Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips are thin rounds of zucchini coated in seasoned Parmesan breadcrumbs and air fried until crispy and golden. They give you all the crunch of a fried snack with a fraction of the oil, and they’re a sneaky good way to get picky eaters to eat their vegetables. Serve them with marinara or ranch for dipping. Made with pantry staples, they’re ready in about 20 minutes and serve 4.

Zucchini season means one thing: you have too much zucchini and a growing sense of obligation about it.

This is one of the good ways to deal with it.

Slice you zucchini thin, coat in seasoned Parmesan breadcrumbs, and air fry until they’re crispy, golden, and disappear off the plate faster than you can make them.

All the crunch of a fried snack, a fraction of the oil, and no giant pot of grease to deal with afterward.

The real magic though is that kids eat these. Vegetables, breaded and crispy and served with a little ranch for dipping, apparently stop registering as vegetables.

I’m not going to question it. If you’re an air fryer person like me, I have more of these delicious recipes to try.

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More Air Fryer Favorites

• Air Fryer Blooming Onion – crispy shareable pull apart party starter
• Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli – crispy breaded ravioli with marinara
• Air Fryer Fried Pickles – tangy crunchy pickles with no deep frying
• Air Fryer Potato Chips – thin crispy homemade chips in minutes

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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Zucchini – Slice it into even 1/4 inch rounds so they crisp at the same rate. A mandoline makes quick, uniform work of this, but a steady hand and a sharp knife are fine.

Breadcrumbs – Panko gives the best crunch. Regular breadcrumbs work, and gluten free crumbs swap in with no problems.

Parmesan Cheese– Mixed right into the breadcrumb coating for a salty, savory crust. Grate your own so it sticks and crisps properly.

Eggs – These are the glue. The egg wash is what makes the breadcrumbs actually stick to the slippery zucchini instead of falling off in the basket or in your dip.

Seasoning – Paprika, salt, and pepper are the base. My Homemade Italian Seasoning in the breadcrumb mix takes them up a level.

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How To Make Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Storage & Reheating

Best Fresh: These are at their crispiest straight out of the air fryer, so serve them right away if you can.

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. They’ll soften as they sit.

Reheat: Back in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp them up again. Skip the microwave unless soggy zucchini is the goal, and it isn’t.

Don’t Freeze: Zucchini is mostly water and turns mushy after thawing. These are a make-and-eat situation.

Variations

Spicy: Add cayenne or red pepper flakes to the breadcrumb mix for a little heat.

Extra Cheesy: Bump up the Parmesan, or add a little shredded cheddar to the coating.

Different Dip: Serve with marinara, Ranch, Garlic Aioli, or my Homemade Buttermilk Ranch for dipping.

Zucchini Fries: Cut the zucchini into sticks instead of rounds for dippable fries. You might need to add a little time since they are thicker.

Different Seasoning: Swap the Italian seasoning for my Homemade Ranch Seasoning or Homemade Cajun Seasoning in the coating.

How Do You Keep Zucchini Chips From Getting Soggy?

Soggy zucchini chips come down to one thing: water. Zucchini is full of it, and if you don’t pull some out before cooking, it steams the coating from the inside and you get soft chips instead of crispy ones.

The fix is to salt the slices and let them sit for about 10 minutes. The salt draws the moisture to the surface, then you pat it away with paper towels. Skipping this step is the number one reason zucchini chips turn out limp.

After that, don’t crowd the basket. The slices need space and airflow to crisp up, so work in batches if you have to. Crowded chips steam each other, and then you’re back to soggy.

One of my new favorite ways to eat zucchini is this Chicken and Zucchini Salad. It’s light, fresh, and full of flavors and textures. Or make something sweet like this best zucchini bread!

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Salt the thin slices and pat them dry first. It’s the single biggest factor in crispy chips.
• Slice evenly, ideally with a mandoline, so everything crisps at the same rate.
• Don’t crowd the basket. Airflow is what makes them crisp, so cook in batches if needed.
• Spray the tops lightly with oil to help them brown and crisp.
• Serve immediately, since they soften the longer they sit.

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This Air Fryer Zucchini Chips recipe is crispy, cheesy, and the best way to use up that summer zucchini. Make a batch with your favorite dip and watch them vanish!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!

{Originally published 9/15/2020 – photos and notes updated 07/30/26}

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