These garlic flavored air fryer zucchini chips are crispy and addicting! With no breading, this recipe comes together quickly and easily for a delicious healthier snack, appetizer or side dish.
I’m back with yet another recipe that the air fryer is absolutely perfect for – zucchini chips!
These crispy, crunchy vegetable slices are insanely addictive and the best part is they’re completely healthy and good for you!
Unlike, many of the zucchini chip recipes out there, this air fryer version doesn’t have a breaded coating the outside.
Much like my air fryer eggplant recipe which doesn’t require any breading, cheese or sauce to make it delicious either.
Not only does this make the recipe a bit more healthful, it greatly reduces the time, mess and effort to make them.
I’ll call that a win.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CRISPY AIR FRYER ZUCCHINI CHIPS
- 1 large zucchini cut into thin slices (about 1/8″ thick)
- Kosher salt
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic powder
That’s it!
The recipe will make enough for about 2-4 people to snack on or eat as a side dish.
You can easily adjust the volume of ingredients for the amount of people you want to serve.
The only limitation is really the size of the air fryer being used so you may have to work in batches if increasing the serving size.
HOW TO MAKE GARLIC ZUCCHINI CHIPS IN THE AIR FRYER
Let’s get to the process.
There are three basic steps to making these crunchy garlicky chips, all incredibly simple.
- Lay the sliced zucchini on some paper towels or a kitchen cloth in a single layer. Generously sprinkle with Kosher salt and let sit for 5-10 minutes. The zucchini will start to “sweat” out some of its moisture. Use another paper towel or kitchen cloth to then pat them dry.
- Place the zucchini in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and garlic powder and toss until well combined so each piece of zucchini is coated.
- Arrange the seasoned zucchini slices in your air fryer either in the basket or on the trays depending on the type of air fryer you have. Air fry at 400°F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Start checking the doneness of the zucchini chips around the 10 minute mark.
Some may be done “frying” sooner than others if they’re smaller in size.
Remove any that start to turn golden brown sooner and continue checking every minute or so until all the zucchini slices are done.
It’s pretty amazing how four simple ingredients and an air fryer can transform a bland vegetable into an addictively delicious chip.
I’ve made carrot chips, zucchini fries, eggplant chips and jicama fries before so I’m no novice to the vegetable to chip/fry thing.
These zucchini chips in the air fryer though may be my newest obsession. The bowl was polished off by my mom and I while doing a puzzle in approximately 5 minutes. They’re basically like the vegetable version of Pringles. You kinda just can’t stop once you start.
And now I’m intrigued to try roasted sunchokes in the air fryer too. I’ve got the oven version down but I bet they’d be perfect in here as well!
SOME NOTES ON THE RECIPE
Can I use a mandolin to slice the zucchini? – Yes, definitely. I personally don’t have one so it’s not necessary. A sharp chef’s knife will work just fine.
From oil sprays to muffin cups and from pizza pans to racks, we've got them all, and they make fantastic Christmas presents, too!
Can I use different seasonings? – Yep! Who doesn’t love garlic + salt? That’s the reason this is a great base recipe to start. If you like other seasonings, go for it! I’d keep the olive oil base the same and then use whatever spices you prefer.
What if the zucchini slices don’t fit in my air fryer? – Work in batches if that’s the case. I have an oven model air fryer and 1 large zucchini sliced will fit on the two trays in mine. If you have a basket type model, you may need to work in batches. It’s important the zucchini air fry in a single layer otherwise the chips won’t crisp up as well.
Can I use frozen zucchini slices? – If you’ve previously frozen zucchini slices, they can definitely be used once thawed. Make sure to thaw under refrigeration and then pat them dry before air frying.
WHAT ABOUT A DIP?
If you’re someone that loves dipping your chips in something, you may want to whip up a quick dip to go with these air fried zucchini chips.
I personally love them plain and unadultered.
A ranch type dip or something like this creamy 3 herb dressing would be really good. If you like the flavor of tahini, try this lemon herb tahini dressing as a dip.
A tzatziki type dressing is another option. Or, this roasted garlic white bean dip which is similar.
Of course, a simple marinara is easy and delicious too!
WHAT ABOUT SOME CHEESE?!
As is, the recipe is a gluten-free, vegan and paleo friendly zucchini chip recipe.
I can’t say I would blame you, however, if you added some freshly grated parmesan to these!
If going this route, you can either grate some parmesan over the chips once they come out of the air fryer as one option. You could do this with air fryer frozen broccoli too!
Or, sprinkle the cheese on top of the slices when they’re in the air fryer before cooking for that “baked on” cheese taste and texture.
CAN I MAKE THESE IN THE OVEN?
I’m assuming you found this recipe because you’re curious about cooking zucchini in your air fryer.
But, if you’re wondering if it can be done in the oven the answer is yes, but…
To mimic air frying, you ideally need a convection oven. That’s really all an air fryer is by the way.
If so and you want to try it, place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and arrange the zucchini in a single layer on the rack while baking at 400°F.
This will help the air flow around the entire zucchini chip as it cooks and hopefully result in the same crispy texture as an air fried chip.
You can try this method without a convection oven but I can’t guarantee the same results.
MORE VEGETABLE CHIP RECIPES LIKE THIS:
Jicama chips
Plantain chips
Sea salt and vinegar beet chips
Tomato chips
Butternut squash chips
Or, give these air fried apple chips a try for something sweet instead!
If you want to serve these as a side dish instead of an appetizer, they pair great with air fryer brats for a healthier alternative to potato chips.
Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini, sliced thinly (about 1/8″ thick)
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon garlic powder, adjust to taste preference
Instructions
- Lay zucchini slices in a single layer on a paper towel. Sprinkle salt generously on top of each slice and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Pat the zucchini dry with a paper towel or cloth then place zucchini in a large bowl.
- Add olive oil and garlic powder to the bowl. Toss the zucchini until well combined.
- Arrange the zucchini slices in the air fryer either on trays or in the basket in a single layer. (*see note)
- Air fry at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. Check zucchini around the 10 minute mark and remove any chips to a cooling rack that are crispy or starting to turn golden brown around the edges.
- Continue air frying until each zucchini chip is crispy and golden around the edges. Cool chips on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving to help retain crispness.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Zucchini – 690g ~ 1.5 lb. Cut to 3mm, (1/8″) slices using Matter Mandoline. Placed pieces on paper towels as noted. Used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. (Provides same wicking with half the salt.) After 10′, lightly sprayed with virgin olive oil and dusted with 50/50 mixture powdered garlic/smoked paprika. Flipped over and repeated.
Air fried using Breville Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro for 15′ @ 400 °F. The zucchini shrank in diameter from about 65mm to 50mm, 2″. Keep zucchini away from edge to ensure for more uniform cooking.
I am very pleased with the outcome.
Obviously I cut my chips too thin because they were starting to burn after 5 min
I haven’t made these yet! I would like to know how long can these zucchini chips be storage for
They’ll store for a few days at room temperature. If you put them in the refrigerator they will definitely become soggy. They’re really consumed they day they’re made though to retain the same crispiness.
With an abundance of zucchini, this recipe came right in time! This is the perfect after-school snack, mid-day snack, or even bedtime snack! Yum!
Wow. These are delicious! I have so much excess zucchini this year from my garden. Will be using this recipe often!
This is such a great idea! My kids loved this snack! Thanks for the recipe!
I can’t wait to make these again! I had a ton of zucchini from my garden and I stumbled upon this recipe and I had to make them. They were gone quickly and will be making an appearance again very soon.
This was such a hit! Thank you for this awesome recipe