Air Fryer Spicy Zucchini

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Full of garlicky good flavor and just the right amount of spice, air fryer spicy zucchini is so tender and delicious! It’s an easy side dish that is super healthy and only takes 20 minutes to make!

Plate of spicy zucchini.

Air Fryer Spicy Zucchini

You are going to love spicing up your boring zucchini in the air fryer! This recipe is amazing and adds layers of so much yummy flavor as it perfectly roasts the zucchini seasoned with garlic and spicy cayenne pepper. All you have to do is cut up some zucchini, toss it with oil, season it with spices, and then put it in the air fryer to cook! It’s that simple!

So when you want to add a little spiciness to your meal, but keep it healthy, this recipe is the perfect way to turn a simple zucchini into a mouthful of yumminess! Your family will love it!

Spicy zucchini in an air fryer.

How to Make Spicy Garlic Zucchini in The Air Fryer

This recipe is so simple and easy! You only need a handful of easy to find ingredients. This is what you will need to make my air fryer spicy zucchini:

  • 2 Large Zucchini
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic Powder
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt

That’s it! Only 5 ingredients! And you can easily adjust your level of heat. So feel free to go so spicy that your eyes water or add just a dash of cayenne for a touch of kick. It’s totally up to you!

Spicy zucchini in an air fryer.

To begin, wash the zucchini and cut off the ends. Then using a sharp knife, slice the zucchini in half longways. Now, slice each of those halves again in half longways. Finally, cut the quartered zucchini into bite-size chunks and put them into a large bowl.

Spicy zucchini in an air fryer.

Next, drizzle the cut up zucchini with about one tablespoon of olive oil. You can also use any type of vegetable oil and as much or little oil as you like. Then sprinkle the zucchini with salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Now, toss the zucchini together with the oil and spices to evenly coat.

Spicy zucchini in an air fryer with a fork holding on bite.

To cook, transfer the now seasoned zucchini into the basket of the air fryer and cook it at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
Then halfway through cooking, at the 8-minute mark, remove the air fryer basket and shake it so that the spicy zucchini gets tossed around. Now, place the basket back into the air fryer to finish cooking the zucchini. Doing this step will help the zucchini to cook more evenly.

Once the air fryer spicy zucchini is done, transfer it from the air fryer to your serving dish of your choice and enjoy!

This dish is amazing as it is right out of the air fryer, but to add a little extra something, I sometimes like to top my air fryer spicy zucchini with some shredded cheddar cheese! It’s super yummy and goes really well with the added spice.

How to Store Air Fried Zucchini

Spicy garlic zucchini will keep in the fridge for up to one week when stored in an airtight container. But as for freezing, cooked zucchini does not tend to freeze all that well. You can do it, but it tends to turn into mush. However, leftovers are fantastic when added to soups and salads.

Up close look at cooked spicy zucchini.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Spicy Zucchini

This spicy zucchini is a wonderful way to serve a healthy dish that adds a touch of spice and goes perfect with almost any meal. These are just a few of my favorite mains that I love to serve alongside this yummy side.

Plate of spicy zucchini.

More Air Fryer Recipes

If you loved this air fryer spicy zucchini you should definitely check out some of my other quick and easy air fryer recipes! It’s a fun and simple way to cook that is sure to save you time in the kitchen. These are just a few of my personal favorites.

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Air Fryer Spicy Zucchini

Air fryer spicy zucchini is garlicky good with just the right amount of spice. It's an easy side dish that is super healthy and only takes 20 minutes to make! You are going to love spicing up your boring zucchini in the air fryer!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer zucchini, spicy zucchini, zucchini
Cooking Method: Air Fryer
Diet: Gluten-Free, Keto / Low-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 49kcal

Recipe Video

Ingredients

  • 2 large zucchini
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
  • salt
  • garlic powder
  • cayenne pepper

Recommended Kitchen Tools (click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe)

Instructions

  • Cut off the ends of each zucchini and slice them both into half longways. Then slice each of those halves into half longways once more. Now, cut the quartered zucchini into bite size pieces and place into a large bowl.
  • Drizzle the zucchini with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. How much oil you use is totally up to you. Then sprinkle the zucchini with salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Now, toss the zucchini with a spoon to evenly coat. You can use as much or as little cayenne as you want to achieve your desired level of spiciness.
  • Pour the seasoned zucchini into the air fryer basket and cook it at 400°F with the timer set for 15 minutes. Then after 8 minutes of cooking remove the air fryer basket and shake it to move the zucchini around so that it will evenly cook. Now, put the zucchini back into the air fryer and allow it to finish cooking.
  • When done, remove the air fryer basket and place the spicy zucchini on your serving dish to enjoy.
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Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I was a bit skeptical about how well zucchini would cook in the air fryer, but it turned out delicious.

5 from 2 votes

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