When the zucchini won’t quit, and you’ve sautéed it three nights in a row, air fryer zucchini fritters are the solution you need. You shred a couple of zucchini, mix in a handful of pantry basics, and the air fryer crisps them into golden rounds in about 15 minutes. You get crunchy edges, a tender middle, and not a drop of oil splattered across your stovetop.
These fritters work as a side, a snack the kids actually eat, or a light dinner when it’s too hot to turn on the oven. I make these on repeat every summer, mostly out of self-defense. Two zucchini plants in my garden somehow turn into a full-time job, and there are only so many times my family will smile politely at another bowl of sautéed squash.
I love that the air fryer does the work that used to mean frying in batches and mopping up grease. There is no splatter, and no pan of oil to clean. You load the basket and walk away for a few minutes.
If you’ve made zucchini fritters before and ended up with limp, wet little pancakes, I get it. Zucchini holds a shocking amount of water. The fix is simple, and I’ll walk you through exactly how to squeeze it out so your fritters turn out crisp instead of mushy.
Below you’ll find the step-by-step instructions, plus a few easy swaps and dipping sauce ideas to keep things interesting all summer long. Skip the boring sautéed zucchini and make something new and different.
Looking for more easy zucchini recipes? Try my zucchini and squash casserole, air fryer zucchini chips, or quick zucchini pickles.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Zucchini
- Egg
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Seasoning: Season the fritters with salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Oil spray
How to Make Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
- Use the large holes on a box grater to shred your zucchini. Once shredded, squeeze out as much water as possible with cheesecloth. Wrap the shredded zucchini in cheesecloth, then twist it over the sink to squeeze.
- Transfer your squeezed-dry zucchini to a mixing bowl. Add the egg, flour, baking powder, salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix everything with a fork or your hands until well combined.
- Set your air fryer to 350 degrees F and let it preheat for 5 minutes. Preheating really does make a difference in how evenly the fritters cook.
- While the air fryer preheats, shape your fritter mixture into 9 to 10 patties. The easiest method I’ve found is to scoop up some of the mixture, roll it into a ball about the size of a golf ball, then flatten it on a cutting board into a patty about half an inch thick. Try to make them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper to make cleanup easier. Place the patties in the basket, leaving a little space between each one so air can circulate. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to work in batches.
- Brush or spray the tops of the patties with oil. Air fry for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- After 10 minutes, carefully flip each fritter using a spatula. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until they’re lightly browned and crispy on both sides. The exact timing might vary slightly depending on your air fryer model, so keep an eye on them during the last few minutes.
Serving Ideas
Air fryer zucchini fritters are one of those recipes that works for basically any meal. Make them for breakfast with scrambled eggs and toast, have them for a quick lunch, and/or throw them on a dinner plate as a side dish.
For breakfast, I top mine with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh chives. Add some crispy bacon on the side, and you’ve got yourself a solid morning.
As a lunch or light dinner, serve them alongside a simple green salad with vinaigrette. You could also nestle them into pita bread with tzatziki sauce, sliced tomatoes, and cucumber for a handheld meal.
For dipping, I keep it simple. Sour cream mixed with a little lemon juice and fresh dill works beautifully. Ranch dip works too if that’s what you’ve got in the fridge. Honestly, even plain ketchup is pretty tasty.
How to Store
These fritters keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, making them perfect for meal prep. I store mine in an airtight container on a paper towel-lined plate to keep them from getting soggy.
To reheat, put them back in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for about 3-4 minutes. This restores that crispy exterior without drying them out.
I’ve had great success freezing the uncooked patties. Make your fritter mixture, form the patties, and freeze them on a baking sheet for a couple of hours before transferring to a freezer bag.
When you’re ready to cook them, you don’t even need to thaw. Just add a minute or two to the cooking time and air fry, flipping halfway through.
Variations
- If you like cheesy zucchini, add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or grated Parmesan cheese to the patties.
- Add extra veggies like corn or thinly diced onions.
- Change the spices, making them more or less spicy depending on your preferences.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- I can’t stress this enough: squeeze that zucchini like your crispy fritter life depends on it, because it does. If you don’t, you will end up with soggy, sad patties that fall apart in the air fryer.
- If you don’t have cheesecloth, a clean kitchen towel works just as well. Just be prepared for it to get a little green-tinged (it washes out, I promise).
- A light brush or spray of oil on top of the patties before air frying makes a huge difference in achieving that golden-brown exterior. I use olive oil spray, but any neutral oil works.
- The red pepper flakes give these fritters a nice little kick, but if you’re cooking for kids or spice-averse eaters, you can cut them in half or leave them out entirely. On the flip side, if you like heat, bump them up to a tablespoon and a half.
- Leaving the skin on adds dark green flecks that make the fritters look more rustic and interesting. Plus, you get extra fiber and nutrients. But if you’ve got picky eaters who freak out at green specks, go ahead and peel.
Reader Questions
You can prep the zucchini mixture a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge, but don’t form the patties until you’re ready to cook them.
Absolutely. Let the cooked fritters cool completely, then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to three months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
They should be golden brown on both sides and firm to the touch. If you’re unsure, you can always break one open to check—the inside should be cooked through with no raw batter visible. If they’re browning too quickly on the outside but still feel soft, lower your air fryer temperature to 325 degrees F and give them a few extra minutes.
This usually comes down to one of two things: not enough flour or too much water left in the zucchini. Make sure you’re really squeezing out that excess liquid. If your mixture seems too wet after mixing, add another tablespoon of flour. The batter should hold together when you form it into a ball.
You can, and it works almost identically. Yellow squash has a similar water content and texture to zucchini. You can also mix both for a fun color combination.
Yes. Flipping them halfway through ensures even browning and crisping on both sides. Use a thin spatula and be gentle.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake these at 400 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush both sides with oil. They won’t get quite as crispy as the air fryer version, but they’ll still be tasty.
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Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Shred the zucchini and squeeze out excess water using cheesecloth. Removing as much liquid from the zucchini as possible is key to getting crispy air fryer fritters.2 zucchini
- Place the shredded zucchini in a bowl and add egg, flour, baking powder, salt, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix everything.1 egg, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- While it preheats, make 9-10 patties out of the zucchini mixture. It is easiest to roll the fritter batter into a ball, then flatten the ball on a cutting board.
- Place the patties in the air fryer basket and brush or spray some oil on top. Use parchment paper or foil in the basket to make cleanup easier.
- Air fry the patties for 10 minutes. Flip and then cook for another 5 minutes or until lightly brown.
- Serve with sour cream and green onions or with a dipping sauce.
Notes
- I can’t stress this enough: squeeze that zucchini hard. If you don’t, you will end up with soggy, sad patties that fall apart in the air fryer.
- If you don’t have cheesecloth, a clean kitchen towel works just as well. Just be prepared for it to get a little green-tinged (it washes out, I promise).
- A light brush or spray of oil on top of the patties before air frying makes a huge difference in achieving that golden-brown exterior. I use olive oil spray, but any neutral oil works.
- The red pepper flakes give these fritters a nice little kick, but if you’re cooking for kids or spice-averse eaters, you can cut them in half or leave them out entirely. On the flip side, if you like heat, bump them up to a tablespoon and a half.
- Leaving the skin on adds dark green flecks that make the fritters look more rustic and interesting. Plus, you get extra fiber and nutrients. But if you’ve got picky eaters who freak out at green specks, go ahead and peel.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
Could you do these in a deep fryer?
I did these in the deep fryer today with a minor change. When I made them following these instructions the results were still to thin for me to handle putting into the deep fryer. I added about a quarter cup of cornmeal to stiffen it up a bit. what basically turned out was a zucchini hush puppy! They were very good but I am going to invest in an air fryer and try them that way.
So I haven’t tried the recipe yet because I really object to recipes that call for “ONE” of foods that can vary so much. Even saying “medium” is not that helpful. A zucchini can be 6 oz or 4 lbs. Is medium a 2 pounder? How about stating how much shredded zucchini to use in the recipe?
Can these be baked in the oven for those of us who don’t have an air fryer?
Can you do these on the grill? They look yummy but I don’t have air fryer.
No air fryer. How do I make these?
I made these and they were soupy. Could not even begin to form them into a ball. After checking other recipes, I realized that you need to sprinkle the zucchini with salt and set it aside for a bit THEN squeeze out the water. The result tasted good but no where near crispy. I will try making these again using a different method. I just think this step of sprinkling salt on the shredded zucchini should be added to the directions .
This recipe sounds great for zucchini thanks for sharing!!