Can you substitute regular bread crumbs for panko?

You can. I don't recommend it, especially in this recipe. You'll find lots of websites that tell you a 1:1 substitution is fine. What they don't mention is that regular bread crumbs absorb more oil and moisture than panko. And, because they are so much smaller than panko, that added moisture means they will take longer to crisp up. And sometimes, they absorb so much oil or moisture they don't crisp up at all. And even if your air fried zucchini does finally get crisp, the texture will never be like the crunchy crisp created by panko bread crumbs. Panko has more surface area, than regular bread crumbs. More nooks and crannys to crisp up. See the image below, to understand the coarse, crispy texture panko provides to air fryer zucchini and other "fried" foods.

What CAN I substitute for panko?

If you're out of panko and need something ASAP, in my opinion, there are better substitutes than regular bread crumbs. Try coarsely crushed pretzels, tortilla chips, cracker crumbs, stuffing mix or corn chips. As many of those are pre-seasoned, you will want to adjust your recipe seasonings, accordingly.

Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini

Name: Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini with Creamy Chipotle Parmesan Aioli
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 zucchini, small (6-7″ long and about 2″ in diameter.); 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning; 1 egg; 1 Tablespoon water; 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned Panko; 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder; Avocado Oil in a sprayer

Description

Air Fryer Zucchini are crispy, crunchy deliciousness and SO easy to make. Everyone is going to love eating their veggies when you use this simple recipe!

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 zucchini, small (6-7″ long and about 2″ in diameter.)
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon All Purpose Seasoning
1 egg
1 Tablespoon water
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned Panko
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
Avocado Oil in a sprayer

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Instructions

Preheat your air fryer to 380° F.
Dredge each zucchini fry /wedge or chunk in the seasoned flour mixture. I like to do all of them at once and then move on to the egg and panko.
Dip the four dredged zucchini wedges in the beaten egg, one at at time, and shake off any excess.
Coat each one in the panko bread crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet if your air fryer is small or in your air fryer basket if you have an oven air fryer.
When all air fryer zucchini fries are breaded, give them a light misting of avocado oil. I use a Misto _{[affiliate link]}spray bottle with my own avocado oil in it. You can use store-bought cooking spray, too.
If they’re not already in/on there, place the breaded air fryer zucchini in/on your air fryer basket with enough space around them to allow the air to circulate. For small air fryers you will need to work in batches. In my air fryer oven I was able to get all 27 zucchini fries.
Place the basket into your preheated air fryer and air fry zucchini wedges for 10 minutes. Because of the design of the Breville oven, I didn’t need to flip or rotate mine. But, check yours at the half way point and see if they need turning.
Remove from the air fryer, sprinkle with a little salt and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce. I’ve included the recipe for Chipotle Parmesan Aioli in the Notes section of the recipe card.

Notes

For Creamy Chipotle Parmesan Aioli

Mix all the ingredients below in a bowl and use for dipping.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
salt & pepper, to taste

Keeping Air Fryer Zucchini Hot and Crisp for Serving When Cooking in Batches

If your air fryer is too small to cook all the air fryer zucchini in one batch, cook each batch and then set it on a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet. Keep the already prepped fries hot and crisp in a 200° oven while you finish the other batches.

Alternatively, you can finish all batches and then add ALL the zucchini fries back to the basket of your air fryer. Lay them in gently, criss-crossed with lots of spaces and air holes. Reheat the entire batch for 3 minutes at 380°. This method is more likely to cause breading to crumble, though. So, I recommend keeping them warm in the oven, if possible.

I don’t have an air fryer. Can I make Air Fryer Zucchini in the oven?

Yes. You definitely can. Preheat your oven to 400° F and arrange a rack at the very center of the oven.

To make air fried zucchini in the oven, place an oven proof baking/cooling rack _{[affiliate link]} on a baking sheet and arrange the breaded zucchini fries on the rack. If you have a convection option on your oven, use it. If you don’t have convection, the instructions are still the same. Your oven just won’t circulate the air like with convection.

Bake the zucchini fries at 400° for 8 minutes. Turn each fry and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the breading is crispy and golden brown. Baking time will depend on your specific oven.

Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 10
Category: Vegetable, Snack, Side Dish
Method: Air Fry
Cuisine: American