Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
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Perfectly golden brown parmesan-crusted zucchini slices (to use up all that summer zucchini!). So crispy, so good!

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What do you do with all that summer zucchini just waiting to be used up? Well, we’re going to slice them up real nice, coat them in a Panko-Parm mixture, and cook them until they’re wonderfully crisp and golden brown. It’s a very sneaky snack, appetizer, and side dish situation, and you’ll be consuming all that zucchini in no time.

reasons to make zucchini parmesan crisps
- Summertime treat. Zucchini parmesan crisps is a favorite summertime snack for the entire family to enjoy (especially when dipped in Ranch). Not to mention, even the pickiest of eaters will be fighting for these!
- Great way to use up zucchini. Is your garden overflowing with an abundance of summer zucchini? Not sure what to cook next? Use up your bounty with these perfect, oh-so-crisp, golden brown snackable zucchini crisps.
- Flexible recipe. These crisps can easily be fried, baked or cooked in the air fryer, depending on personal preference.

tips and tricks for success
- Salt the zucchini. Because zucchini has a high water content (94% water), salting the zucchini beforehand will help draw out the excess water, making it firmer and avoiding mushy, limp zucchini.
- Use a cast iron skillet. A cast iron skillet is ideal here for even heat distribution for the hot oil.
- Cook in batches. If too much zucchini is added at once, the oil temperature will drop and the zucchini will absorb too much oil, resulting in soggy zucchini.
- Use the air fryer. This is a great recipe for the air fryer! Preheat the air fryer to 400°F, cooking for 9-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway.
- Bake as needed. Zucchini crisps can be baked on a cooling rack (that has been coated with nonstick spray) and placed on a baking sheet, cooking at 425°F for 20-22 minutes, or until crisp and cooked through.
- Serve immediately. These are best served immediately for maximum freshness and crispness. Zucchini parmesan crisps do not make for the best leftovers.
- Mix it up. Use golden zucchini or mushrooms, or swap out the Panko for whole wheat breadcrumbs or Italian style bread crumbs. Serve with Ranch, marinara sauce, garlic aioli, fry sauce or your favorite dipping sauce(s).

more favorited zucchini recipes
Zucchini Parmesan Crisps: Frequently Asked Questions
Zucchini is very high in water and the salt will help draw out excess water.
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 both be used as a coating for fried foods, Panko is much more flakier and yields a crunchier, crispier texture.
You’ll want to cut your zucchini into even slices, keeping your oil nice and hot, and space them apart when cooking. This will yield the crispiest zucchini slices!
Yes! These can be cooked in the air fryer at 400°F for 9-10 minutes, flipping halfway.
Absolutely! Place a cooling rack (that has been coated with nonstick spray) on a baking sheet, and bake at 425°F for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
You can serve these with your favorite dipping sauce like Ranch, fry sauce or marinara sauce.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup Panko*
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced to 1/4-inch thick rounds
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Equipment
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Lay zucchini slices flat in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Season with salt, to taste; let stand 15 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- In a large bowl, combine Panko and Parmesan; set aside.
- Working in batches, dredge zucchini rounds in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
- Add zucchini rounds to the skillet, 5 or 6 at a time, and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
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OK, party-pooper that I am, you state, Chungah, that you used parsley flakes as a garnish, but to my eyes the garnish looks rather like chopped chives. Comment? Other than that, I am salivating just thinking of making them. Thanks!
You are exactly right – these are garnished with chives!
sorry Bill Larson, Chungah said they were sprinkled with chopped chives. Looked back in the posts. Never mind, they are delicious what ever is sprinkled on top. Great recipe.
Great recipe. I made these last night as part of dinner. My boys, who normally hate zucchini, gobbled them all up.
Had great luck with zucchini in garden but there is just so much you can do with it. This has given me a great living room-tailgate platter of great crispy snack–horseradish sauce or ranch dip is super. Thanks! Fried, definitely.
I made these tonight and they were so easy and delicious!
I love these. I also make these with sliced cucumbers
I never tried Zucchini like that but i think to eat like this will be great.
Thanks for posting.
Zucchini is not my favorite veg but I could see myself eating tons of these. Thanks for posting.
DC
These were so delicious!!! A real keeper.
These look so crunchy and delicious! I make them in a similar way and also add a yogurt garlic dipping sauce 🙂
I make these using plain breadcrumbs and no cheese. I serve them with homemade horseradish sauce (horseradish, sour cream, and salt). Everyone loves them. I plan on trying these next time since they sound yummy.
It states to serve immediately, but if I made a big batch to take to work will it still be crunchy hours later?
I do not recommend making this ahead of time. These are best when served immediately.
Made these last night for dinner. Wonderful, we couldn’t stop eating them.
Thanks for ideas on vegetable snacks, anxious to serve to our dominos group, someone always has a surprise to serve NOW ITS MY TIME~
WOW these look good. My kids will eat any veggies if they have cheese and are crispy. Gotta try these.
I was raised by a mom who passed on to me loads of recipes from the South. She always told me to sprinkle the zucchini or summer squash after thinly slicing it of course, with a bit of sea salt to make it “cry”. After salting, let the slices sit for about 10 min. and you’ll see that indeed little “tears” will form on the surface of each slice. By doing this, you’ll be enhancing the flavor as well as helping all those good coatings to stick! ENJOY!!
I had to chuckle when I read this! I just responded to someone else about doing this, but, up here, in the Northeast, we call it sweating them out, instead of making them cry! Nice to hear other versions of it!
I make these every year. My husband loves them. Our most favorite dipping sauce is mayo mixed with horseradish. Delish!
A popular dish in my family is Greek-style deep-fried battered courgette slices. This looks like a lovely (and much healthier) version. Watching the Dr Who season premiere tonight with my sister and nephew tonight, I think I might cook up a tray of these for snacks 😉
Can I use bread crumbs mixed with a water cracker for Planko? I am in Greece and they do not have that here? I feel Planko is a stronger coating than just breadcrumbs. Is that correct.?
You can make homemade Panko with day-old French bread.
In answer to other coatings besides PLAKO…I was taught to mix cornmeal and flour (half & half) then season to your taste with salt and pepper or any other seasonings you desire. I first dip each slice in an egg/milk mixture then into the flour/cornmeal mixture (pressing on each slice so the maximum coating sticks) Then fry to a light crispness and enjoy!
hi, love the idea cant wait to try it. also was wondering can u bake them instead of frying ?
You can certainly bake them but I actually highly recommend frying – you just can’t get that amazing crispness from baking!
It was really great and very tasteful and my family love it