Baked Parmesan Zucchini
by Chungah
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Crisp-tender zucchini sticks with an irresistible Parmesan topping! The perfect side dish to sneak in veggies for both kids and grown-ups.
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Why you’ll love baked parmesan zucchini
- Great way to use up zucchini. Already made zucchini bread with your summer bounty? Time to whip up some parmesan zucchini sticks, the most perfect side dish (or appetizer) to elevate any meal.
- Completely baked, start to finish. There is absolutely zero frying or sautéing here. The zucchini spears are completely baked, sprinkled with a simple Parmesan-herb coating, and broiled the last few minutes for that nice golden brown crust.
- Kid-friendly. These parmesan zucchini sticks are such a great, low-carb alternative to french fries, providing so much more fiber and nutrition. It’s truly the best way to sneak in some veggies for kids and grown-ups!
How to cut zucchini into sticks (or spears)
Slice the zucchini into even spears every single time, ensuring they brown and cook evenly.
- Wash under cold water to remove dirt and debris, using a kitchen towel to dry thoroughly.
- Trim the ends, both the stem and the base, about 1/2-inch on each side.
- Cut the zucchini crosswise (horizontally) into two halves.
- Cut each half into two or three equal pieces, depending on how big the zucchini is.
How to make baked parmesan zucchini
- Cut the zucchini. Cut the zucchini into even sticks or spears (instructions above), cutting as long or as short as desired.
- Make the Parmesan mixture. Toss together the Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Freshly grated cheese is best here for that favorited crispy golden-brown crust as pre-shredded cheese can clump and burn easily.
- Coat the zucchini. Place the zucchini sticks in a single layer on a wire rack inside a baking sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch space between each stick. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkling the seasoning mixture in an even layer on top.
- Bake and broil. Bake the zucchini until tender. Pro tip: broil the last few minutes of cook time for that crispy crunch and golden brown crust.
- Serve. Serve warm with additional Parmesan.
Pro tip
Use a cooling rack on a baking sheet.
- Prevents soggy zucchini. When zucchini is baked directly on a sheet pan, it will often steam in its own moisture. Elevating the zucchini on a cooling rack will allow for even air circulation.
- Uniform browning. The rack will ensure golden browning on all sides of the zucchini sticks.
- Allows for easy clean up. Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil (under the rack) to catch any drippings or fallen seasoning for the easiest clean up ever.
Baked Parmesan Zucchini: Frequently Asked Questions
A medium zucchini is typically 6 – 8 inches long, 2 inches in diameter, and weighs around 6 ounces.
No, leave the zucchini peel intact as it provides strong structural support, allowing the zucchini to hold its shape during baking. Removing the peel will make the zucchini soft and mushy.
Zucchini is 95% water, the common culprit behind soggy, limp zucchini. For crisp-tender zucchini, dry the zucchini thoroughly and bake on a wire rack over a baking sheet to ensure even air flow and to prevent steaming.
Parmesan zucchini is so versatile and can pair well with your favorite dipping sauces such as Ranch, fry sauce (burger sauce), garlic aioli, or marinara sauce.
Yes! The air fryer is a great way to get crispy zucchini sticks. Add the zucchini sticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Zucchini sticks are best when served immediately, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days, reheating in the oven at 375°F until warmed through.
Freezing is not recommended here as the texture may become mushy upon thawing.
Baked Parmesan Zucchini
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and patted dry
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place zucchini onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan mixture in an even layer.
- Place into oven and bake until tender, about 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway. Then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Dry thoroughly. Zucchini has a very high water content. Pat the zucchini dry with paper towels before baking to guarantee that crispy exterior.
- Cut into uniform pieces. Cut the zucchini into similar-sized sticks to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Freshly grated Parmesan goes a long way. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents, burning easily and leaving a meal crust. Use freshly grated cheese for that crispy, golden, flavorful crust.
- Use a cooling rack on a baking sheet. No more soggy limp zucchini! Baking the zucchini directly on an oven-safe cooling rack inside a baking sheet will prevent steaming and provide even airflow with easy clean up.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Space the zucchini sticks out in a single, even layer, about 1/2-inch, for proper browning. When the pan is crowded, the steam will get trapped between the sticks, causing the zucchini to steam instead.
- Make it in the air fryer. These can easily be cooked in the air fryer at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover zucchini sticks can become mushy when reheated in the microwave. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven (to regain some of its crispness) at 375°F until warmed through.
Did you make this recipe?
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Really good didn’t have enough it went so fast! Made my life easier than frying it. Also put olive oil in ziplock and put 8-10 zucchini in at a time to coat then turned them in Parmesan mixture and placed on cooling rack. No crumbs wasted or burning in oven.
Super legit, kids and adults alike loved it. Will definitely be a repeat!
Made this last night. Easy and very tasty. You absolutely do not need the cheese. The cheese just makes it unhealthy.
Thanks for the recipe!
I bet you are a lot of fun at parties.
lolll
Agree!
thinking same
Made these and they turned out great! My zucchini was pretty big so I broiled them a little longer but they were tastey!
They were fantastic. First time I have ever eaten zucchini in my 62 years.
Flavor was really good. But the zucchini was very soggy even though I broiled them for 4 plus minutes
Absolutely delicious!! Thank you!!
Delicious!! (and good for you)
Love this recipe I can’t wait to try it with a bag of mini squash .
Great! Really enjoyed it and leftovers good for breakfast too with an egg.
How did you store these? Were they still crispy the next day?
These were DELICIOUS! We added cut up bacon to them during the two-minute broil at the end, which made them SCRUMPTIOUS!
I recommend doubling the cheese! It makes this recipe so much more delicious!
I would make them again..They were crunchy and cheesy.
When you bake these are they placed in the oven in Middle rack. Then moved lower for broiling.
or middle rack for all
or lower rack for all.
You can keep it on the middle rack for both.
I made this for dinner the other night and was sorely disappointed. I sliced my zucchini a little thinner (into 8ths, rather than 4ths), but even after 15 minutes in the oven, the zucchini were still under-cooked and all of the cheese had melted off the zucchini and baked to the parchment paper on the bottom of my sheet pan.
My question is: can you also use yellow squash for this recipe? I have soooo many from my garden. Thanks!!
Yes, absolutely!
Can the zucchini spears be frozen after cooking?
Freezing sounds like an amazing idea but unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself. Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Hi Teena, did you end up freezing the zucchini spears? I am trying to make some pre-made meals for my family this week while I’m out of town and am wondering if I can freeze these for them to use later this week.
Thanks!!
My zucc was too big and had to be cut into more than 4 pieces…I dredged them on a platter instead of over the baking rack, so that I didn’t lose so much parm mix…due to the larger size of the pieces I had to bake 3-4 minutes longer and move up the rack and broil about 4-5 minutes. But, OH MY GOODNESS, the recipe is freaking awesome! Thanks, I will be using this to take to friends’ parties, family gatherings, etc. YUUUMMMMMMM!
So happy you liked it!
Did you remove the seeds? When you baked them.
No, I did not.
Love this recipe! I tossed the zucchini in olive oil to lightly coat rather than drizzle. Cutting them as you show definitely helps keep the parm on. Perfect!
Love that!
Wonderful recipe!!! This is the third time making this. I used Kraft Parm this time and it was still delicious!!!
That’s great! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this easy and quick way to serve zucchini!