How good are summer vegetables that allow us to create many tasty and light dishes, like these split zucchini. And even if it’s hot, no problem, just use the air fryer instead of the oven, faster and without heating up the house!
Split eggplants are a well-known vegan side dish that will soon appear on my blog, but I wanted to try with zucchini and I loved them. Plus, they take only a few minutes to prepare, and there’s no need to use much oil. Just use spices that add flavor but, fortunately, have zero Weight Watchers points.
The split zucchini, also known as split zucchini, are delicious and light when prepared this way, but of course, you can change the spices and add cherry tomatoes in the cuts, according to your taste. Come and read how I prepared them.
Here’s some more zucchini recipes:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini (2 if very large, otherwise 4 small ones)
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (2 measuring teaspoons)
- to taste spices (make a mix of dry spices to taste, I use oregano and thyme)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- to taste basil
- to taste mint
- to taste balsamic vinegar (optional)
- to taste salt
- Points per serving = 1 WW point
Tools
- Air fryer
Steps
Start by washing the zucchini well and trimming them. Then cut them in half to divide them into 4 pieces each. If you use small zucchini, you can also just cut them lengthwise.
With a small knife, score the surface of the zucchini with deep diagonal cuts without reaching the skin.
Gently open the flesh of the zucchini, just a little, so you can insert the seasoning. First, brush the zucchini with oil, then add the dry spices, garlic powder, and a bit of salt. You can add fresh herbs now, but they tend to cook too much in the fryer. I added them partly during cooking and partly at the end.
Place the zucchini directly on the basket of the air fryer and cook at 356°F for 20 minutes, then open and check, and if necessary, continue cooking until the zucchini are slightly golden on the surface. It took me about half an hour.
If you have a less powerful fryer, you may need to cook them at 392°F; each fryer is a bit different.
If you use the oven, cook the zucchini at 428°F, always for about half an hour, and use a non-stick baking tray or you can place the zucchini on parchment paper.
At this point, you can serve the zucchini as is, just ready, with basil and/or mint on top or you can let them cool down (they are tastier when cold, in my opinion)… A little splash of balsamic vinegar goes perfectly!
In any case, these split zucchini are spectacular, and there’s no frying involved! I mentioned preparing 1 large zucchini per person, but if you want, you can eat more; with vegetables, there’s no limit…
Let me know if you tried this recipe, it was very much appreciated at home. I’m waiting for you in my Facebook group with the photo of this side dish made by you.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
You can store split zucchini in the fridge for at least 3 days. I don’t think freezing them is a good idea though.
FAQ
Can I also use the oven?
Of course, as mentioned before, you can cook the zucchini in the oven at 428°F for about half an hour: use a non-stick tray or place the zucchini on parchment paper.
