Parmesan Roasted Zucchini {Air Fryer or Oven}
Make parmesan roasted zucchini in the air fryer or oven for a simple veggie side dish for a quick family dinner. Seasoned with herbs and coated in grated parmesan, the squash cooks up crispy on the outside and tender inside.
I use our air fryer most nights of the week to prepare quick and easy vegetable side dishes for dinner because my family loves the texture of roasted veggies.
This delicious parmesan roasted zucchini recipe is the perfect air fryer recipe but I've also included the instructions you need to roast them in the oven.
With a minute of prep time, this would be such a simple side dish to add to your holiday menu when cooking chicken, fish, or pork.
Why This is the Best Recipe
I love air fryer vegetable recipes but I think this is the best parmesan roasted zucchini recipe because:
- Quick Prep: You can pre-chop the veggies and season them for a grab-and-go veggie bag from your fridge.
- Perfectly Seasoned: The mix of herbs and salty parmesan cheese taste amazing on the fresh squash.
- Delicious Texture: I love those golden brown edges and the tender zucchini bite.
Ingredients
This incredibly easy recipe only needs 5 ingredients:
- Fresh Zucchini or Yellow Squash: Our grocery store sells packs with a mix so that is what I used. You can cook up just one or the other or mix them, too.
- Olive Oil
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: You can use the canister kind but I love to grab the grated parmesan from the specialty cheese section of our deli department.
- Mediterranean Herbs: I always use this particular herb blend but you could easily substitute a sprinkle each of dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic salt.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: This doesn't make the recipe too spicy, just adds a little bit of heat. If you're sensitive, you can omit it.
How to Chop the Zucchini
To cube the fresh squash, trim the ends and discard those pieces. Then slice the zucchini in half lengthwise.
Cut each half into half again lengthwise making four long strips. Then chop the vegetable into 1-inch thick cubes:
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Season the Squash
Place the chopped squash in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and then sprinkle the seasonings.
Toss to coat with a spatula or spoon.
The best part about zucchini or yellow squash is that the delicate flavor will pair well with almost any combination of seasonings you love.
While I stick with those Mediterranean herbs, you could also use:
- Italian Herb Blend
- Seasoned Salt
- Minced Garlic, Salt & Pepper
- A Pinch of Cayenne Pepper instead of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Lemon Pepper
- Fines Herbs
- Greek Seasoning Blend
Mixing up the seasoning is a simple way to change this recipe up from dinner to dinner to keep it interesting.
Add the Grated Parmesan
Sprinkle the grated parmesan over the vegetables and toss to coat.
The cheese should stick to all the surfaces of the chopped zucchini.
Air Fryer Cooking Instructions
Preheat the air fryer to 425ยฐF for a few minutes.
If you have a basket style air fryer, you may need to work in batches so that the zucchini can lay in an even layer in the basket.
I used the Ninja Foodi toaster oven style air fryer with racks. I placed the vegetables in an even layer on the baking sheet like this:
Roast the zucchini for 10 - 12 minutes or until the parmesan has melted, the edges are golden brown, and the vegetables are fork-tender.
TOP TIP: Depending on the grated parmesan you used, you may not get significant browning. If your air fryer has a broiler option, you can broil the zucchini for the last minute of cooking to crisp it up.
Oven Cooking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425ยฐF.
Place the prepared zucchini in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Roast the zucchini for 10 - 12 minutes or until the parmesan has melted, the edges are golden brown, and the vegetables are fork-tender.
TOP TIP: Depending on the grated parmesan you used, you may not get significant browning. You can broil the zucchini for the last minute of cooking to brown it up if you prefer. Just watch it carefully so it does not burn.
Make Ahead Tips
Want to get a jump start on dinner? This easy veggie side dish can be prepped ahead for even quicker cooking on a busy night or to get some of your holiday menu prep work done and out of the way.
Pre-chop the zucchini and squash. Toss them in the olive oil and seasonings and then store in an airtight baggie in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance.
Do not add the grated parmesan until just before roasting so that it doesn't turn into a sticky mess in storage.
Serving Suggestions
Roasted zucchini is an easy vegetable to serve alongside your favorite chicken, pork, or fish dinners but also adds a bit of bulk to a meatless dish as well.
When I make pasta for dinner like my baked boursin and tomato pasta or my favorite creamy lemon garlic pasta, I love to roast zucchini for the side dish.
You could cook my air fryer chicken breasts or air fryer thin pork chops at the same time as the zucchini if you have an airfryer with several racks like my Ninja Foodi does.
If you're making my baked fish with bread crumbs or oven baked salmon, you could roast the zucchini in the oven, too.
More Air Fryer Vegetable Side Dishes
Looking for more easy veggies to cook in your air fryer? Here are a few of my favorites:
๐ Recipe
Parmesan Roasted Zucchini
Ingredients
- 3 fresh zucchini or yellow squash or a mix
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Mediterranean herb blend
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Trim the ends from the squash and slice them in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into halves again making four long strips. Cut the zucchini into 1-inch thick pieces and place them in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the cut zucchini. Sprinkle the herb blend, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes over the top. Use a spoon to toss it together until everything is evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the grated parmesan over the zucchini and toss to coat.
- Preheat your air fryer or oven to 425ยฐF. Place the prepared zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet. If you have an air fryer with a basket, you may have to work in batches so the zucchini are in a single layer.
- Roast the zucchini for 10 - 12 minutes or until the parmesan has melted and the squash are fork-tender. To get a delicious golden brown crispy edge, you can place the baking pan under the broiler for 1 minute. This only affects the final presentation, the zucchini will be delicious even without that final step.
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