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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I simplified by just using zuchini, Perfect pinch, pepper parmesan cheese and olive oil, but I love it. Great way to cook it, I now crave it.
Yum!
Great recipe. I used fresh herbs from the garden and used my mini food processor to blend them with parmesian cheese.
I brushed the olive oil on the zucchini strips and rolled them in the herb and cheese mixture before baking them. 🙂
Sounds delicious Nancy!
I made these in the air fryer oven. 375 for 15 minutes. They turned out great. I had done them in the oven before but this was better.
Great way to modify. Thanks, Sherry!
I made this and we love it. My son asked what seasoning was in it and my husband said it was restaurant quality. Thank you!
That’s so sweet!
I made these tonight with a zucchini right out of my garden! It was delicious!
I love your recipes!
Homegrown is the best! Awesome!
Hi, tasty, but soggy. I did broil them, more than the recipe said, but no successful outcome. Would be cool to get them crispy.
Hi Daniela! Thank you for trying my recipe!
Because these are completely baked, it will have that crisp-tender texture. However, if you prefer extra crispiness, you can try this recipe instead! 🙂
https://damndelicious.net/2014/02/24/zucchini-parmesan-crisps/
Hi,
Are these suitable to preprare in advance? Like prepare on Sunday to have as a snack throughout the work week?
Unfortunately I cannot answer that with certainty. There is a chance they might get soggy, but if I were you, I would try it. But please use your best judgement!
These look perfect!!!! OMG you are making me hungry…. thanks for the inspo! Pinned! 🙂 x
These are SO good! I added a little Creole seasoning to the breading…YUM!!!
That sounds AH-MAZING! I will have to try that next time for sure! 🙂
Just made it – DELICIOUS! And it looked just like the picture too (which is rare)
To anyone with soggy results…..I suggest sweating the zucchini before you bake it.
Slice the zucchini, sprinkle a tad of salt. Place the zucchini in a colander and cover with plastic wrap and or a plate. Then press with something heavy, like a soup can. The longer the better…maybe a couple of hours.
I sweat zucchini, eggplant any sqashy type vegetables before I cook them.
Hope this helps!
Katie, thanks for the tip, I’m going to give that a try when I make them.
This looks tasty and interesting. Do you think avocado could work?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I made these for a party last night and they were a HIT!!!! I made a quick tarragon ranch-style dressing and everyone loved them. The only thing I did different from the recipe was that after I’d coated the zucchini in olive oil, I tossed each spear in the bowl of the parmesan mixture separately. In the end, each spear was crunchy and the coating was crisp. Making them again for a party on Saturday!! Thanks! (be warned though, the coating in stinky and won’t smell appetizing when they are cooking).
I really enjoyed this recipe. The zucchini sticks were delicious and flavorful. For those on a diet, we ate them plain. The rest of the family dipped them in ranch. A great hit for our family football night cuisine.
Regarding the Zucchini recipe: This was the worst recipe I’ve ever tried! Whoever thought this one up must be a Hobo!! The smell was anything but appetizing!!! My home smells like dirty socks. Your recipe should be banned from the internet. I’m a long time Italian cook and I wouldn’t use this recipe again even if my life depended on it. Whoever you are you can’t be Italian or worse a cook!!!! Take your recipe and shove it!!!! Whatta stink!!!!!!!!
Yeah I bet you made this, first off you can CLEARLY see by Her Photo…she’s NOT Italian. The whole Internet knows that NY and Jersey Italians are some of the rudest pieces of trash in a America.
Wow, your rude, nasty reply was totally uncalled for! Shame on you! Why don’t you do everybody a favor and get over yourself…
The blend of spices in this recipe is amazing!! And it smells delicious while cooking! Several people noted that their zucchini ended up being soggy while mine never really got tender. We’ve made this twice and both times I’ve added 15-20 minutes more and they haven’t gotten tender. They stay crunchy (which is a bit more crunch than we like). So can anyone comment to whether I should up the cook temperature, increase the cook time, or cook it without the cooling rack? My slices look about the same thickness as the picture shown for the recipe.
Fun easy recipe for those of us who don’t love cooking….thank you so much for this and all the other wonderful things I have tried here.
I made this tonight and my husband that doesn’t eat zucchini had seconds
If you love zucchini I think you’ll enjoy this recipe. I only “sort of like it”. I baked for 18 minutes, then broiled for 8 minutes. No mushy zucchini.
OMG if you don’t know how to turn the oven to “Broil” maybe you should step away from the kitchen! (-: