Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters

Name: Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
Prep time: 1 h 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups grated zucchini (approx 1 1/2 pounds); 1 carrot, grated; 1/2 medium onion, grated; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 2 teaspoons salt; 6 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 large egg; 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1 teaspoon minced parsley, optional; Sour cream, optional for serving

by: Jessica

published: Feb 1, 2023

5.0 (1 Review)

Hot, Crispy Zucchini Fritters, Made Easy!

Zucchini is a hugely popular veggie, especially now that low-carb diets are so popular. Zucchini is not only low in carbs – it’s easy to find, easy to cook with, and its mild flavor goes with just about anything. These zucchini fritters turn basic zucchini into a masterpiece of crispy, savory flavor!

Made with fresh zucchini, onion, carrot, and cheddar, these fritters go straight into your air fryer basket and cook in about 13 minutes. They’re a perfect snack or side dish for any meal, and a great way to use up a bumper crop of zucchini at the end of the summer gardening season.

Is Air Fried Food Healthier?

Air-fried food is definitely easier to make than regular fried food, but is it actually better for you? The answer is yes! Air-fried foods are lower in calories and fat than their traditionally fried counterparts, which makes this method a firm favorite.

From top: Parsley, cheddar cheese, carrot, zucchini, onion, salt, egg, garlic, pepper, flour.

What Are Zucchini Fritters Made Of?

You can make zucchini fritters with just zucchini and onion, but I like adding some carrot to mine for extra color and a slight sweetness. All in all, you’ll need:

Zucchini, Onion, and Carrot: Grate these vegetables using the large holes on a box grater.
Garlic: Fresh, minced garlic adds a bright flavor. You can substitute garlic from a jar or garlic powder if you prefer, though!
Salt
Flour: A little all-purpose flour binds the mixture together.
Black Pepper
Egg: Egg also binds the mixture, and adds structure to the fritters.
Cheese: Adding shredded cheddar gives these fritters an irresistible cheesy taste!
Parsley: Chopped parsley.
Sour Cream: Optional, for serving.

Close-up shot of homemade veggie fritters, garnished with dollops of sour cream and fresh herbs.

How to Make Zucchini Fritters in the Air Fryer

Let’s take a look at the simple process for making air fryer zucchini fritters. Using an air fryer makes this dish much easier, and eliminates dealing with all that extra frying oil.

Salt the Veggies. First, we need to get rid of excess water in the veggies by salting them. Combine the zucchini, carrot, onion, and garlic together in a sieve or small-holed colander. Add salt, and stir it in. Let the salted vegetables sit for about one hour, to drain excess liquid.
Wring Out the Veggies. Next, place the vegetables on a piece of clean cheesecloth or a clean tea towel. Squeeze them to wring out as much liquid as possible.
Make the Fritter Mixture. We’re almost ready to cook! Preheat your air fryer to 375°F for 3 to 5 minutes. While that’s going on, mix the vegetables with the flour, pepper, egg, cheese, and parsley. Form this mixture into small, round patties, about 1 tablespoon each.

Pressing vegetables in a colander to remove excess liquid.

Mixing fritter ingredients in a large glass mixing bowl.

Arrange the Fritters in the Air Fryer Basket. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, and place the fritters in the basket, making sure not to overcrowd them. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the side of your air fryer. The fritters should be in a single layer, not touching.

A mixing bowl with a thick fritter mixture in it.

Veggie fritters lined up in the basket of an air fryer.

Air Fry the Fritters. Spray the tops of the fritters with cooking spray, and place the basket in the air fryer. Cook for 10 minutes at 375°F. Then flip the fritters, spray with cooking spray, and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Enjoy! Serve immediately, with sour cream for dipping.

Fried zucchini fritters in an air fryer basket.

Cook’s Notes

What else should you know about making air fryer zucchini fritters? These helpful hints will give you all the inside info on this simple, wholesome recipe.

Preheating: Not all air fryers require preheating, but some do. If you do preheat the air fryer (three minutes is roughly the standard), the fritters won’t need as much time to cook.
Salting: It is very important to get as much of the liquid out of the vegetables as possible, so they will fry quickly and get crispy rather than mushy. Salting the vegetables helps draw out the water.
Sour Cream: I like to serve these with sour cream. They’re also good with any creamy dressing, such as Caesar, honey mustard, etc.

A platter of homemade zucchini fritters, garnished with dollops of sour cream and fresh herbs.

What to Serve with Zucchini Fritters

Serve these air fryer zucchini fritters with just about any main course, or with your favorite soup or salad. Here are some dishes that go well with these crispy little bites.

Chicken: A simple chicken dinner will definitely be that much tastier with zucchini fritters. We love this spicy Jalapeño Popper Chicken – it’s a weeknight dinner that’ll wake up your tastebuds.
Salad: Pesto Bacon Pasta Salad combines all the best flavors, and goes perfectly with freshly-made zucchini fritters.
Soup: There basically is no better combination than corn and zucchini, so pair these zucchini fritters with Creamy Sweet Corn and Roasted Poblano Soup. This meal will have you craving seconds!

One fritter on the table with a bite taken out of it. A plate of fritters is in the background of the shot.

Storing and Reheating

Zucchini fritters are easy to store and reheat! To keep them fresh, make sure to pack them into a food storage bag or airtight container.

Refrigerate zucchini fritters for up to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven at 350°F until hot. (You can also reheat in the microwave, but the fritters will not be very crispy that way.)

Do Zucchini Fritters Freeze Well?

Definitely! Flash-freeze them first, in a single layer on a tray. Once they’re frozen solid, move them to freezer bags or an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months. Reheat directly from frozen, in the air fryer or oven.

Yield: 4 Servings