Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
by Chungah
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Ultra crispy zucchini chips! Makes for the best snack or side dish to any main. Make it in the oven, stovetop, or air fryer! So easy, 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.
Why you’ll love these 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? Say goodbye to zucchini bread and 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.
How to make zucchini parmesan crisps
- Prep the zucchini. Salt the zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet to help draw out the excess moisture. This is key for crispy zucchini chips!
- Make the ultra-crispy coating. Combine the Panko breadcrumbs and freshly grated Parmesan. If Panko is not available, use traditional breadcrumbs.
- Set up your station. Prepare three shallow bowls with flour, beaten eggs, and the Panko mixture.
- Dredge and coat. Dredge in flour, dip in eggs, then press the zucchini round firmly into the Panko mixture on both sides so a thick layer sticks to the eggs.
- Cook. Heat the oil and carefully place a few zucchini rounds in a cast iron skillet until golden brown. Work in batches as an overcrowded pan will lead to soggy zucchini chips! Transfer to a wire rack to drain the excess oil while also keeping the zucchini chips nice and crispy.
- Serve. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
How to serve zucchini parmesan crisps
Snack
These crisps can be served as a snack (perfect for littles!) with Ranch, fry sauce, marinara sauce, or even guacamole.
Side dish
These can also be served alongside various main dishes, since they can be baked together at 425°F.
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Zucchini Parmesan Crisps: Frequently Asked Questions
Zucchini is very high in water and the salt helps 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 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
Video
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
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.
- Dredge zucchini rounds in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
- Working in batches, 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 wire rack.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- 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.
- Panko yields a superior crunch. Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb made from crustless bread and processed into large flakes, yielding far more ultra-crispy goodness (compared to traditional breadcrumbs).
- 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.
- Transfer to a cooling rack placed on a baking sheet. This will allow the zucchini crisps to cool slightly, draining the excess oil while the coating stays crispy.
- 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).
Did you make this recipe?
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I’ve just made this and it turned out delicious! Yum!
Hi ! Nice to meet you !
I’ m italian but I live in London, I hope to find Panko breadcrumb. I think that this recipe is very good !
I would like to know where to buy Emeril,s creole seasoning please ?
I live near GraftoninN.S.W. and shopping can be limited. perhaps I can
Order it on line. Would appreciate your assistance. Your recipes are fabulous.
I have twin granddaughters aged six and one of them is an avid little chef.
Absolutely adores cooking and reading recipes. I think many of yours would be great
for her to try. She is watched with care, but amazing and incredibly patient.
Thanks heaps, hope to hear from you soon
Wendy
Wendy, you can actually make Emeril’s Essence right at home using simple pantry spices. Here is the link to the recipe: https://damndelicious.net/2013/09/17/potato-corn-chowder/.
These are fabulous when dipped in a thick Ranch dressing….
I am vegetarian and don’t eat eggs. is there a substitute that you know of?
You can try substituting milk. Hope that helps!
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I bet these would be good with your sirracha cream sauce! Yum!
To bake these, I think it would work well to dredge them in melted butter. I know that sounds unhealthy, but not very much actually sticks to it, but enough to make the panko nice and golden but still far less fat than deep frying them! 🙂
Hi, I love so many of your recipes!! this looks so good and I plan on making it but it there any substitution for the egg? because My sister has egg allergies.
You can try substituting milk.
Would these be able to be baked in the oven instead of fried?
Yes, absolutely. I’ve never done it myself but I’ve had some of my readers letting me know that they’ve baked them and loved the end result. You will have to adjust baking time as needed though.
Will grow my own zucchini this summer (organic) and will try it then!
Can these be made with Summer squash as well as Zucchini? My kids like summer squash as
I used to fry it with a little butter, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. I had to hide them or there
would be none left for dinner.
Yes, summer squash would be a wonderful substitute.
Wow, this recipe looks absolutely fabulous! Definitely going to try it this summer. I found your website via a pin http://www.pinterest.com/pin/224617100139455783/
I luv all these fabulous recepes!
I will be trying these soon. Thanks
OMG these are totally awesome…just made them… dipped in bleu cheese… to die for….
Look great, do you think they’d work with eggplant? I have a glut of them at the moment and I’m desperate for new recipes!
Yes, absolutely. You may have to adjust cooking time as needed though.
I do exactly that with eggplant. After frying top with a little main era sace, mozzarella, and fresh basil then stick under broiler for a bit till cheeses goodness melts. YUM! is all I can say!
I also made them using yellow squash. They can be dairy free by substituting therm for Italian spice mix
I’m thinking of using almond flour instead of panko and flour so they will be low carb. Looks good!
Thank you for this low-carb solution!
These look SO FREAKIN’ GOOD! And, yeah, totally irresistible. I love how you styled the bowl with the red and white checked paper! So creative!