Air Fryer Zucchini (Keto)
Air fryer zucchini is a delicious way to use all the fresh summer zucchini! This recipe is a perfect keto side dish and a yummy low carb alternative to fries.
By this time of year, we are up to our ears in zucchini. These air fryer zucchini sticks turn this veggie into a crunchy, flavor packed side dish. We’ve lightened it up with some substitutions to keep the carb count in check.
The result feels kind of like fries but lighter and even yummier. Plus it pairs perfectly with almost any main dish you can think of.
If you’re looking for a more traditional fried zucchini recipe that doesn’t cut carbs try our zucchini fritte made with crisp panko breadcrumbs.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Zucchini – Pick medium zucchinis that feel firm to the touch and don’t have many marks or bruises. Make sure to pic up a few extras and try one of these awesome zucchini recipes.
- Eggs – Beaten eggs add protein and give the coating a surface to stick to.
- Almond flour or coconut flour – Either almond or coconut flour make a good low carb alternative to breadcrumbs and flour. In our recipe we used almond flour only but you can use a combination of both flours or coconut flour only if you prefer. I think almond flour gives the breading the best texture.
- Grated parmesan cheese – Fresh grated parmesan cheese adds a bit of extra salty crispiness to the outside of the wedges.
- Spices – Garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper add flavor to this recipe.
More Delicious Keto Zucchini Recipes
- Zucchini Soup
- Taco Zucchini Boats {Keto}
- Cheesy Baked Zucchini Casserole {Keto}
- Chicken Alfredo Zucchini Lasagna {Low Carb}
Instructions
This is super easy to make and should only take a few minutes of prep. Follow these steps for best results.
Step 1 – Prep the zucchini. First, wash your zucchini in the sink using cool water. When the zucchini is clean, use a sharp knife to cut off the ends. Carefully quarter the zucchini lengthwise so they form long zucchini sticks. Cut each stalk in half and set aside.
Step 2 – Salt Zucchini. Zucchini has a lot of water in it so you’ll want to remove as much as you can before frying it. To do this lightly sprinkle the wedges of zucchini with salt then place them on a double layer of paper towels and let them sit for 15 minutes, then flip them over and let them sit for another 15 minutes. You’ll see the paper towel getting damp as the water is pulled from the zucchini pieces. Use another paper towel to pat away an excess moisture.
Step 3 – Preheat the air fryer. You will want to preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Preheat the air fryer can vary between brands. I use the COSORI Air Fryer, which allows me to preheat the air fryer easily while I prepare the zucchini for cooking.
Step 4 – Mix the breading and eggs. In a small bowl, combine the almond/coconut flour, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. In another, crack open the eggs and pour the whole egg into another small bowl. With a whisk or fork, beat the egg until the yolk is fully mixed into the white part of the egg.
Step 5 – Coat the zucchini sticks. Using your fingers or tongs, dunk the zucchini sticks one at a time into the beaten eggs. Coat the entire zucchini stick and then place in the breading bowl. Turn each stick around until you coat the entire stick in the breading.
Step 6 – Fry the zucchini. When the zucchini sticks are all coated and the air fryer is preheated, carefully add the sticks to the air fryer basket. Make sure you leave a little space between the spears. You may need to do more than one batch depending on the size of your fryer’s basket. Set your air fryer to cook the zucchini for 15 minutes or until the outer coating has browned and is crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Zucchini has a low carb count, making it a great veggie choice if you are following a keto diet. A cup of zucchini clocks in at about 3 grams of net carbs.
My zucchini fries recipe has a total of 4 grams of net carbs per serving. The serving size is 4 fries. If you follow a low carb or keto diet, make sure you account for the carbs in the fries. This recipe makes about 4 full servings, so you have plenty to share with family and friends.
The number one reason fried zucchini gets soggy is because you didn’t take the time to salt it in advance and allow the excess moisture to be pulled from it. Make sure you allow for a little extra time to do it right and you’ll love the results.
You cook zucchini at 400 degrees in the air fryer for 15 minutes. This gives you a perfectly crisp crust on the outside and tender zucchini on the inside.
What to Serve Them With
You can eat air fryer zucchini fries on their own as a snack. They pair great with one of our favorite dipping sauces such as lemon aoili, ranch dressing, marinara sauce, or keto tzatziki sauce. If you want something spicy you can give our peri peri sauce a try!
They also make a great side for main dishes like my Keto Meatloaf recipe or my Keto Instant Pot Roast. If you love pork chops, you can serve zucchini fries with my Air Fryer Pork Chops.
They also pair great with seafood. You could serve the zucchini fries with my Citrus Marinated Grilled Shrimp recipe, or pistachio crusted salmon.
More Air Fryer Recipes
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Air Fryer Zucchini
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut in half widthwise
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 2 Eggs , beaten
- ½ cup Almond flour
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly sprinkle the wedges of zucchini with salt then place them on a double layer of paper towels and let them sit for 15 minutes, then flip them over and let them sit for another 15 minutes.
- Combine the almond/coconut flour, parmesan cheese and seasonings in a shallow bowl and place beaten eggs in another shallow bowl.
- Dredge zucchini in egg then almond/coconut flour, Parmesan mixture.
- Add the zucchini fries to the Airfryer basket, making sure not to fill it too full.
- Cook for 15 mins or until crispy.
Notes
Nutrition
