My favorite delicious way I am getting more veggies into our diets this year for my family is with my favorite trusty air fryer. Who can resist crispy “fried” veggies, coated in panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese? My kids are loving them, including my curly-headed adorable four-year daughter, who happens to be our pickiest eater and has been known to cry at the sight of something green and leafy in her food! 

That air fryer really is the best thing I have in my arsenal to make vegetables craveable and irresistible. I love making all kinds of veggies in there like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, sweet potatoes, potatoes (which turn out like thick-cut crispy kettle chips) and even carrots. Everything tastes so great in the air fryer and it’s guilt-free since you need hardly any oil at all to give it that crispy “fried” taste.  

One the best things I have started making in the air fryer that all three of my kids love are crispy air fryer zucchini chips. These are coated in panko breadcrumbs (which yield the most crispy result, as opposed to regular breadcrumbs), as well as parmesan cheese. They are dipped first in flour, then egg, then the breadcrumbs/parmesan mixture and laid out (with a little space in between each one) onto the air fryer tray. You cook for them for about 10 minutes total in the air fryer at 400 degrees F and just like that you’ve got a perfect, delicious craveable veggie side dish.

Flavor Variations for Zucchini Chips:

To mix up the flavor of these zucchini chips, you can add some  dry ranch dressing mix to add a bit of zip. You could also add more of a Mexican food flair with some taco seasoning--or to make them a bit more spicy, you can mix in chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder for a spicy kick.

To get the very best crispy flavor you are wanting from these air fried zucchini chips, here are a few tips to ensure successful, CRISPY zucchini chips:

• Pat Dry: After slicing your zucchini, you are going to give it some salt and pepper and lay it to rest for about 5 minutes to draw the liquid out. Then you want to sandwich it between paper towels and pat them very dry. The salt and pepper help draw out the liquid and getting them as dry as possible ensures they will be crispy.
• No Overcrowding: Resist the urge to overcrowd your pan. This goes with pretty much anything you make in your air fryer.

Leftovers

These taste the very best when they are fresh, but If you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When you are ready to eat them, pop them back in the air fryer  for 2-3 minutes to reheat them and crisp them back up again. 

Dipping Sauces

These taste great on their own, but they are, of course, great with a good dipping sauce as well. A few that taste really great are marinara, ranch dressing, fry sauce, or Japanese yum yum sauce (which is quite similar to “fry sauce”).

Do you like making veggie side dishes in your air fryer? What’s your favorite vegetable you’ve tried “air frying”? Please share your thoughts (and any tips you have) in the comments below. 



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