These air fryer zucchini fritters are super easy to make and are a guaranteed crowd favorite. They're perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. Enjoy this classic summer side dish without all the oil!
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Fresh zucchini is a must-have in your kitchen, especially during the warm summer months. It's one of those vegetables that's easy to use in many recipes. You can enjoy it in so many of my recipes like parmesan roasted zucchini, zucchini quiche, and even a creamy zucchini soup.
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📖Why My Recipe Works
- Air Fryer Method- Cooking in the air fryer helps achieve an exceptionally crispy fritter while keeping everything clean and without oil splashing around.
- Chilling Time- They don't need long but chilling the fritters will help them hold together in the air fryer.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini- Grated and with the excess moisture squeezed out. This recipe uses 1 to 2 medium zucchini.
- Breadcrumbs- Use any brand you like. For gluten-free, I like to use my homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs recipe, but you can also use any store-bought GF breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan Cheese- Pecorino Romano will also work well.
- Fresh Parsley- Use any fresh herbs that you like, some great options are fresh dill or chives.
- Seasonings- Season the fritters with onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Yogurt Dill Sauce- Optional dipping sauce. You can also serve these fritters with my homemade basil pesto, red pepper crema, or dip in san marzano tomato sauce.
⏲️How to Make Zucchini Fritters in the Air Fryer
- Grate: Grate the zucchini using a box grater or food processor with a grating attachment. When measuring the zucchini push it down to ensure it is a full packed cup.
- Remove Moisture: It's important to wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This helps prevent soggy fritters and ensures they hold together well when cooked.
- Make the Batter: Mix the zucchini ingredients well so that the flavors are evenly distributed. Use a ¼ measuring cup to shape them into fritters.
- Make the Patties: When measuring the grated zucchini, make sure to push it down really well and pack in as much as you can. Otherwise, it will be a bit light. While preheating the air fryer, chill the patties in the fridge to firm them up and prevent them from falling apart.
- Fry: Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to fry the zucchini fritters in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook both sides for 7 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy.
🥗What to Serve with Zucchini Fritters
These crispy fritters are an easy snack or side dish that you can make any day of the week. I like serving them as a side to my roasted salmon with pineapple, shredded BBQ beef, steak bites, or Carolina grilled chicken.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tip
Don't salt the grated zucchini before squeezing it, that will just make it really mushy. Instead, make sure to place it in a towel and squeeze it to get as much water out as possible.
More Zucchini Recipes
Common Recipe Questions
Why are my zucchini fritters soggy?
Zucchini fritters usually turn soggy because of excess moisture in the zucchini. After grating, squeeze the zucchini tightly in a clean towel or cheesecloth to remove as much water as possible. You also want to make sure that you're preheating your air fryer before adding the fritters.
How do I make gluten-free zucchini fritters?
Make sure to use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make zucchini fritters gluten-free.
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📖 Recipe Card
Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs regular or gluten-free
- 1 large egg beaten
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- cooking spray or oil
- Yogurt Dill Sauce optional for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 F degrees.
- Grate the zucchini into clean towel, twist the towel to squeeze out the excess liquid from zucchini. Get as dry as possible.3 cups grated zucchini
- Add the zucchini to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Divide into 8 portions and shape into patties. Place the patties on a plate and refrigerator while you preheat the air fryer.½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 large egg, ½ cup parmesan cheese, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, cooking spray or oil
- Working in batches if needed. Place the zucchini patties in the air fryer and lightly spray with the cooking oil. Cook for 7 minutes. Flip and cook for another 7 minutes. Repeat until all the fritters are cooked.
- Serve with the yogurt dill sauce.Yogurt Dill Sauce
Sarah G says
Quick and easy.