Air fryer zucchini parmesan
Crunchy parmesan-crusted zucchini rounds straight from the air fryer, topped with marinara and melted mozzarella like a lighter chicken parm.
- 45 min total
- 30 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 2
- About $3.24 a serving
- 600 calories
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 2 zucchini, medium
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan, divided
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 4 sprigs fresh basil, leaves torn (optional)
From your pantry
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Each serving has about 600 calories, 32 g protein, 49 g carbs and 31 g fat, and costs about $3.24 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No zucchini? Yellow squash works.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
- No shredded mozzarella? Provolone slices work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Cut the zucchini into ½-inch rounds. Lay them on paper towels, sprinkle with the salt and let them sit for 10 minutes, then .
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Timer: 10 min
Set up three shallow bowls: the flour in one, the egg beaten with a fork in the next, and the panko mixed with ¼ cup parmesan, the Italian seasoning and garlic powder in the last.
Dip each round in flour, then egg, then press it into the crumbs so both sides are well coated.
Dolly’s tip: Use one hand for the egg and the other for the crumbs so your fingers don’t get breaded too.Brush the air fryer basket with oil, lay in the rounds in one layer and brush their tops with oil.
Air fry at 400°F until and , 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway. Work in batches.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Timer: 9 min
Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Meanwhile, warm the marinara in a small over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Medium heatTimer: 5 min
Put all the rounds back in the basket, overlapping a little. Spoon a teaspoon of sauce onto each, top with the mozzarella and remaining parmesan and air fry until , 2 to 3 minutes.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
Timer: 3 min
Serve with the rest of the warm marinara spooned over and basil on top.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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