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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This was delicious! Thank you! I should have actually made more. I had just harvested a zucchini (the one I used was about 12 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide cut into 10 pieces) and garlic from my garden, so I squeezed a couple cloves of garlic through the garlic press mixing into the olive oil in a shallow plate, then coated each side of the zucchini. In another shallow plate I had the parmesan mixture (that I omitted the garlic powder since it was in the oil), coating each side and putting it on parchment paper cooking it on the top shelf at 400 for 15 min. I didn’t use thyme this time. My elderly mother that I cook dinner for each night, who is finicky, said these really hit the spot. Super easy cleanup and I didn’t waste any ingredients. Will definitely make again.
Excellent
The baked Parmesan zucchini was delicious but even with non stick spray, the cleanup of the cooling rack was ridiculously difficult. So I won’t be making it again
I place my zucchini on parchment paper to make clean up easy.
Use spray on Dawn. Spray leave on a few minutes and cleans up quick and easy.
THis recipe looks SOOOOO good. I am going Tom to make for lunch or dinner.
Wonderful recipe. I didn’t use any oil as zucchini are wet and Parmesan stuck to it easily. Made 6 bigger zucchini’s, about 10” each but sliced them into 8ths. When ready sprinkled with freash parsley and basil. Fed family of 4 adults and 2 kids. Everyone enjoyed it. Great way to use up summer harvest. We definitely will do it again.
great recipe. id recommend to coat the zucchini in olive oil using a brush and roll the veg through the parmesan mixture…much better.
So I just finished making these and my husband walked and stole one. He said they are terrible and took the whole pan with him. Seriously 10 minutes later he brought back the pan and said I’m going out to the garden to grab some more zucchini, we need to make it again!
Omg, sounds just like my late husband lol! God rest his soul xxx
WOW! You were right. This is the BEST vegetable dish I’ve ever cooked!!! I went a step further and made my hot wings, following the same instructions and ingredients. I sprinkled a generous amount of cayenne pepper over the parmesan topping on the chicken before putting it in the oven for 40 minutes. Made the BEST hot wings ever with a crispy, cheesy crust! Many of the zucchini stalks did not make it until the chicken cooked. Something to remember the next time!
This recipe was so easy and delicious!! Will go great with everything!
This was delicious! I took the extra crumbs and put them on mushrooms and baked the same way! I added panko as well to the crumb mixture!
This was so delicious. I did add more garlic because I love garlic, but otherwise I left it alone and it was amazing. Definitely will be adding to my veggie rotation.
Okay, these are seriously delicious!! I baked mine at 400 for about 15 minutes and didn’t need to use the broiler. The tops were nicely browned simply by being in the hot oven. Thank you for such an easy and super delicious recipe! I also love that you can tweak this with your herbs and spices to make many taste variations. Yum!!
Parmesan is Not a vegetarian cheese!
Okay, take a breath. No one said it was. It’s all good. Breathe…..
Actually, parm cheese IS vegetarian – it contains no meat…. its NOT VEGAN because it is an animal product. Big difference between vegetarian vs. vegan.
I am vegetarian and I will only use Parmesan if it doesn’t have Gelatine in it
Lots of cheeses now have a vegetable alternative to gelatine so may be that is what you meant?
I adore zucchini’s, am def going to try this recipe
Thankyou
Sorry meant rennet not gelatine but the same goes for both
Cooking right now! I did the Italian panko, Parmesan and added smoked paprika.
Wow!! Are these fabulous!! And, so easy!! I did make an adjustment in the preparation. I put the olive oil in a bag and gently moved the zuccini around to coat. I substituted 1/3 of the grated parm for panko bread crumbs. I rolled the zuccini in the cheese mixture and put on the sprayed rack. I lined the pan with foil to facilitate cleanup. I then sprayed the zuccini with olive oil spray and sprinkled the remaining parm mix on. Baked at 400 for 18 minutes…perfect!!! Can’t wait to make for friends. Next time I will try a little ground cayenne pepper in the spice mix. A definite keeper!!
I made these and they were delicious. I actually made them in the strip form and also in round like chips. I added more of the Parmesan topping to the rounds I love flavor. The only thing I wish was that it was more of a crunch because the bottom is soft but otherwise great recipe.
Jessica, you can flip them over halfway to get more crunch on both sides. Also use a bit of panko bread crumbs for more crunch. Happy eating!
Lord have mercy this was delicious! Halfway through cooking as I was reading reviews-I cranked up to 450 for about 10 mins. I broiled about 3 minutes after that. Wow! Just so good! I added a little panko to up the crunch factor. Will definitely make this again. Definitely. Like others, I had an issue with adherence-but remedied with a spritz of olive oil on each and rolling in the mixture. A couple more steps then the original recipe but definitely worth it. Amazing!
i added some crushed garlic, so tasty,imadea blue cheese dip,but hardly used any…yummy, straight out of the pan
a great snack for a catering from canteen vending
Made the bad boys the other night and my family went nuts!!!! They were more than what we anticipated. Delicious, quick and absolutely scrumptious. To the fact that they were BAKED was amazing. Have your cookbook and your recipes are delicious. Thank you for such a quick, tasty side or snack together with an aioli was heaven. A big ISO hit at the moment all the way from Australia.
Great flavor! 3 zucchinis went a long way. I would only change the technique when adding the seasoning as mentioned in the other reviews. Too much waste in the bottom of baking sheet. So I scraped the sheet and seasoned other veggies with it. I would definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing!!