Spicy Air Fryer Zucchini Bites
Last Updated on August 17, 2022 by Annie
Crispy, zesty, and ready in under 30 minutes, these easy spicy air fryer zucchini bites are the ultimate snack or appetizer with a little kick. Crisped to a golden perfection in the air fryer, these crunchy zucchini bites pair perfectly with a cool dunk of dairy-free ranch.
I have a bit of a confession to make and I hope you will not judge me too harshly for it… I was a long-time hold out on the air fryer. In fact, it was my husband who insisted we get one.
For starters, I didn’t want another kitchen appliance. Let alone one that would take up valuable counter space and hardly ever be used. Additionally, I didn’t think I could find many uses for it and I also felt like it did what the oven did but in smaller quantities. Why replace what is already working ya know?
Thankfully I don’t think my husband reads my blog much these days so it’s a safe place for me to admit, I was wrong and he may have been onto something when he insisted I would like the air fryer enough to put up with it on the counter from time to time.
From crisping vegetables to reheating left-overs, I have found infinite uses for the air fryer. I like that it doesn’t heat the whole kitchen to make a dish in half the time it would take to bake in the oven. And truth be told, I found a space to store it when it’s not in use so it’s hardly on the counter beyond when I am cooking with it. That’s a win, win, win!
Why we LOVE these Spicy Air Fryer Zucchini Bites
What’s not to love about a healthy-ish appetizer you can quickly and easily make in the air fryer? Here are a few reasons we love these spicy crispy bites:
- Crispy, chip-like texture. You get all the crunchy goodness with the added bonus of vegetables.
- Quicker than the oven. These spicy zucchini bites cook up in less than half the time as my oven-baked zucchini bites.
- Great for snack or side. But I have also been known to pound a plate of these and call it a meal, so no judgement here.
- Naturally dairy-free snack, no swaps needed! Gotta love a naturally dairy-free recipe with no additional or complicated ingredients.
Picking the Perfect Zucchini
The base of this zucchini bites recipe starts with a perfectly picked zucchini. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you select and store your fresh zucchini for these spicy air fryer bites.
- Select a small to medium sized zucchini. The larger they are the quicker they spoil.
- Keep it dry. Make sure the zucchini stays dry until you are ready to wash and use.
- Don’t wash the zucchini until just before you cook it.
- Keep stored in the refrigerator in a loose plastic bag with minimum humidity.
How to Make Spicy Air Fryer Zucchini Bites
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Zucchini– The base of these spicy breaded bites.
- Panko Bread Crumbs + Flour– Used to bread the zucchini bites and make them crispy.
- Spices– A blend of salt, paprika, pepper, cayenne powder, and onion powder season these zesty bites.
- Egg– Used to bind the breading to the zucchini slices.
- Olive oil- To drizzle over the bites and help crisp them in the air fryer.
Step-By-Step Directions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl stir together panko, flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. Set the bowl aside.
- Whisk egg: In a small mixing bowl whisk an egg.
- Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch thick disks.
- Bread the zucchini bites: Dip the zucchini slice into the egg, then coat with the bread crumb mixture.
- Repeat the breading process until all slices of zucchini are coated.
- Drizzle with olive oil on both sides.
- Place in basket: Place the spicy zucchini bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may need to do this in two batches.
- Air fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Air Fryer– These spicy zucchini bites were made in the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer. I love the deep basket and the various settings that allow different types of heating, re-heating, and air frying.
- Small Tongs– Perfect for flipping smaller foods in the air fryer, these mini tongs are a great addition to your kitchen stash.
Serving Suggestions
I think a slather of ranch is the perfect sauce to dip these spicy zucchini bites in. Here are a few different dairy-free ranch dressings you might want to pair your zucchini bites with:
Storing and Reheating Spicy Zucchini Bites
Keep these air fryer zucchini bites in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat in the air fryer, use the re-heat setting at 360°F and heat for 4 minutes, flipping halfway.
More Dairy-Free Snacks to Try Next
- Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket
- Stovetop Popcorn with Nooch and Herbs
- Caramel Corn
- Cookie Butter Muddy Buddies
If you tried this spicy air fryer zucchini bites recipe feel free to leave a comment below, I would love to hear how it went! You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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Spicy Air Fryer Zucchini Bites
Crispy, zesty, and ready in just about 30 minutes, these spicy air fryer zucchini bites make the perfect appetizer or snack!
Ingredients
- 1 Zucchini washed and sliced
- 1 Egg whisked
- ¾ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- ⅓ cup Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
Instructions
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Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
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In a medium mixing bowl stir together ¾ cup panko, ⅓ cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ½ teaspoon onion powder. Set the bowl aside.
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In a small mixing bowl whisk 1 egg.
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Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch thick disks.
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Dip the zucchini slice into the egg, then coat with the bread crumb mixture.
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Repeat the breading process until all slices of zucchini are coated.
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Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons olive oil on both sides, using a total of ¼ cup olive oil.
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Place the spicy zucchini bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may need to do this in two batches.
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Air fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway.
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