Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries are a great no-fuss way to get kids (and adults) to eat their vegetables. Crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside with a nice bit of saltiness from the Parmesan cheese these fries are your new favorite way to eat zucchini. Served with a marinara, these make a great kid friendly and figure-friendly appetizer or side dish.
Read more
My husband and I love zucchini any way you can think to make it but my daughter is not a fan. Disguised in a thin veil of panko bread crumbs and a ramekin or marinara sauce, and she gladly ate her “fries.” She did ask why they had a green peel but was not so bothered by it that she continued eating. I suppose if I wanted to truly slip these by her, I would have to peel the outer skin.
She did ask why they had a green peel but was not so bothered by it that she continued eating. I suppose if I wanted to truly slip these by her, I would have to peel the outer skin.
These get a nice crisp coating from the panko breadcrumbs that I lightly spray with cooking spray just to encourage browning. They turn out nice and crisp and beautifully golden brown.
I must confess that these may be my new favorite way to eat zucchini. No wonder they are a popular appetizer on many restaurant menus. They are cheap and easy to prepare so why not prepare them at home? This is a great way to use up your summer surplus of fresh garden-grown zucchini!
I served these with an organic marinara sauce perfectly kid-friendly and figure friendly. If you prefer, you may also serve these with some Ranch Dressing.
Crisp outside with a creamy center. Perfect for dipping…
Jump to Content:
Need some other quick appetizers? Check these out:
-
Air Fryer Ravioli
-
Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
-
Baked Parmesan Cheese Fries
-
Barbecue Dry-Rubbed Chicken Wings
-
Spinach Dip Stuffed French Bread
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Bites
Ingredients
- 1-1/3 cups panko bread crumbs [See Note 1]
- 1-1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese [See note 2]
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs , beaten
- 3 medium zucchini , cut into 3-inch long x 1/2-inch wide strips [See Note 3]
- cooking spray
Optional Garnish:
- Marinara sauce for dipping
- extra Parmesan cheese for sprinkling over the top of the serving plate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Combine the first 5 ingredients in a shallow bowl large enough to dredge the zucchini strips.
- Place the beaten eggs in a second shallow bowl for dredging.
- Dip zucchini in the egg and then dredge in the panko seasoning mix. Press to coat.
- Handling by the ends of each stick (so as to not disturb the coating), place zucchini onto a baking rack fitted into a shallow baking tray (I also line my tray with parchment for easy clean up). Repeat until all the zucchini strips are coated.
- Lightly spray each stick with cooking spray to promote browning.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve immediately with marinara sauce for dipping. [See Note 4]
Notes
- Panko bread crumbs are Japanese style bread crumbs which are bigger and have a nice crunchy texture.
- We find that freshly grated Parmesan cheese works best with this recipe but you may use shredded as an alternative.
- Trim the ends of the zucchini and then cut each in half across the middle. Turn and cut in half lengthwise to create 4 pieces. Cut eat piece lengthwise into three uniform sticks, forming 12 sticks per zucchini. Repeat with the other 2 zucchini.
- These are best served immediately but leftovers can be reheated in the oven at 200 degrees F for 10 minutes to crisp them up again.
Finally! A way I can trick my kids into eating zucchini. They were so good the kids didn’t care even after I told them it wasn’t zucchini! Thanks for recipe