Making zucchini fritters in the air fryer couldn’t be easier! Crispy crunch on the outside, and fluffy and tender on the inside, they’re the perfect vegetable appetizer or vegetable side dish. Delicious with a dipping sauce like chipotle lime mayo. Ready in less than 30 minutes!
Are you as obsessed as I am with air fryer recipes?! Don’t get me wrong, sous vide is still my number 1 (I even wrote a cookbook about it: Everyday Sous Vide), but the air fryer is a great accompaniment.
Whenever I’ve tried to make zucchini fritters in the past, they were soggy, drenched in oil, and flavorless. No more! I’m obsessed with these zucchini fritters. They’re crunch on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and oh so good.
The air fryer gives them time to bake and puff up, while also letting the outside get thoroughly crisped and golden brown.
How to Make Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
These zucchini fritters are super easy! All you need to make them:
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Sugar
- Milk
- Egg
- Canola Oil
- Zucchinis
- Panko bread crumbs
Whisk together the dry ingredients, add the wet, then stir in the zucchini.
Combine the panko bread crumbs and salt, then roll balls of the zucchini mixture in the panko mixture. Place on a piece of parchment, then into the air fryer basket! Quick spritz of cooking spray, then air fry at 380 degrees F for 15 minutes, flipping once half way through.
Tips for Air Fryer Zucchini Fritter Success
- After you grate the zucchini, arrange a colander in a large bowl. Place the zucchini on a cheesecloth, and twist the cloth to squeeze as much water out as possible. You want to get rid of all the water you can!
- If you can swing it, refrigerating the batter before forming will make it so much easier!
- Spray the fritters again with cooking spray when you flip them.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
For dipping, I like to serve them with:
- Chipotle lime mayo
- A classic fry sauce
- Ranch
- Curry ketchup
- Guacamole
Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
- 3 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Cooking spray
Chipotle Lime Mayo
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
Instructions
- Line a colander with a cheesecloth or thin dish cloth. Toss grated zucchini with the 1 tsp kosher salt. Add to cloth lined colander and let sit for about 10 minutes. Squeeze the cloth to remove as much liquid as possible.
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and sugar.
- Add egg, milk, and canola oil and lightly mix. Add zucchini and mix thoroughly. If you have time, refrigerate this mixture for a half hour. It makes it easier to handle in the next steps!
- Combine Panko bread crumbs and remaining salt in a shallow bowl. Lay a piece of parchment paper that will fit in your air fryer’s basket on your work surface.
- Create 2 inch balls (they may not be perfectly spherical) from the zucchini mixture and roll in the panko mixture. Place on parchment paper, working in batches so they’ll fit in your air fryer in a single layer (I can do about 5 at a time).
- Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees F (you’ll cook for 15 mins). Once ready, pick up the parchment paper and place directly into the basket. Spray with cooking spray. Air fry for 15 minutes, flipping the fritters at 8 minutes.
- While the fritters are cooking, mix together all ingredients for the chipotle lime mayo. Taste and adjust salt and cayenne pepper to your preference.
- Serve the fritters with the chipotle lime mayo.
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