Air-Fryer Squash

Any gardener (or farmers market devotee) knows that zucchini plants are prolific, and you can expect a bumper crop at the height of summer. We’re always ready with lots of zucchini recipes, and this air-fryer squash might be one of our favorites. The simple preparation transforms the humble squash into a crispy, crunchy, cheesy, savory veggie delight. Since it’s an air-fryer recipe, it’s also pretty dang healthy. Air-fryer squash makes a great snack, appetizer or summer side dish. Best of all, it works with any summer squash—zucchini, crooknecks, pattypans—or even a mix.

Air-Fryer Squash Ingredients

• Yellow summer squash: Look for summer squash that are firm, not rubbery, without blemishes or bruises on their skin. Thinly slice the squash to ensure that it gets nice and crispy.
• Olive oil: Healthy, omega-rich olive oil isn’t good for deep-frying, but works great in the air-fryer.
• Seasoning: Salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper give the squash a savory profile with a hint of heat.
• Panko bread crumbs: Panko is crunchy and coarser than plain bread crumbs. They’re also lighter and airier because they’re made without the crusts.
• Parmesan cheese: For the most flavor, use freshly shredded Parmesan. For the quickest fix, you can use bagged shredded Parm or even the jarred stuff.
• Marinara sauce: Rich red marinara sauce is an excellent dip for the squash. You can use homemade marinara sauce or a top-notch jarred marinara.

How to Fry Squash in an Air Fryer

Step 1: Season the squash

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place the sliced squash in a large bowl. Add the oil and seasonings, then toss to coat the squash.

Step 2: Coat with breading

In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the cheese. Dredge the squash slices into the crumb mixture, flipping to coat both sides. Pat the squash to help the coating adhere.

Step 3: Fry the breaded squash

Working in batches, arrange the squash in a single layer on a greased tray in the air-fryer basket. Cook until the squash is tender and the coating is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t crowd the tray. There should be a bit of space around each squash slice to allow moisture to evaporate without steaming the surrounding slices (which will result in soggy squash!). Also, you don’t have to flip the squash partway through cooking, but you can if you like extra-crispy squash.

Step 4: Repeat

Keep the fried squash warm while you continue frying the remaining squash. If desired, serve it with marinara sauce.

Air-Fryer Squash Variations

• Scale up or down: Serving one or two? Use less squash and scale down the crumbs and seasonings accordingly. Or, cook a surplus of squash by frying up a few extra batches.
• Mix up the squash: While the recipe calls for yellow squash, you can use any color or shape—such as zucchini, pattypan, crookneck or any other type of summer squash.
• Spice it up: Summer squash is very mild in flavor, so it tastes great with virtually any seasoning mix or herb blend you throw at it. Think Italian spices, spicy red pepper flakes or, for a healthy alternative to chips and salsa, you could even use taco seasoning .
• Play with dips: While tomatoey marinara sauce is a great match, most dip recipes are a good choice, too. Try the air-fryer squash with ranch, hummus or yogurt dip.

How to Store Air-Fryer Squash

Air-fryer summer squash is crispiest and most flavorful when hot and fresh, but you can save leftovers. Let them cool, then transfer them to an airtight container in the fridge. The air-fried squash will last for up to four days. The coating will soften as it sits, but you can crisp it back up when you reheat it.

How should you reheat air-fryer squash?

We like to reheat summer squash directly in the air fryer. This allows the coating to crisp back up (versus heating it in the microwave, which will make the slices soggy). Arrange the slices on a tray and air-fry them at 350° until hot and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Air-Fryer Squash Tips

Do you need to peel summer squash?

You don’t need to peel zucchini and other summer squash; their skins are quite tender and perfectly edible. It’s quicker not to peel them, and you get the bonus of a bit of extra color, texture and nutrition in the squash. However, if you prefer to peel, go for it!

What if the breading doesn’t stick to the squash?

If you dredge the squash slices through the breading and nothing sticks, don’t stress! First, try patting the squash dry with a paper towel before dipping it in the crumbs; they will stick better to the drier surface. If all else fails, spread the sliced squash on the air-fryer tray and sprinkle the crumbs over the top. Pat the crumbs to make them stick, flip the slices and sprinkle the other side.

Can you make breaded summer squash in the oven?

Yes, you can make oven-fried summer squash. Prepare the squash in the same way, but bake the slices on a parchment-lined tray at 450° for 20 to 25 minutes.

What can you serve with air-fryer squash?

Air-fried squash or zucchini is delicious with any summer dinner you can dream of. Serve it with a quick sausage and Swiss chard pasta, a hearty dinner salad like sesame beef asparagus salad, or grilled chicken ranch burgers and other sandwiches. It’s dreamy with grilled favorites, too, like marinated chicken or brats with Sriracha mayo. Pair air-fryer squash with a dip and munch it while dinner cooks, or serve it alongside the main course.