Air Fryer Zucchini Curly Fries

It's zucchini season and I am excited about these delicious air fryer zucchini curly fries! If you want crispy, curly fries the whole family will love and that you can feel good about serving, you’re going to love this one.

Zucchini is a delicious, versatile veggie and there are so many great things you can do with it, but one of my favorites is making zucchini curly fries. It’s also a great way to sneak the vegetables in for kids or picky eaters who don’t get enough.

Maybe you’ve never thought about eating zucchini this way, but once you try it, you’re sure to fall in love. Not only does it taste great, but it’s also very easy to make even on a busy day. With an air fryer, you can just pop it in and let the machine do most of the work.

 

Why You’ll Love these Zucchini Fries

There are so many reasons to love these fries.

• First, they are super easy to make.
• Secondly, they are nice and crispy as you could expect from traditional potato fries.
• Another great reason is that zucchini is easy to come by in the summer months. Lots of zucchini may also mean you’re looking for new ways to enjoy it.
• These fries are soon going to be at the top of your family's list for how to cook zucchini

What You Need to Make Them

If these yummy curly zucchini fries sound good, you just need to try them for yourself. I love that they are really so simple to make. The air fryer just makes it all the easier. You can eliminate the need to make it in a skillet or in an oil deep fryer. They are good for you and very great tasting, too.

Now, if you’re sold on the idea of trying zucchini fries for yourself, here are the things you will need.

Supplies

Gather your kitchen supplies before you begin:

• Large colander – This will be to allow them to drain off some of their liquid.
• Spiralizer—If you want delicious curly fries, then this is a must-have! This awesome tool helps you make spirals from your zucchini, which you will then bread before you air fry them. I love my spiralizer(on Amazon)!
• Paper towels or clean kitchen towels—You also need towels to dry the noodles before you coat them with flour. You can use paper towels, or if you prefer to conserve, a clean kitchen cooking towel.
• Kitchen tongs—These help transfer your zucchini noodles from preparation to the air fryer (and you can also use them when you take them out of the fryer).
• Air fryer – And of course, if you’re doing to air fry them, then you’re going to need your air fryer.

Now let’s look at the food ingredients you will need also.

Ingredients

Next, what kind of food ingredients will you need? That’s simple enough. You just need the zucchini itself, along with ingredients to make the dry mixture for the outside (breading).

• Zucchini – 2 medium zucchini or 1 very large
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• Flour – 1.5 cups all-purpose
• Black Pepper – ½ teaspoon
• Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon

With all of that ready, you can now make your zucchini fries!

How to Make Zucchini Air Fryer Fries

 

Once you have gathered all of your supplies and ingredients, you will want to wash the zucchini first and cut off the ends. Then, you can use the spiralizer to cut it into curls.

Try different blades to vary thickness of the zucchini and other vegetables. My first batch was a little thin so I cut them larger for the next batch. Place the zucchini in the colander and toss it with salt to help pull out the water. Leave it for 10-15 minutes to drain. While the zucchini is draining, you can prepare the dry mixture. 

Now lay your zucchini noodles on the paper towels or kitchen towel to dry. Do not pat or squeeze them, but you can gently roll the towel if you want to extract the juice faster.

Next, you apply the mixture to the zucchini and then shake. Once you have prepped the zucchini noodles fully, they are ready to go in the air fryer. Set your timer and just wait!

Soon, you’ll be enjoying delicious, crispy zucchini fries. While you wait, you can prepare some of your favorite dipping sauce.

Tips for the Perfect Zucchini Fries Every Time

When you want to get the perfect crispy fries every time, these tips will help.

• If you salt the zucchini before cooking, it helps extract more liquid and makes it crispier.
• Don’t squeeze when drying your zucchini spirals. This will make them lose their shape. Just pat dry with a towel and let them air dry more.
• Add some variations to the traditional recipe for added fun!
• Spray some nonstick cooking spray into your air fryer before cooking.

I’ve also found that practice makes perfect. The more times I try this recipe, the better I get it to my family’s liking.

Variations on the Recipe

While the basic recipe above is simple and delicious, you may want to mix it up with some different variations, according to your tastes and flavor profiles. There are many great ways you can do variations of this recipe and I definitely recommend you try some for yourself.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Add smoked paprika to your mixture for color and flavor
• Sprinkle some fresh Parmesan cheese on while they are still hot
• Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to turn up the heat
• Add some fresh herbs from the garden like parsley, garlic, dill, etc.
• Use Italian seasoning in your mixture for different flavor combinations
• Use a bread crumb mixture to coat your zucchini noodles instead of flour for even more crispiness

But you don’t have to stop there. If it sounds like it might be a good seasoning for your fries and you want to give it a go, then go for it! Part of the fun of cooking is being able to blend and mix our own creations. And this zucchini fry recipe is so easy, there’s a lot of room for making it in different ways.

What To Serve With Zucchini Fries

Honestly, the first time I made these, I ate them all right out of the air fryer basket: they are completely addictive.

If you have more self-control than I do, try eating your zucchini fried with these:

• roasted tomato sauce
• dip them in your favorite dipping sauce, try Aioli
• eat them with your burgers
•  side dish for meat meals

More Zucchini Recipes

When zucchini season is here, you'll need lots of recipes, so here are a few we love:

• Zucchini, caramelized onions, and toasted almonds
• Grilled Italian zucchini with parmesan
• Chocolate chip zucchini bread
• 37 more quick and easy zucchini recipes, so you never get tired of eating the same 😉

Air Fryer Zucchini Curly Fries FAQ

Now that you know how to make them, let’s take a look at some common questions.

How do you make zucchini fries curly?

You can make your zucchini fries curly with a spiralizer tool. If you don’t have one, you may be able to use knife techniques and slice your zucchini noodles thin, and manually curl them in order to get the same effect, but it will just be more work.

How long should I cook curly fries in the air fryer?

It will typically take about 10 minutes in the air fryer, depending on how thick your zucchini pieces are. Keep an eye on it and look for it to be a nice, golden brown for the best crispness.

Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

You can preheat the air fryer for a few minutes at 400 degrees, for best results.

Can you make these from frozen zucchini?

This recipe doesn’t typically work well with frozen zucchini, unfortunately. When you thaw it out, the zucchini becomes soft and mushy and won’t crisp up well, even when air fried.

Can you bake instead of air frying?

Absolutely! You can use the same methods above but then bake your zucchini fries, rather than air fry them, if you choose. I made it both ways last time I cooked zucchini curls. Here's my baking pan when it came out of the oven.

 

We Love Our Air Fryer Zucchini Curly Fries 

Whether you grow your own, get them from neighbors, or buy them from the market, you’re going to want to stock up on zucchini so you can fully enjoy these delicious recipe ideas. As you can see, the cooking process is quite easy.

When you have the zucchini, you can make your air fryer zucchini curly fries any time you want with just a few minutes of prep and cook time. These are a huge favorite with kids, and they also make a nice movie snack, or finger food at a party or get-together this summer.

How will you serve your air fryer zucchini curly fries?