When you buy a new air fryer you need to test it with an easy recipe, agree? 😊 After cooking the roasted peppers, super easy, I tried cooking the zucchini and here they are just out of the air — I mean out of the fryer — the zucchini cooked in the air fryer flavored with mint and basil:
But I must confess I had to try this twice, because the first attempt was a flop. They cooked poorly — or rather they just shriveled up — and that discouraged me a bit, I must say. Then — thanks to Michela and one of her experiments that I often recognize myself in 😍 — I understood where I went wrong: first, I had cooked them too long, but above all I had cooked them without oil! Something that apparently with the air fryer… must not be done. You need very little, but you do need a little!
I’ll go ahead and tell you the recipe now!
And when you have a moment, check out the other 3 recipes with my new air fryer, super easy and delicious! 👇
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini (about 14 oz (400 g))
- 1 heaping tsp extra virgin olive oil (about 8 g (0.3 oz))
- mint
- basil
Tools
- Air fryer
Steps
Wash and cut the zucchini into pieces.
Place them in a bowl and season with one heaping teaspoon of oil.
Mix well, with a spoon or better yet with your hands, and pour them into the air fryer basket.
Set the air fryer for 10 minutes at 392°F.
In the meantime, prepare the aromatic herbs: I used mint and basil, which miraculously survived on my terrace 😄 but you can use whichever herbs you prefer (you can also add a clove of garlic).
Open the basket and add the herbs, roughly torn by hand.
Toss the zucchini and close the basket.
Run the appliance for another 10 minutes, still at 392°F.
After the time has elapsed, if you want them more golden, stir once more and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Here they are, the zucchini cooked in the air fryer:
Enjoy your meal!!!!
Salt-free tips
As I have already mentioned in other air fryer recipes (for example in this one), vegetables turn out really well: air cooking preserves their natural flavor without loss. The addition of aromatic herbs completes the dish and lets us avoid adding salt. For those not yet used to cooking without salt, I also suggest using a pinch of chili pepper or paprika. 🙂
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Reduce salt gradually; the palate needs to adapt slowly and shouldn’t notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices: chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs: basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds: sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use pungent vegetables or fruit: garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use strong-flavored condiments like vinegar, wine or balsamic.
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granulate and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid boiling in water; prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (griddle, foil, steam, microwave).
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Allow yourself an occasional indulgence. It helps morale and perseverance.
If you don’t want, or cannot, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes and salt them according to your habits.
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