 2018

      Yes – I think the kiddos would love them Mary! My picky-eater brother and I would always gobble these up as kids.

      Reply
  2. Hawnuh Lee
    August 28, 2018

    These looks SO good! Lemon tarragon is such a great combo. I’ve never used an air fryer but I think this is a pretty good reason to try one out 🙂

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 30, 2018

      Thank you so much Hawnuh!

      Reply
  3. Waz
    August 29, 2018

    5 stars
    Yum! I love zucchini fries, and these looks so easy to make. That lemon tarragon flavor combination sounds really good. I wish I could borrow someone’s air fryer to try it out before I decide to buy one.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 30, 2018

      You can borrow mine Waz! I don’t use it very often, but always love the results.

      Reply
  4. Aleta
    September 21, 2018

    5 stars
    This is great! I have tried making zucchini fries before that turned out soggy and awful. Throwing them in the air fryer? Genius! I will have to try your recipe for sure. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
    1. Erin
      September 25, 2018

      I hope you love them Aleta!

      Reply
  5. Stacey
    January 3, 2019

    I highly recommend salting and sweating the zucchini for 10 minutes or so prior to dredging the pieces. Getting excess moisture out lets them crisp better.

    Reply
  6. Richard Schmitt
    March 4, 2019

    5 stars
    These were great. Couple points, and would love others answers. Our air fryer only goes to 200 degrees. So, I cooked them for 10 minutes at 200 and they seemed fine. Soft and crispy. I almost thing 400 degrees would turn them into burnt sticks. The recipe says dredge the zucchini in flour, egg, crumps. My problem was that a) my fingers got covered with breading, b) the breading didn’t stick to the zucchini, and there wasn’t nearly enough breading for two zucchinis. (I patted the breading onto the zucchini). Then c) Not surpising, but the result didn’t look as nice as yours. But… They tasted awesome!! So, it gets five stars, but what am I doing wrong?

    Reply
  7. Laura
    August 3, 2022

    can you use dried tarragon?

    Reply
    1. Erin
      August 4, 2022

      Hi Laura – Yes, you can. I would cut the amount back to 1 teaspoon though. Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. sidesist
    March 8, 2023

    5 stars
    I made these zucchini fries today for the first time and they turned out PERFECT! Thank you!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      March 10, 2023

      Thank you for trying them!

      Reply
  9. Diane
    February 28, 2025

    5 stars
    My family loves this recipe so much, I had to go to the store in February and buy the zucchini that I usually grow in my garden, but we couldn’t wait. They were begging me to make this recipe. I triple the recipe because I share it with my neighbors I also use the copycat blooming onion sauce from Outback, I can’t thank you enough for this wonderful recipe totally enjoyed by my neighborhood

    Reply
    1. Erin
      March 5, 2025

      Thank you so much Diane!

      Reply

Hi, I’m Erin!

Can I pour you a glass of wine? Let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Maybe some pasta? A juicy steak? I’ve got loads of yummy, easy recipes for you! Because cooking should feel as comfy as your favorite yoga pants. ♥

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