Air fryer roasted zucchini is a simple, healthy side dish that is packed with flavor and ready in under 15 minutes! Super versatile and easy to make, this roasted zucchini in the air fryer is a great way to use up your summer produce but is a really great recipe for any time of the year.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy – you can’t get much simpler than making roasted zucchini in the air fryer. It comes out perfectly every time and is so simple to make.
- Simple ingredients – air fryer roasted zucchini uses just 5 ingredients you likely already have in the fridge and pantry. Zucchini, olive oil and spices is all you need to make this healthy side dish. Because of the simple ingredients, this air fryer zucchini fits in just about every diet/way of eating including vegan, gluten free, dairy free, paleo, low carb, keto and Whole30.
- Versatile – change up the flavors by using a different spice blend or using a sauce to drizzle over top after cooking. This roasted zucchini in the air fryer is the easiest side dish to go alongside any meal – breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
- Zucchini – Use small or medium sized zucchini for the best flavor and texture. Larger zucchinis tend to hold more water and can be less sweet. If you roast large zucchini, you may notice the flavor and texture are different since the large zucchini can be spongier in texture.
- Olive oil – olive oil coats the zucchini and ensure the spices stick during cooking. The olive oil also helps the zucchini get a slight crispy crust during roasting. You can use your favorite cooking oil (avocado oil, coconut oil, ghee, butter, etc.)
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, dried thyme – these spices help to give the zucchini lots of flavor and also go with just about any meal. The salt elevates the flavor, the garlic powder provides umami and the dried thyme compliments the sweetness of the zucchini well.
How to make roasted zucchini in the air fryer
Start by cutting the top and bottom off the zucchini. Then cut the zucchini in half lengthwise (making 2 half moon shaped logs. Cut each half in half again lengthwise, creating 4 spears.
Cut the zucchini spears down into 1-inch pieces. Toss the zucchini in a bowl.
Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the spices over top of the zucchini and stir well.
Put zucchini in air fryer basket and cook at 400F for 12 minutes. Pause and shake the basket 2-3 times during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Serve hot, the roasted zucchini is best right out of the air fryer.
Top tips
- Cut the zucchini into similar size pieces to ensure everything gets cooked evenly.
- Place a parchment paper or silicone liner in the air fryer basket for easy clean up.
- The zucchini can slightly overlap in the basket, as you will stop and shake the basket 2-3 times during cooking, which will help the zucchini all get cooked through. Also as the zucchini cook they tend to shrink down as they lose water.
- Exact cooking time will vary based on your air fryer and how much zucchini you put in the basket. The air fryer works by circulating heat through the basket to cook the food from all sides. The fuller the basket, the longer the cooking time. So the size of your air fryer will make a difference on cooking time. Also the exact wattage and how powerful your air fryer may change the cooking time slightly. Start checking the zucchini around 10 minutes.
Other spice combinations
Change up the flavor profile of the roasted zucchini by using different spice blends. Here are some of my favorite combinations:
- Cajun – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- Taco – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- Italian – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- Everything bagel – only use half the salt and garlic powder indicated in the recipe and replace dried thyme with 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
- Spicy – add 1/8 – ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Greek – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Herbs de provence – add 1 teaspoon herbs de provence to the spices listed.
- Curry – replace dried thyme with ½ teaspoon curry powder and ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
- Smoky – replace dried thyme with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
How to serve air fryer roasted zucchini
- Serve with your favorite sauce or dip for a fun side dish. I love this with lemon herb tahini dip, sriracha mayo, vegan buffalo sauce, or a creamy white bean pesto for dipping.
- As a side dish: Serve alongside of buffalo chicken, burgers, tahini crusted salmon or lentils and rice for a super simple meal.
- On salads or grain bowls. Serve with yellow rice, black beans, and creamy lime tahini dressing for a super flavorful grain bowl.
- For breakfast with eggs for a super simple, filling breakfast
- Add to pasta – this air fryer roasted zucchini would be a great addition to creamy lemon tahini pasta or as a replacement for the broccoli in vegan broccoli pasta.
Common questions
What to look for when buying zucchini
Zucchini are grown primarily during the summer and early fall. You will want to find small to medium sized zucchini that are a deep green with very few blemishes or brown spots. The larger the zucchini, the more water it has and the higher probability of the zucchini being less sweet and slightly soggy on the inside.
Do you need to peel zucchini before cooking?
No, the skin is full of fiber and nutrients. However, be sure to wash the outside to remove any dirt before cutting the zucchini.
Can you make this with yellow summer squash?
Yes, you can either add yellow summer squash or replace the zucchini with summer squash as they cook up very similarly.
Can you add other vegetables?
Yes! You could easily make this into a roasted veggie side dish by adding yellow squash, tomatoes, bell peppers (red, orange or yellow are best) or red onions to the zucchini before cooking in the air fryer. Be sure not to overcrowd the basket or the zucchini could get soggy.
Can you make roasted zucchini in the oven?
Yes, if you need to make a large batch of roasted zucchini or don’t have an air fryer, you can use the oven. Preheat the oven to 425F.
Follow the same directions to cut the zucchini and add spices. Add the zucchini to parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cook 425F for 15 minutes (flip after 10 minutes) until crispy.
Storing leftovers
Fridge: You will be surprised how quickly this air fryer roasted zucchini disappears. I would be surprised if you had any leftovers. If you do have leftover zucchini, store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The zucchini really is best hot right out of the air fryer so I would recommend only cooking what you need for the best results.
Reheat roasted zucchini in the air fryer 360F for 4-5 minutes or in the skillet over medium heat with a bit of oil. You can also reheat in the microwave, but the texture may be mushier than the other 2 options.
Freezer: I do not recommend freezing leftover zucchini unless you plan on blending them up in a soup or using in a frittata or soup when defrosted because of how the texture will change.
Substitutions
- Zucchini – you can also use any summer squash (yellow squash, patty pan squash) in place of the zucchini.
- Olive oil – the olive oil helps the spices stick to the zucchini and helps create a nice crisp crust on the zucchini as it’s cooking. You can also use avocado oil, melted coconut oil, melted butter or ghee in place of the olive oil.
- Spices – See all the spice ideas above.
If you love this recipe, you should try
Zucchini and Squash in the Air Fryer
Frozen Brussel Sprouts in Air Fryer or Oven
Frozen Cauliflower in the air fryer
Roasted Zucchini Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Cut zucchini into 1 inch pieces. Cut the top and bottom off the zucchini. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then in half again (4 long strips). Cut the strips down into 1 inch pieces.
- Add zucchini to a bowl and add olive oil and spices. Stir well.
- Add zucchini to air fryer basket and turn on 400F for 12 minutes. Pause the air fryer during the last 5 minutes to shake the basket 2-3 times.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Cut the zucchini into similar size pieces to ensure everything gets cooked evenly.
- Place a parchment paper or silicone liner in the air fryer basket for easy clean up.
- The zucchini can slightly overlap in the basket, as you will stop and shake the basket 2-3 times during cooking, which will help the zucchini all get cooked through. Also as the zucchini cook they tend to shrink down as they lose water.
- Exact cooking time will vary based on your air fryer and how much zucchini you put in the basket. The air fryer works by circulating heat through the basket to cook the food from all sides. The fuller the basket, the longer the cooking time. So the size of your air fryer will make a difference on cooking time. Also the exact wattage and how powerful your air fryer may change the cooking time slightly. Start checking the zucchini around 10 minutes.
- Cajun – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- Taco – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- Italian – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- Everything bagel – only use half the salt and garlic powder indicated in the recipe and replace dried thyme with 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
- Spicy – add 1/8 – ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Greek – replace the dried thyme with 1 teaspoon italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Herbs de provence – add 1 teaspoon herbs de provence to the spices listed.
- Curry – replace dried thyme with ½ teaspoon curry powder and ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
- Smoky – replace dried thyme with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
