What does one do when all the summer zucchini starts coming in? Leave some on your neighbor’s doorstep under the cover of darkness? Take bags to the office? Instead, try this easy Air Fryer Zucchini and Squash recipe that no one can stop eating!
In just 20 minutes, you can have this delicious crispy seasonal low carb side dish on your dinner table and there will be no leftovers. Technically speaking, these air fried roasted Zucchini and summer squash should serve 4 adults. Shhh…Don’t tell anyone but we’ve been known to polish off the whole darn plate ourselves. It’s that good!
These healthy summer vegetables are tender on the inside but crispy and golden on the outside with a simple garlic lemon seasoning. Until you have tried zucchini in the air fryer without breading or extra oil, you have no idea what you have been missing out on.
Do you have zucchini (courgetti) and yellow summer squash growing in your garden? Don’t wait until they are so large you could use them as a floatation device. (smiling) Pick them small for this recipe and try our Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms.
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Why it Works
- This way of cooking zucchini and squash is simple and light. It’s happily vegan, paleo, whole30, gluten-free and keto friendly.
- Eating seasonally allows you to enjoy the natural sweetness of your garden’s bounty and is budget friendly.
- Easy to find ingredients and uses common household staples.
- Great way to use up all the zucchini along with our Mediterranean Veggie Wraps and Homemade Tagliatelle Pasta with Zucchini Blossoms.
- Roasting zucchini in the air fryer keeps the house cool on those hot steamy days and frees up the burners on the stove.
- Delicious vegetable side dish for Tea Smoked Chicken Legs or Mediterranean Baked Fish.
- Air frying means you don’t heat up the whole house by firing up the oven!
Ingredients
Zucchini (courgetti) – or can use all yellow summer squash
Yellow summer squash – (straight neck squash) or just use all zucchini
Olive oil - extra virgin if you have that on hand
Fresh Garlic – or can substitute with dried garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Zest – optional but really makes this dish pop
Dried Red Pepper Flakes – optional - just a dash if you like a little heat
Garnished with fresh lemon slices, tomato slices from the garden and chiffonade basil.
How to Make
- Slice the zucchini and summer yellow squash into ¼ inch slices.
- Toss with olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
- Air fry zucchini and squash at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for 7 minutes. (We used the air fryer basket not this lined platter to air fry the vegetables. However, to keep the mess down whilst taking the photo, its in this lined platter)
- Turn over halfway through and air fry for another 7 to 8 minutes or until toasty golden.
- Zest lemon on top, add dried red hot pepper flakes and garnish with basil if desired.
Equipment
Cosori Deluxe S 26-qt. 10-in-1 Smart Toaster Oven was used with the basket for air frying. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches. You do not want the squash and zucchini to overlap so that it stays crispy like our Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce.
Variations
- Feel free to use all yellow summer squash or zucchini. We are all about using what you have on hand.
- Do you prefer zucchini fries instead of slices? You can cut up the summer vegetables any way you desire. Try a few layered up in our Whole30 make ahead lunch cups.
- Experiment with different herbs and spices. We love keeping this Italian side dish simple with garlic, lemon zest and sometimes dried red pepper flakes. However, basil, thyme, oregano, herbs de Provence and even everything bagel seasoning are delicious additions.
- If you are not vegan or lactose intolerant, parmesan cheese is a delicious topping and gives this recipe a little added crunch.
Top Tips
- To keep the air fryer squash and zucchini crisp, do not overlap the slices in the air fryer basket. If need be, cook in smaller batches.
- For optimal results, use the air fryer basket instead of the baking pan. The rationale for this choice is that the convection heat gets to both sides of the vegetables so that they get crisp. If you have a toaster oven style air fryer like us, just line the baking pan underneath the fry basket to catch any drips for easy cleanup. We tested the recipe both ways and hands down, the basket wins.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C), while you are prepping the vegetables. A high heat prevents the zucchini from getting soggy while it I cooking.
- Don’t use too much oil. A teaspoon or so is really all you need.
- Turn the summer veggies halfway in the cooking process.
- Keeping the squash and zucchini slices all about ¼ inch thick allows for more even cooking.
How to Serve
- This healthy zucchini side dish is delicious with Grilled Swordfish with Crab Salsa, in a Buddha bowl, or with Marinated Grilled Flank Steaks to name just a few.
- If you are serving to guests, try stacking and alternating zucchini and squash in a circle for a beautiful presentation. As we first eat with our eyes, we added fresh garden tomato slices, lemon slices and basil to garnish.
- If by some odd coincidence you actually have air fryer zucchini and squash leftovers, add them to Italian Scrambled Eggs for breakfast.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
In a preheated 400-degree F (204 degrees C) air fryer, it takes approximately 12 to 15 minutes total to cook ¼ inch sliced zucchini.
There are 3 key ways to prevent it from getting soggy.
1) Cook zucchini in the air fryer
2) Do not use too much oil and make sure your zucchini slices are not overlapping. 3) It is best to use the air fryer basket and to turn the vegetables midway during the cooking process.
Sometimes we refer to both zucchini and squash as summer squash which can be quite confusing. However, there are some basic differences.
Zucchini (also known as a courgetti) is usually green in color and relatively straight in shape and has a little bit less seeds compared to a yellow squash.
Yellow squash is usually bright yellow in color and can have a straight neck (younger) or have a crooked neck (more mature with more seeds and external bumps). We find that they have a few more seeds compared to a zucchini. If you want a mellow tasting yellow squash similar to the taste of a zucchini, choose the straight neck younger yellow squash.
More Summer Vegetable Recipes
Favorite Provençal Ratatouille Recipe
Super Easy Grilled Asian Eggplant
Italian Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Crispy Curry Chicken Legs
Banana Spring Rolls (Air Fryer Method)
Air Fryer Ribs (Chinese Style Garlic Ribs)
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Air Fryer Zucchini and Squash
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
Fried Zucchini
- 1 zucchini small , sliced in about ¼ inch thick
- 1 yellow squash small , sliced in about ¼ inch thick
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic fresh (peeled and minced)
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil spray to prevent sticking on air fryer basket
Garnishes
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional but delicious
- dried red pepper flakes optional to your desired level of heat
- 1 tablespoon basil optional - fresh Chiffonade cut
- tomato optional - fresh sliced
- lemon slices optional as garnish
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
- Slice zucchini and yellow summer squash in ¼ inch circle slices. Peel and mince fresh garlic.
- Place squash and zucchini slices in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
- Spray air fryer basket lightly with a little oil spray. Lay the prepared zucchini and squash in a single layer in the basket. (If you have a small air fryer, you may have to make this recipe in more than one batch.)
- Air fry zucchini and squash for 7 minutes on one side. Then, carefully turn the veggies over to cook on the other side for another 5 to 8 minutes or until slightly golden and toasty. The exact time required to cook will depend on the size you sliced your vegetables. They should be fork tender but slightly crispy on the outside.
- Place the air fried squash and zucchini on a platter. Arrange in a overlapping circular design, if desired. Garnish with lemon zest, dried red pepper flakes and fresh basil if you like. We also added a few fresh garden tomatoes on the platter for serving.
- Enjoy hot!
Video
Notes
- To keep the air fryer squash and zucchini crisp, do not overlap the slices in the air fryer basket. If need be, cook in smaller batches.
- For optimal results, use the air fryer basket instead of the baking pan. The rationale for this choice is that the convection heat gets to both sides of the vegetables so that they get crisp. If you have a toaster oven style air fryer like us, just line the baking pan underneath the fry basket to catch any drips for easy cleanup. We tested the recipe both ways and hands down, the basket wins.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C), while you are prepping the vegetables. A high heat prevents the zucchini from getting soggy while it I cooking.
- Don’t use too much oil. A teaspoon or so is really all you need.
- Turn the summer veggies halfway in the cooking process.
- Keeping the squash and zucchini slices all about ¼ inch thick allows for more even cooking.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
YUM... Now this is how I want to enjoy my veggies. Your seasoning blend is outstanding!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Heidi. The zucchini and squash are delicious with garlic, lemon and little dash of red pepper flakes. Simple - but so good.
Hannah says
Love it so much! I prepare zucchini like this all the time. It doesn't take much to become amazingly delicious!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Hannah! Just a few simple ingredients but so tasty. A great way to use up all that zucchini.