How To Cook Courgettes In Air Fryer | Crisp Results

Air frying courgettes gives you soft centres and crisp edges without standing over a pan of hot oil. You get a quick vegetable side that feels indulgent but fits easily into everyday meals.

This guide walks you through how to cook courgettes in air fryer baskets or drawers, how to cut them, how much oil to use, how long to cook them, and what to do if they turn soggy or burn at the edges.

How To Cook Courgettes In Air Fryer Step By Step

If you have never tried air fried courgettes before, this method keeps things simple and still gives you plenty of flavour options.

Cut Or Prep Style	Guide Time At 190°C	Best Use Or Texture
Thin rounds (5 mm)	6–8 minutes	Light, crisp snacks or salad toppers
Thicker rounds (1 cm)	8–10 minutes	Soft centre with browned edges
Half moons	8–11 minutes	Everyday side for pasta, fish, or chicken
Batons or “fries”	10–12 minutes	Dippable pieces for sauces and aioli
Chunks for skewers	9–11 minutes	Mixed vegetable skewers or grain bowls
Stuffed “boats”	12–15 minutes	Meal style courgette halves with filling
Breaded slices	8–12 minutes	More crunch, great with a dip

Choose And Prep Your Courgettes

Pick firm, glossy courgettes with smooth skin and no soft spots. Medium sized ones, about the width of a large thumb, cook more evenly than big ones, which can be a bit watery and seedy.

Rinse under cool running water and pat dry. Trim both ends. For most air fryer recipes you do not need to peel the skin; it helps the slices hold their shape and adds a gentle chew.

Cutting Options For Even Cooking

Even thickness matters more than the exact shape. Use a sharp knife and aim for consistent slices so that everything finishes at roughly the same time. Thin rounds give the fastest cook, while chunky batons need a little longer but feel more substantial on the plate.

If you plan to serve courgette “fries”, cut batons roughly the length of a finger. For pasta or rice bowls, half moons look neat and sit well on a fork. Any of these shapes work well in air fryer baskets.

Season And Oil Lightly

Courgettes contain a lot of water, so they only need a small amount of oil. A teaspoon to a tablespoon per medium courgette is usually enough. Toss slices in a bowl with just enough oil to give them a light sheen, along with salt and your chosen seasoning.

For a simple base, use salt, black pepper, and dried garlic or onion granules. You can then add extra herbs or spices at the table. Because courgettes are low in calories and rich in water, many people use them to bulk out meals while keeping energy intake modest, as shown in data from USDA FoodData Central.

Set Temperature And Time

Preheat the air fryer to 190°C if your model has a preheat setting. This helps the courgettes start sizzling as soon as they hit the basket, which encourages browning.

Spread the slices in a single layer with a little space between each piece. A bit of overlap is fine, but a packed basket traps steam and leads to soggy courgettes. For thin rounds start with 6 minutes, for batons or thick pieces start with 8–9 minutes. Hot air needs room to move, so resist packing slices tightly.

Check Doneness Safely

Slide the basket out and give it a gentle shake halfway through to help the pieces cook on all sides. When the timer ends, use tongs or a fork to check a few pieces from the centre of the basket.

The middle should look translucent, not raw, and the cut surfaces should show light browning. If pieces still look pale, return them to the air fryer in 2 minute bursts until you like the texture. General cooking guidance from the UK Food Standards Agency advises that the centre of hot food should reach at least 70°C for 2 minutes or an equivalent time and temperature combination for safe eating, so a quick check with a food thermometer can be useful for mixed trays that include meat or fish when cooking your food.

Courgettes In Air Fryer Cooking Times And Temperatures

Every air fryer model runs a little differently, so treat time charts as guides, not strict rules. Basket size, wattage, and how full you load the drawer all affect how long courgettes need.

For most models, 180–200°C is the sweet spot for courgettes. Lower settings around 160–170°C cook them through gently but give less browning; higher settings brown faster but can char edges before the middle softens.

Thickness, Water Content, And Browning

Thin slices lose moisture quickly and take colour fast. They are perfect when you want something snack like or want to add a smoky note to salads and grain bowls. Thick chunks hold onto moisture and stay juicy, though they need more time and one or two shakes of the basket.

Salt pulls a little water out of courgettes. If you have time, salt slices lightly and leave them in a colander for 10–15 minutes, then pat dry before air frying. This step gives you more concentrated flavour and better browning, especially if you cook a large batch.

Oil, Seasoning, And Coatings

A thin coating of oil improves texture far more than a heavy pour. Spray oil, a pastry brush, or tossing slices in a bowl all work well. Too much oil can smoke in the basket and make courgettes greasy instead of crisp around the edges.

For a breaded finish, dip slices in beaten egg, then in seasoned breadcrumbs or panko. Press lightly so the coating adheres. Lay coated slices in a single layer and cook at 190°C for around 8–10 minutes, turning once. The crumbs should be golden and the courgette inside tender.

Adjusting For Different Air Fryer Styles

Drawer style air fryers tend to cook a little quicker than oven style models, because the heat circulates in a smaller space. If you follow an oven style recipe in a compact drawer model, check for doneness 2–3 minutes earlier than listed.

Oven style air fryers sometimes come with two racks. Courgettes on the top rack, closer to the heating element, brown faster. Swap trays halfway through so everything cooks evenly, or place delicate items like stuffed courgette halves on the lower rack.

Seasoning Ideas For Air Fried Courgettes

Neutral flavour makes courgettes a good base for many spice blends. Once you learn the basic method, you can spin it into sides that fit almost any plate on your table.

Seasoning Mix	Main Ingredients	Pairs Well With
Lemon And Herb	Lemon zest, dried oregano, garlic granules	Grilled chicken, white fish, simple rice
Garlic Parmesan	Garlic powder, grated hard cheese, black pepper	Pasta dishes, baked potatoes, steak
Smoked Paprika	Smoked paprika, cumin, sea salt	Burgers, sausages, grain bowls
Chilli And Lime	Chilli flakes, lime zest, coriander	Tacos, fajitas, grilled prawns
Middle Eastern Style	Ground coriander, cumin, sumac	Lamb, hummus plates, flatbreads
Indian Style	Curry powder, turmeric, garam masala	Lentil dishes, grilled paneer, rice

Add fresh herbs after cooking to keep their colour bright. A handful of chopped parsley, basil, dill, or mint works well with the soft texture and mild flavour of courgette slices.

Serving Ideas And Meal Prep Tips

Air fried courgettes taste best straight from the basket while the edges are still crisp, but leftovers hold up well in the fridge for a couple of days. Store cooled slices in a sealed container and reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 3–4 minutes.

Tuck warm slices into wraps with hummus and salad, toss through cooked pasta with olive oil and cheese, or pile on top of creamy polenta. Courgettes also sit nicely next to grilled meat, baked fish, or a tray of roasted potatoes.

If you like a little crunch, scatter toasted nuts or seeds over the top before serving. Pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, or slivered almonds lift the texture and add extra flavour.

Batch Cooking Courgettes For Busy Weeks

When courgettes are in season and affordable, cook them in batches. Air fry one tray while you slice the next, then rotate trays so you build up a supply of cooked vegetables with minimal hands on time.

Use those prepared courgettes through the week in omelettes, savoury muffins, frittatas, grain bowls, or simple lunch boxes alongside leftover protein. The mild taste means they rarely clash with other flavours on the plate.

Troubleshooting Common Courgette Issues In The Air Fryer

Even with a clear method, small changes in slice size or basket crowding can change the result. Here is how to fix the most common problems when you cook courgettes in an air fryer.

Courgettes Turn Out Soggy

If your courgettes feel limp instead of crisp at the edges, there are a few likely reasons. The basket might be too full, the temperature might be low, or you may have added more oil than the slices can handle.

Cook a smaller batch at once so hot air can move around each slice. Increase the temperature to 190–200°C and extend the time by a couple of minutes, shaking once or twice as they cook. You can also try salting and patting dry before cooking to remove some moisture.

Courgettes Burn At The Edges

Thin slices near the sides of the basket can brown too quickly. Next time, cut the slices a little thicker and check for doneness earlier. If your air fryer runs hot, reduce the temperature by 10–20°C and keep the same starting time.

Watch out for breadcrumbs or grated cheese on the outer edge of slices, as these brown faster than the courgette itself. Press coatings onto the flat surfaces so they cling well and shake the basket more gently.

Flavour Feels Flat

If the texture looks fine but the taste feels dull, adjust salt and acid instead of piling on more oil. A small squeeze of lemon juice, a spoonful of yoghurt based sauce, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze can lift the whole plate.

You can also mix hot courgettes with a spoonful of pesto, salsa verde, or a quick dressing made from olive oil, crushed garlic, and herbs. They soak up flavour well while still warm, so season them soon after they leave the basket.

Once you are confident with how to cook courgettes in air fryer, you can use the same approach for many other soft vegetables. Aubergine slices, peppers, and halved mushrooms cook in similar ways, and a tray of mixed vegetables turns the air fryer into an easy weeknight helper.