Healthy vegan zucchini fries, made crispy in the air fryer with no added oil. Served with a garlic yogurt dip, it's delicious and nourishing.
I'm all about making veggies more fun and my latest project has been the humble zucchini. After harvesting a ton of zucchinis from my garden, I've been experimenting with new ways to cook them. So far I've made zucchini fritters, muffins, and even zucchini baked oats. Talk about a versatile vegetable!
These vegan zucchini fries are my latest success. They're SO crispy that you wouldn't even believe there's zero oil or deep-frying involved. All thanks to the air fryer! I've also included instructions for the oven if you haven't jumped on the air fryer train yet.
Obviously this recipe is not meant to replace regular French fries, however it makes zucchini 10x more exciting. Paired with an easy homemade garlic yogurt dip, these zucchini fries will be devoured by your family- even the zucchini haters.
Why This Dietitian Loves This Recipe
Let's recap why you need to make this recipe:
- Switch up the veggies. The veggie rut is so real, friends. Even as a dietitian and recipe developer, I find myself cooking veggies the same way everyday. Why not try something new and fun to make those veggies exciting?
- Vegan and egg-free. A lot of recipes use an egg in the batter, but I wanted to make this recipe completely vegan so everyone can enjoy it.
- Oil-free. Oil is NOT bad for you- our body needs healthy fats! However, deep fried foods don't leave me feeling too great. These air fryer zucchini fries have all the crisp, minus the chaos of deep frying.
Ingredients
Zucchini fries:
- Zucchini
- Flour
- Salt and pepper
- Non-dairy milk
- Italian breadcrumbs
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
Garlic yogurt dip:
- Non-dairy yogurt
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Dried dill
- Fresh basil
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 375 F or oven to 425F.
Slice your zucchinis into ½ inch x 3 ½-inch “sticks. Pat the sticks dry with a paper towel and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. This helps dry out the zucchini so the breading sticks.
Prepare two shallow bowls or dishes- one with the flour, salt, pepper and milk (whisk these ingredients until a batter forms), and the other bowl with the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and paprika.
Dip each zucchini stick in the flour batter, so it has a thin coating, then press it into the breadcrumb mixture, coating all sides.
Place in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer, ensuring the zucchini sticks do not touch each other.
Bake for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs and a gluten-free 1:1 flour.
To make vegan: This recipe is naturally vegan.
To make nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free.
You can customize the spices in the batter based on your preferences. Some great additions include:
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2-3 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese if not vegan)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend (and pair with marinara sauce)
Equipment
Storage
I recommend eating these zucchini fries fresh. You are able to store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, however I find they don’t get quite as crispy once reheated. If you do try reheating, I recommend air frying them once again for about 5 minutes to get them crispy.
Top Tip
When breading your zucchini sticks I recommend using one hand for the batter and one for the breadcrumbs. This prevents getting too much batter in the breadcrumb mixture, which will make it clumpy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I;ve tried many recipes for vegetable “fries” that promise they get crispy but end up limp and boring… that is NOT these ones! The batter gets nice and crispy and I find they turn out great!
It can 100% be either! I would eat these whenever you want to add some vegetables to your plate. You can also pair them with a yogurt sauce for a great snack.
Yes you can! I love this recipe because it’s a great way to use up garden zucchini in the summer. If your zucchini is super large and overgrown I recommend only using the outer edges (not the soft middle part where the large seeds are- save this to add to smoothies)!
I love them on the side of any sandwich or even with a flatbread.
Any type of neutral tasting dairy-free yogurt will do. Soy, cashew and almond yogurts are a great choice!
More Veggie Recipes
Veggies don't have to be boring. Add these recipes into your rotation:
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these vegan zucchini fries, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Vegan Zucchini Fries (Oil-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 medium 7-inch zucchinis about 400g
- 1 cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Garlic yogurt dip:
- ½ cup non dairy yogurt
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- Salt and black pepper
- Squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 F or oven to 425F.
- Slice your zucchinis into ½ inch x 3 ½-inch “sticks. Pat the sticks dry with a paper towel and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. This helps dry out the zucchini so the breading sticks.
- Prepare two shallow bowls or dishes- one with the flour, salt, pepper and milk (whisk these ingredients until a batter forms), and the other bowl with the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and paprika.
- Dip each zucchini stick in the flour batter, so it has a thin coating, then press it into the breadcrumb mixture, coating all sides.
Air fryer method:
- Place in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer, ensuring the zucchini sticks do not touch each other.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
Oven method:
- Place on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer, ensuring the zucchini sticks do not touch each other.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
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