Step 1- Set up your breading station. Mix the panko, vegan parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika together in a medium bowl. Add the flour to a separate bowl, and whisk your flax eggs (or vegan egg replacer) in a third bowl. Three bowls, three stations, zero confusion.
Step 2- Preheat the air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes. Don't skip this step a properly preheated air fryer is what gives you that instant crisp instead of a slow, uneven cook.
Step 3- Bread the zucchini. Cut the zucchini into ½-inch thick fries. Toss 2-3 pieces at a time in the flour, then dip them in the flax egg mixture, then coat them in the panko mixture. Set each finished fry on a plate while the air fryer finishes preheating.
Step 4- Air fry in batches. Arrange the fries in a single, even layer in the air fryer basket no overlapping, no crowding. Cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway if your air fryer runs hot on one side. You'll likely need two batches depending on your air fryer's size, and that's completely normal.
Step 5- Blend the ranch dip. While the fries cook, add the sunflower oil, soy milk, minced garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, dill, and chives to a small blender. Blend on high for a few seconds until it thickens into a mayo-like consistency. If you're using a smaller blender, you might need to double the recipe just to get it to blend properly.
Step 6- Serve immediately. Pull the fries straight from the air fryer to a plate and serve with the ranch dip on the side. These are best eaten hot, while the outside is still shatteringly crisp.
