Baked Zucchini Fries
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BAKED, super crispy, perfectly golden brown zucchini fries! So easy to make and such a healthier alternative to fries and chips. Yes, please!
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Why i love this recipe
- Completely baked. These zucchini fries are completely baked start to finish. There’s no messy hot pot of oil involved here – you just don’t need it!
- Crisp-tender goodness. These are amazingly crisp right out of the oven – so crisp that no one would ever believe these didn’t hit a single drop of oil. The secret? The Parmesan-herb breading, baked on top of a cooling rack to help get these babies crisp and perfectly golden brown.
- Great way to use up zucchini. Have an overflow of zucchini during the summertime and not sure what to do outside of zucchini bread? Time to make zucchini fries, perfect as an appetizer, side dish or even as an after school snack! These zucchini fries are an absolute crowd-pleaser for both kids and grown ups.
- Perfect for picky eaters. Get that serving of veggies in with these irresistible zucchini fries, a healthier alternative to chips and french fries, dipped in your favorite dipping sauces – Ranch, garlic aioli and marinara are our typical crowd favorites here.
ingredients
Panko
Panko is made from crustless bread, yielding a more flaky, airy texture with superior crispness than regular breadcrumbs.
Parmesan cheese
Parmesan adds a savory, nutty flavor, melting and crisping when baked to form that golden crust.
Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
For an extra kick of flavor! Dried basil, oregano or Herbs de Provence can also be used in place of Italian seasoning.
Zucchini
Use smaller or medium-sized zucchini, firm to the touch, as they are less watery and seedy than larger-sized zucchini, which will further help in achieving a crispy, not soggy, zucchini fry.
Flour
All-purpose flour, almond flour or white whole wheat flour will all work very well here.
Eggs
The eggs serve as a binder, helping the Parmesan-breading stick to the zucchini to create that favorited crispy coating.
the three-step process for crispy baked zucchini fries
- Flour. The flour will help dry the zucchini from any excess moisture, creating a dry surface for the eggs and breadcrumb coating to adhere to.
- Eggs. The eggs are essentially the glue here, creating a sticky surface to ensure the final breadcrumb coating stays in place.
- Breading. The Parmesan-herb breadcrumbs are pressed onto the zucchini fries for an ultimate crispy coating.
tips and tricks for success
- Pat dry. Because zucchini has high water content (94% water), patting the zucchini dry beforehand will help remove excess moisture to ensure crispy zucchini fries, avoiding mushy, limp zucchini.
- Use the air fryer. This is a great recipe for the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F, cooking for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to achieve maximum crispness.
- Serve immediately. Zucchini fries are best served immediately for maximum freshness and crispness. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 375°F until warmed through. Leftover zucchini fries can be mushy when reheated in the microwave.
pro tip
Don’t skip the cooling rack.
The cooling rack is one of the best kept secrets for crispy zucchini fries. This helps elevate the zucchini fries, allowing for better air circulation, resulting in even cooking and a more consistent golden brown, crispy, crunchy coating.
more favorited zucchini recipes
- Zucchini Tots
- Zucchini Fritters
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini
- Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups
- Parmesan Zucchini and Corn
Baked Zucchini Fries: Frequently Asked Questions
Almond flour or white whole wheat flour can also be used here.
Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb and can be found in the Asian section of your local grocery store. While both panko and breadcrumbs can be used as a coating for fried foods, panko is much more flakier and yields a crunchier, crispier texture.
You can serve these with your favorite dipping sauce like Ranch, fry sauce or marinara sauce.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Baked Zucchini Fries
Ingredients
- 1 cup Panko*
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
- Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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These took a little bit of time but were SO worth it! I could have eaten the pan by myself. Nice and crispy exterior and so good in ranch.
Wish this had the full nutrition facts
I love these fries! but I am wondering if I can make them with some other flour to make them more “weight loss friendly”?
I just used Wholemeal Spelt flour.
My husband loves these fries. I make 2 to 3 times a week once zucchini is ready to harvest.
Sounds yummy going to try and get back!
We just tried this recipe but with pickles instead of zucchini and it was really good!
I’d definitely drain the zucchini before coating them. Put fries in a colander, toss with some salt, and then let sit for about 30 minutes. They’ll be ‘crisper’ that way.
Wowza! Will definitely make again!
Wonderful.
Good, crunchy but if I were to make again I would add oil. I thought it was too dry
Recipe was so easy, made it on a weeknight! No panko, so just regular bread crumbs. Cut them into rounds since I wanted to cut the prep time. Turned out great! Made a mayo-hot sauce dip to match.
Everything I hoped for! They were crunchy!
do you remove water from cut zucchini before dipping in flour?
We add cayenne pepper to the panko recipe also. Dip in marinara sauce heated to melt added cheddar cheese.
Excellent recipe! I use flavored panko and bake just a little bit longer…SO good!
LOVE your recipes!! Ordered your cookbook but don’t get it till January. Just a tip, I skip the flour and egg dip. I cut the zucchini, dip them in ranch dressing then panko and bake. Delicious! Thank you for your great website and recipes. Happy New Year!!
We love making these! Made them easily plant-based… subbed nutritional yeast for Parmesan and used 3 Tablespoons of ground flaxseeds in 3/4 c. warm water instead of eggs. Let the flax “egg” mixture sit for 2 minutes to get gelatinous and it works great! Plus, added omega-3, dietary fiber, and no added cholesterol. My entire family loves these!
My family loves these. We need to double the egg as we run out using 4 zucchini. We like to dip in ranch dressing…kinda defeats the healthy option but super good. I never seem to have fresh parsley so I just add dried to the Panko mixture
We just love this baked zucchini fries recipe because it is easy and delicious!
These are great. I modified the recipe a little. Instead of regular flour I use whole wheat, same with the bread crumbs. I also add more seasoning to the breadcrumbs because they were a little plain. 1 tsp garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne.