Everything that makes this dish work happens before the machine turns on. Skip any of these steps and the zucchini will tell you.

Step 1: Do not pre-salt

Salting draws water to the surface. That surface moisture turns to steam during cooking and pushes the coating off from the inside. NYT Cooking reserves all salt for after cooking a deliberate call, not an oversight. Do the same for Option A.

Step 2: Cut to the right size for your method

Option A: Cut two medium zucchini (about one pound total) crosswise into half-inch rounds, roughly three cups. The Kitchn specifies this thickness because the rounds flip cleanly and give the interior time to cook through before the coating browns too far. One tester noted the thickness produces "ideal, tender texture" with "crunchy bits" from the coating the textural contrast is the point.

Option B: Halve each zucchini lengthwise, then scrape out the seed cavity with a small spoon and discard the seeds. Cut the seeded halves lengthwise again and slice into bite-size chunks, about three cups total. NYT Cooking specifies seed removal as part of its moisture-control sequence; the cavity holds a concentrated amount of water that thorough drying alone doesn't fully address.

Step 3: Dry the zucchini, then dry it again

After cutting, pat all pieces dry with paper towels. Transfer to a bowl and pat dry a second time. NYT Cooking calls for two separate drying passes. This is the step that separates a crunchy coating from a soft one.

Step 4: Rest and preheat

Option A: Once the zucchini is coated (details in Section 2), let it sit for 10 minutes while the air fryer preheats to 400°F. The Kitchn builds this rest into the method. It's passive time with no added work.

Option B: Preheat the air fryer at 400°F for a full 10 minutes before loading anything. NYT Cooking treats the preheat as a required step. A cold basket drops the cooking temperature and slows browning.

Single layer only. Pack the basket and you've built a steamer. Every piece needs air circulating around it. If you're cooking for a crowd, batch cooking is covered in Section 3.

Follow the steps for your chosen path. Don't mix elements between methods.

Option A: Parmesan-panko rounds

What you need: 2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb), cut into half-inch rounds; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan, plus more to finish; 1 tablespoon panko breadcrumbs; ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to finish; ¼ teaspoon each dried oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper; cooking spray.

Source: The Kitchn, published this week.

1. Assemble the coating. Combine the Parmesan, panko, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a bowl.

2. Coat the zucchini. Toss the dried rounds in olive oil until covered, then add the dry mixture and toss again to coat all sides.

3. Rest and preheat. Let the coated rounds sit for 10 minutes while you heat the air fryer to 400°F.

4. Cook. Spray the basket with cooking spray. Arrange rounds in a single layer. Air fry at 400°F for 14 to 16 minutes, flipping halfway through. The Kitchn lists a wider cook range of 15 to 30 minutes total; the actual time depends on your model and how many pieces you've loaded. Start checking at 14 minutes. The rounds are done when the coating is golden in spots and the zucchini is tender but not collapsing.

5. Finish. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and a pinch of kosher salt.

What to expect: Tender interior, browned coating with distinct crunchy bits. Not a uniformly crisp shell, but a clear contrast between the two layers. Five minutes of active work, consistent results.

Option B: mayo-cornstarch-Pecorino chunks

What you need: 2 medium zucchini, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks (about 3 cups); 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano (divided); panko breadcrumbs; cornstarch; garlic powder; Italian seasoning; black pepper; kosher salt (for finishing only).

Source: NYT Cooking, published last year.

1. Preheat. Heat the air fryer to 400°F for a full 10 minutes before doing anything else.

2. Assemble the coating. Combine 2 tablespoons of the Pecorino with the panko, cornstarch, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper in a small bowl. The cornstarch absorbs residual surface moisture and crisps more aggressively than breadcrumbs alone the same mechanism used in cornstarch-coated fried chicken.

3. Coat the zucchini. Add the mayonnaise to the bowl of dried, seeded chunks and use a spatula or your hands to coat every surface. Mayo's fat content promotes browning more effectively than oil. Press the dry coating mixture onto all sides.

4. Load the basket. Place the coated pieces in an even layer in the preheated basket, including any loose crumbs that didn't stick. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of Pecorino.

5. Cook. Fry for 10 minutes, shaking the basket after 7. The coating should be visibly crisped and the zucchini browned in spots with some structural bite remaining.

6. Finish. Season with salt only after cooking. Transfer to a serving plate and include any loose crumbs from the basket they're seasoned and worth serving. Eat promptly; this version softens faster than Option A once it sits.

What to expect: A crispier exterior than Option A, with a structured but tender interior. The recipe holds a 4-star rating from 275 users on NYT Cooking.

Troubleshooting

Coating isn't crisping. The basket was overcrowded, the zucchini went in wet, or the air fryer wasn't preheated (critical for Option B). Single layer, dry twice, preheat fully.

Coating slid off. Uneven fat coverage. Every surface needs oil or mayo contact before the dry mixture goes on. Toss more thoroughly and press the coating in by hand.

Interior is soft. Pieces were cut too thin, or the basket was crowded and the zucchini steamed. Half-inch rounds for Option A, bite-size chunks for Option B. Single layer, always.

Exterior is pale. The cooking temperature dropped usually from skipping the preheat or loading too many pieces. A properly preheated basket with a true single layer is what produces browning.

Cooking in batches

Pull the first batch one minute early and transfer pieces to a wire rack-lined baking sheet without salting. NYT Cooking specifies holding unsalted salting mid-process draws out moisture and softens the coating on pieces still waiting. Once all batches are done, return everything to the air fryer for one to two minutes to recrisp, then salt and serve. That produces consistent texture across the whole batch rather than a gradient between the first pieces out and the last.

The same approach applies to Option A batches: undercook by a minute, rest on a rack, recrisp to order.

Making ahead

Zucchini can be sliced up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container, per The Kitchn. Pre-mix the dry coating and store it separately. Assemble and fry just before serving.

Leftovers keep for up to four days refrigerated and reheat at 400°F in three to five minutes (The Kitchn). The texture will be slightly more tender than fresh, but substantially better than most reheated vegetable sides.

Serving

Both versions work alongside burgers or grilled fish. If serving as a starter, ranch or tzatziki make natural dipping sauces the NYT Cooking zucchini fritters recipe recommends that pairing for crispy zucchini preparations, and it translates cleanly here.

The core prep sequence is the same for both: no pre-salting, cut to the right size, dry twice, single layer in a preheated basket, salt only after cooking. Each rule maps to a specific failure mode. Follow them all and the results are consistent.

For most weeknights, or when prepping ahead for a group, Option A is the call. Five minutes of active prep, 24-hour make-ahead flexibility, a result that reheats well. When crispness is the whole point, Option B's mayo-cornstarch-Pecorino system produces a noticeably firmer exterior. The tradeoff is a slightly longer setup and a dish that's best eaten immediately.

Two medium zucchini serves four for Option A; Option B yields two to four servings depending on portion size. Either way, the only real constraint is the basket: one layer at a time, every time.