The Can't Skip Step For The Crispiest Air Fryer Zucchini

There are plenty of vegetables that taste even better when they're turned into crispy golden fries. Potatoes, green beans, and jalapeños are just a few. Zucchini is another tasty option. Whether you try making the veggie in the air fryer or the deep fryer, you can turn zucchini into fries or chips, depending on how thick or thin you want them to be. Something to note, though, is that a zucchini is 95% water, making it one of the most water-logged pieces of produce alongside lettuce and tomatoes. To make sure the zucchini can crisp up properly in the air fryer, you need to remove as much of that water as possible.

"The biggest mistake folks make when air-frying zucchini is not removing the excess moisture," Rachel Buck, senior demo chef at Ninja, the makers of the new Crispi Pro, told Chowhound exclusively. "Zucchini is made up of mostly water and will typically steam unless it's salted (to remove excess moisture) and patted dry." Salt draws out moisture, which is why it's an important ingredient for properly removing that water. Plus, it has the added benefit of seasoning the vegetable.

Kosher salt is preferred over table or sea salt because its large crystals coat the vegetable better than regular table salt, plus it's less expensive than sea salt as well. To remove the most water, you need to generously coat the zucchini. "I would recommend that the easiest way to do this is to cut the zucchini into ½-inch rounds or spears, salt generously for 15 to 30 minutes, then pat dry," Rachel Buck said. She added that once you've patted the zucchini dry, you can also dust it with cornstarch or flour, which helps achieve that crispy texture even more.

Once the water is removed, there are other important ways to ensure the zucchini gets as crispy as possible — starting with the coating. "I love coating zucchini with a mix of panko, grated parmesan, and cornstarch to give a superior crunch," Buck suggested, saying it's best to dip the zucchini in the cornstarch or flour first, then some egg wash, before coating it with a panko and parmesan mixture. Finally, don't overcrowd the air fryer. "Overcrowding traps steam and prevents browning," Buck said, concluding that you should "Do batches if needed!"