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Air Fryer Curly Zucchini Fries

These zucchini curly fries with herbs, cheese, and panko crumbs are delicious. While most would try to salt zucchini to help remove excess moisture, I found it caused my zucchini fries to burn. I used a spiralizer fitted to my Kitchenaid and used the larger spiralizer plate.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine south american
Servings 2 people
Calories 1009.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Spiralizer (KitchenAid attachment or standalone)
  • 3 Shallow Bowls
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Sheet Pan
  • 1 Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 large zucchini ends trimmed
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Cut zucchini into two or three 3-inch pieces, then spiralize each piece.
  • Whip egg in a shallow bowl until foamy. Carefully pour melted butter into egg and whip until blended.
  • Combine flour, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper in a second shallow bowl. Stir together panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a third bowl.
  • Dredge zucchini spirals in seasoned flour mixture, shaking off excess flour. Dip spirals in egg wash, allowing excess wash to drip off, and then dredge spirals in Parmesan-bread crumbs. Place on a clean sheet pan.
  • Set air fryer temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Set timer for 12 minutes. Transfer breaded zucchini fries into the air fryer basket in batches without crowding. Cook until crispy, about 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

To achieve optimal crispiness without burning, thoroughly pat the spiralized zucchini dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture, rather than salting. Ensure each spiral is evenly coated through the dry-wet-dry dredging process – a thin layer of flour, a complete dip in the butter-egg wash, and a generous press into the panko-Parmesan mix. Critically, avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket; cook in small batches to allow hot air to circulate freely, promoting even crisping. Overcrowding leads to steaming. For an enhanced flavor profile, consider adding a pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of cayenne to the flour mixture, or serving with a lemon-garlic aioli or spicy marinara.