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.
Featured Comment
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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Why is there sugar in this dish?
Sugar content is found in all serving sizes and types of zucchini.
These are great! I’ve made them a few times now. I use a 15″ X 11 jelly roll/cookie sheet with a cookie cooling rack on it. For easier clean up, put foil in bottom of cookie sheet under rack because it does make a mess. I have another go to Zucchini recipe!
I made these tonight to go along with low fat recipe for sloppy joes on whole grain buns. Fabulous recipe! I promise you we did not miss having french fries or some other starchy fat. I will be cooking this often!
You have converted my anti-vegetable husband into not only tolerating zucchini, but LOVING your Baked Parmesan Zucchini. Thank you so much for helping me feed my family healthier and delicious alternatives to the all-to-familiar ones they are offered at restaurants. Kid approved and husband approved – those are high ratings here! Thank you.
Hola, Chungah.
Voy a escribir en español porque mi inglés está muy desmejorado y me avergüenzo.
Acabo de descubrir esta receta en Pinterest y me alegro de haber llegado a un blog tan elegante y refinado como el tuyo, lleno de recetas que quisiera probar ya mismo.
Me gusta que indiques de dónde está tomada la receta y que te detenés en detalles que marcan la diferencia entre un buen resultado y uno grandioso. Voy a hacer estas tiras de zucchini mañana mismo.
Cuídate!
The most important thing is to have the zucchini completely dry before you springle the mixture over them. They are delicious also served with yoghurt sauce.
General comment on “broiling”.
In the States (I think), broiling is using the part of the oven where the heat comes from overhead.
In England, that part of the oven is called the grill.
So, if you’re in England and you “broil” or grill the Zucchini (again, that’s the State’s name, England it’s courgettes) for a couple of minutes it will help to crisp the outside of the zucchini, it should be soft and succulent on the inside.
Not tried the recipe yet but am going to do, just need to go to the shops, or is that visit the Mall.
Sounds like a great recipe and great comments. Hope I haven’t offended anyone. Enjoy your food guys.
You described these as “crisp and tender”. Does that mean they’re supposed to be soft on the inside and only crispy on the outside? That’s how mine turned out. I thought they’d be crunchier. They tasted delicious, though.
That’s exactly right – crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.
I generally don’t care for zucchini or squash in general (though I don’t mind butternut), but my girlfriend bought two thinking they we’re cucumbers (I guess they kind of sort of look like them, but not really).
Well scouring the web for ways to get rid of them, I came across this, and they came out pretty good. I bought some more and added some breadcrumbs I made, and added it to this recipe to give it a bit of extra crunch.
i made these today and they are great.
Tried it as a snack, so good can’t stop munching I ate everything in just 5 minutes! Thanks for the recipe!
Made these for my guys tonight and received rave reviews. Thanks for the recipe.
I absolutley love these….. So good and easy to make. thanks for sharing
I love this récipe!, thanks for this healthy dish
Do you have any idea on how to make a light, elegant dish of shishito peppers?
Unfortunately I do not as I have never cooked with shishito peppers before.
I made these last night for dinner and they were a huge hit with my husband and kids. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
These zucchini looked so delicious so tried them….but simplified the prep somewhat.
after cutting the zuccini into qtrs I then put them into a plastic bag , added the oil, ( I used half the amount of oil) shook them up to get a good coating then added all the rest of ingredients, again shaking to coat.using tongs then placing on baking sheet. I found there was no need to broil/ grill if cooked in fan baked. They still turned out nice and crispy….then throw the plastic bag away…no dishes but evenly coated vegetables. I also use this system for ‘dry’ roasting othe vegetables such as potato, pumpkin and kumara
Made these tonight. Awesome! Just 2 of us and there was none left.
Thanks for a healthy vegie dish.
we made these – so quick & easy and came out great, even our toddler gobbled them up! I halved the zucchinis before quartering them to make them a little smaller, but otherwise followed the recipe & love it! also tried the slow-cooker creamed corn from this site, it was great too! excited to try some more recipes, thanks!
I don’t have a cooling rack unfortunately. Do you think I can still make the dish?
Yes, it should still be fine. The cooling rack just really helps the zucchini crisp up.