Air Fryer Zucchini Bites For Two is a yummy veggie dish. Zucchini coated with seasoned panko breadcrumbs is air-fried until crispy and golden!
Today I want to share a yummy recipe for Air Fryer Zucchini Bites (for two). When it’s hot outside and our garden is producing lots of zucchini, I’m always looking for new ways to cook them for my husband and myself.
When I photographed this recipe, it was close to100°F. outside… and it was plain old HOT! That day was definitely time to use an alternate method of cooking to stay cool!
I tend to use my air fryer, crockpot or Instant Pot a lot during the overly hot days of summer. It’s wonderful, because it’s a simple way to not heat up our kitchen and still get meals on the table! This recipe is perfect for a quick side dish, and the best part is it can really be enjoyed any time!
I found the recipe online and made a few little tweaks to suit our needs (and tastebuds), and it’s a keeper! I’m sure you will enjoy this easy veggie dish. Here’s how to make air Fryer Zucchini Bites (for two):
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Make A Crumb Topping For The Zucchini
Measure panko breadcrumbs, finely grated Parmesan cheese, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes into a small bowl.
Stir until these topping ingredients for the zucchini are combined. NOTE: The red pepper flakes are optional, so if you don’t want to use them, just leave them out!
Prepare The Zucchini
To make this recipe for two people (as written), you will need two small to medium zucchinis. I was fortunate to be able to grow these (shown below) in our little backyard raised bed garden, so I was thrilled to be able to use and photograph them for this blog post.
Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice each piece in half (lengthwise) again. You should end up with 4 long zucchini quarters for each zucchini (shown at the top of the photo below).
Lay the zucchini slices cut side down and slice each quarter long piece into ¾” pieces (shown at the bottom of the photo below).
Coat And Season The Zucchini
Drizzle olive oil over the zucchini pieces and then stir or toss the zucchini until all pieces have an olive oil coating on them. It’s important for the zucchini to be covered with the oil, so the panko breadcrumb topping will have something to adhere to.
Pour the seasoned panko breadcrumb topping over the oil-covered zucchini. Gently toss until all the zucchini bites have been lightly covered with the topping.
Cook The Air Fryer Zucchini Bites
Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F. Once preheated, place the coated zucchini bites in the basket in an even, single layer. There is no need to spray the basket, because all the zucchini pieces have an olive oil coating, so they shouldn’t stick!
Cooking the zucchini bites in a single layer allows the zucchini to cook more efficiently as the hot air can circulate better. NOTE: If you are doubling or tripling this recipe, you may need to cook the zucchini in batches (keeping previous batches warm in the oven).
Cook the zucchini bites at 400°F. for 7-9 minutes. Shake or rotate the zucchini a couple times during the cooking time for even cooking. Do this by removing the basket and gently flipping them over, using a spatula.
Keep An Eye On the Zucchini Bites
Keep an eye on the zucchini. Check them around the 6-minute mark for tenderness, so you don’t overcook them (there’s nothing delicious about mushy zucchini, is there?).
When I make this dish, the zucchini I use are typically done at right around 7 minutes. The cooking time can vary a bit depending on the air fryer used or the thickness and size of the zucchini pieces used.
When they’re done, the zucchini should be tender to the bite, slightly al dente and definitely NOT mushy! The panko crumb topping should also be a light golden brown in color.
Serve And Enjoy!
My husband and I enjoyed the air fryer zucchini bites served with creamy crockpot pork chops and mashed potatoes (with gravy from the pork chops!). It was a nice, “comfort food” style meal and we enjoyed every single bite!
The air fryer zucchini bites have a little bit of a crunch from the panko crumb topping, they’re seasoned well, and they are not “mushy” or overcooked, which is awesome.
I hope you have the chance to make these delicious air fryer zucchini bites and trust you’ll enjoy them as much as we do! This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to meet your needs, and it’s a yummy veggie side dish I’m sure you’ll enjoy!
Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.
Looking For More AIR FRYER Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of air fryer recipes to check out, including:
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Bites
- Air Fryer Cheddar Biscuits
- Air Fryer Chicken Chimichangas
- Blackberry Air Fryer Handpies
- Air Fryer Crispy Mini Potatoes
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Recipe adapted from and with thanks to Erin Clarke, at: Air Fryer Zucchini – WellPlated.com
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Air Fryer Zucchini Bites For Two is a yummy veggie dish. Zucchini coated with seasoned panko breadcrumbs is air-fried until crispy and golden!
- 2 small/med. zucchini about ¾ pound in total
- ¾ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ Tablespoons Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
- 1 Tablespoon panko bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- tiny pinch of red pepper flakes (if desired) OPTIONAL
Measure panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes into a small bowl. Stir until combined.
Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice each piece in half (lengthwise) again. You should end up with 4 long zucchini quarters for each zucchini. Lay the zucchini slices cut side down; slice each piece into ¾" pieces.
Drizzle olive oil over zucchini pieces; gently toss until all pieces have olive oil on them. Pour the seasoned panko breadcrumbs over the oil-covered zucchini. Gently toss until all zucchini bites are lightly covered with the panko mixture.
Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F. Once preheated, place zucchini bites in the basket in a single layer for best heat/air circulation. NOTE: If doubling or tripling recipe, cook zucchini in batches (keep previous batches warm in oven).
Cook zucchini at 400°F. for 7-9 minutes. Shake or flip zucchini a couple times during cooking time for even cooking. Keep an eye on the zucchini. Check it at the 6-minute mark for tenderness, to ensure they don't overcook. Cooking time can vary slightly, depending on the thickness/size of zucchini used.
When done, zucchini bites should be golden brown, tender, slightly al dente and NOT mushy! Remove from the air fryer basket and serve immediately while hot. Enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!