Delicious, crisp, but creamy, Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters with prosciutto and parmesan. Dip them in a favorite marinara sauce or creamy aioli for the perfect flavor combo in an appetizer!
If you're looking for some equally delicious and easy appetizers, try Air Fryer Garlic Parm Wings or Pepperoni Bread (Stromboli).
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No Smell. No need to actually fry anything when you use your air fryer!
- Easy Clean Up. The air fryer also means no oil splatters which is almost impossible to avoid when frying something like zucchini that is so wet.
- Delicious Flavor. So much flavor in these fritters! With the prosciutto, lemon and parmigiana, it is a unique take on the Italian Zucchini Fritters.
I so badly wanted these air fryer zucchini fritters to have prosciutto. So, at first, I did this kind of roll-up version like in the image below, and I dipped it in my Spicy Vodka Sauce.
But I just wasn't happy that it wasn't a fritter. They were also kind of hard to make. If I'm going to put a lot of effort into prepping something, it has to be really, really good like a Pistachio Cream Tiramisu or something.
So, I landed on sticking with the traditional zucchini fritter method, but in the air fryer. I also slightly freeze the prosciutto before chopping it to make it really easy to mix with the other ingredients!
Substitution and Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini. Fresh zucchini works best. You could also substitute fresh squash in this recipe!
- Breadcrumbs. Use regular breadcrumbs, not panko. Regular breadcrumbs get the texture right and absorb more liquid in the mixture.
- Prosciutto. I like to throw my prosciutto in the freezer for 15 minutes before this. It will make it easier to chop. You can substitute pepperoni, bresaola, or sopresatta.
- Parmigiana. Fresh Parmigiana is always best. If it's pregrated, it usually has an anticoagulant of some sort in it.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
Step 1: Grate the zucchini, using the smallest grating hole you have available.
Step 2: Place the grated zucchini in a cheese cloth or paper towel and squeeze all of the liquid out as best you can. This will help us get the crispy outside on a fritter.
Step 3: In a bowl, combine zucchini, breadcrumbs, parmesan, prosciutto, flour, egg, lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 4: Combine well. If the mixture is too wet, add ¼ cup more breadcrumbs. (It's too wet if you can't make a patty that sticks together)
Step 5: Take ½ cup of the mixture and flatten into a patty. Flatten fairly thin. It should make 10-15 patties.
Step 6: Preheat the air fryer to 375℉. Cook the zucchini for 20-25 minutes. Flip after 10 minutes.
Serve air fryer zucchini fritters with your favorite Marinara Sauce or Creamy Red Pepper Sauce. It also goes well with Traditional Caesar Dressing, Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing, or a creamy garlic aioli!
Pro-tip
- Freeze the prosciutto. Place the prosciutto in the freezer for fifteen minutes before wrapping the mozzarella. It makes the prosciutto a little sturdier.
- Test the texture. If the mixture feels too wet and you can't form a patty. add more bread crumbs to help it hold its form.
- Creamy inside. The higher the temperature on the air fryer the creamier the inside of the fritter will be. I like to go with 350-375 degrees farenheit so that the inside isn't too creamy.
- Drain the zucchini. You NEED to squeeze the liquid from the zucchini. This is necessary if you want the crispy exterior on the fritter.
Recipe FAQs
10 minutes in the oven at 350℉ or 8 minutes in the air fryer at 400℉. Super easy to make in advance and then reheat at someone's house.
Yes. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350℉. You can prep these hours in advance and cook right when you're ready. I like the air fryer option if you're just cooking one batch, but if you're making a ton of them, the oven is the way to go.
More Easy Delicious Appetizers
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini, grated
- 1 cup breadcrumb
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 6 oz package prosciutto, chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini, using the smallest grating hole you have available. Place the grated zucchini in a cheese cloth or paper towel and squeeze all of the liquid out as best you can.
- In a bowl, combine zucchini, breadcrumbs, parmesan, prosciutto, flour, egg, lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. If the mixture is too wet, add ¼ cup more breadcrumbs. (It's too wet if you can't make a patty that sticks together)
- Take ½ cup of the mixture and flatten into a patty. Flatten fairly thin. It should make 10-15 patties.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375℉. Cook the zucchini for 20-25 minutes. Flip after 10 minutes.
- Dip in your favorite marinara sauce, creamy ranch, or aioli.
Vinny
Perfect app to dip in marinara! I know you'll enjoy this on a football Sunday or your next cocktail party.