Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries Recipe (Vegan & Oil Free)

I’ve had a lot of people ask me if I have air fryer recipes. And funny enough, I haven’t really tried much in my air fryer, even though I do have one….that my mom bought and left at my house… :-). It’s probably time to break out of my comfort zone and learn to use it!

So, I saw a recipe the other day for zucchini fries made in an air fryer that really peaked my interest. I’m always trying to find ways to sneak in more tasty non-starchy vegetables and I thought this would be fun to try.

How Much Oil to Use?

None! I looked at several different recipes online and was surprised at how many had egg and/or oil in them. What’s the point of using an air fryer if you’re going to put oil in it! I thought the point of air frying was NOT to cook with oil….LOL

You don’t need to add any oil or even spray the basket with oil. I didn’t have any problem with them sticking.

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What Kind of Air Fryer to Use?

There are so many air fryers on the market these days, that you really can’t go wrong. There is even now a new Instant Pot top that can convert your Instant Pot into an air fryer that’s gotten great reviews.

My mom had bought an Emeril Lagasse brand air fryer probably off of the T.V. and it’s worked really well.

I would just say read the reviews online and go with the air fryer that best fits your budget. No need to spend hundreds when you can get the job done with less expense.

How to Make Your Zucchini Fries Crispy

I put together a WFPB breading that you can tweak to fit your eating style. Mine combines both whole wheat bread crumbs and almond flour with spices, but you can adjust it if you want to be gluten free or nut free.

Go with all almond flour for gluten free or use all whole wheat bread crumbs for nut free & lower fat. I like the combo because it gets more crispy with the bread crumbs & flavor with the almond flour.

It’s also important to not overload your air fryer with the zucchini fries, but have a little space in between so the air can circulate, making them more crispy. Cook them in batches if you can’t fit them all in.

What to use instead of a regular egg

Also, it’s easy to not use an egg to make the breading stick. I went with the traditional 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 1/4 cup water whisked together and then sit for 5 minutes to create a “flax egg”.

I had to improvise a little because I couldn’t find the air fryer basket in my pantry…not sure if I ever had one, haha, so I used the egg basket thingy that came with my Instant Pot accessories to create a second level so I could do more in one batch. If you don’t have either, you can just do smaller batches on the bottom of your air fryer.

How to keep your zucchini fries from getting soggy

The only downside to this recipe is they don’t keep well in the fridge – they get soggy. So best served immediately. I like to dip them in marinara sauce or another good dipping sauce would be this Easy Vegan Ranch Dressing!

Crispy Vegan Air Fryer Zucchini Fries Recipe (without oil)

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 medium zucchini
• 1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons almond flour
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

• Combine the ground flaxseed & 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and whisk. Set aside for 5 minutes to create “flax egg”.
• Cut the ends off of each zucchini, then slice lengthwise in half and then once again to create long spears. Then slice zucchini spears in half so they are shorter & will fit in air fryer.

• In a medium bowl, combine whole wheat bread crumbs, almond flour, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, oregano, and smoked paprika. Mix well.
• Make an assembly line of zucchini, flax egg, and breading. Dip each zucchini spear in flax egg then coat well with breading. Place breaded zucchini in your air fryer, leaving space in between so they don’t overlap. If you have a wire rack, you can do a second layer to cook more in one batch.
• Set air fryer to 400°F and cook for 10 minutes. Carefully remove when done. Continue cooking in batches. Best served immediately and can use marinara sauce for dipping.
• If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake in the oven on a wire rack at 425° F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. If you don’t have a wire rack, you can use a baking sheet with silicone baking mat.

Other whole food plant based no oil recipes you might want to try:

• Easy Vegan Zucchini Bread
• Instant Pot Vegan Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
• Easy Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Zesty Mango Quinoa Salad
• Vegan Baked Eggplant Parmesan (no oil)

Learn How to Make Delicious Plant Based Recipes that are Quick, Easy, & Cheap!

Are new to a whole food plant based diet and a little overwhelmed? Not sure what you should and shouldn’t eat? Need help transitioning slowly with delicious & simple recipes your whole family will love that take 30 minutes or less? Let me help you with my Quick & Easy Plant Based Power Pack! I’ll give you the WFPB basics in simple to understand terms and tips on transitioning in a way that works for you. Learn more about my Quick & Easy Plant Based Power Pack HERE