Baked Zucchini Fries
by Chungah
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BAKED, super crispy, perfectly golden brown zucchini fries! So easy to make and such a healthier alternative to fries and chips. Yes, please!
Featured Comment
Why i love this recipe
- Completely baked. These zucchini fries are completely baked start to finish. There’s no messy hot pot of oil involved here – you just don’t need it!
- Crisp-tender goodness. These are amazingly crisp right out of the oven – so crisp that no one would ever believe these didn’t hit a single drop of oil. The secret? The Parmesan-herb breading, baked on top of a cooling rack to help get these babies crisp and perfectly golden brown.
- Great way to use up zucchini. Have an overflow of zucchini during the summertime and not sure what to do outside of zucchini bread? Time to make zucchini fries, perfect as an appetizer, side dish or even as an after school snack! These zucchini fries are an absolute crowd-pleaser for both kids and grown ups.
- Perfect for picky eaters. Get that serving of veggies in with these irresistible zucchini fries, a healthier alternative to chips and french fries, dipped in your favorite dipping sauces – Ranch, garlic aioli and marinara are our typical crowd favorites here.
ingredients
Panko
Panko is made from crustless bread, yielding a more flaky, airy texture with superior crispness than regular breadcrumbs.
Parmesan cheese
Parmesan adds a savory, nutty flavor, melting and crisping when baked to form that golden crust.
Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
For an extra kick of flavor! Dried basil, oregano or Herbs de Provence can also be used in place of Italian seasoning.
Zucchini
Use smaller or medium-sized zucchini, firm to the touch, as they are less watery and seedy than larger-sized zucchini, which will further help in achieving a crispy, not soggy, zucchini fry.
Flour
All-purpose flour, almond flour or white whole wheat flour will all work very well here.
Eggs
The eggs serve as a binder, helping the Parmesan-breading stick to the zucchini to create that favorited crispy coating.
the three-step process for crispy baked zucchini fries
- Flour. The flour will help dry the zucchini from any excess moisture, creating a dry surface for the eggs and breadcrumb coating to adhere to.
- Eggs. The eggs are essentially the glue here, creating a sticky surface to ensure the final breadcrumb coating stays in place.
- Breading. The Parmesan-herb breadcrumbs are pressed onto the zucchini fries for an ultimate crispy coating.
tips and tricks for success
- Pat dry. Because zucchini has high water content (94% water), patting the zucchini dry beforehand will help remove excess moisture to ensure crispy zucchini fries, avoiding mushy, limp zucchini.
- Use the air fryer. This is a great recipe for the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F, cooking for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, flipping halfway. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to achieve maximum crispness.
- Serve immediately. Zucchini fries are best served immediately for maximum freshness and crispness. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 375°F until warmed through. Leftover zucchini fries can be mushy when reheated in the microwave.
pro tip
Don’t skip the cooling rack.
The cooling rack is one of the best kept secrets for crispy zucchini fries. This helps elevate the zucchini fries, allowing for better air circulation, resulting in even cooking and a more consistent golden brown, crispy, crunchy coating.
more favorited zucchini recipes
- Zucchini Tots
- Zucchini Fritters
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini
- Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups
- Parmesan Zucchini and Corn
Baked Zucchini Fries: Frequently Asked Questions
Almond flour or white whole wheat flour can also be used here.
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 be used as a coating for fried foods, panko is much more flakier and yields a crunchier, crispier texture.
You can serve these with your favorite dipping sauce like Ranch, fry sauce or marinara sauce.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Baked Zucchini Fries
Ingredients
- 1 cup Panko*
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
- Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Equipment
Did you make this recipe?
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Can these be done on cookie sheet alone i do not have a cooling rack
Someone had said they had no rack, so preheated their pan in the oven and they turned out well
Made these zucchini fries last night and my family & I loved them (I don’t even like zucchini!!!) They were very good; loved the crunch. I added dried parsley flakes (that I dried last summer from my garden) right to the egg mixture before dipping the “fries”We dipped them in marinara sauce; very tasty! Will definitely make these again! Thanks for sharing!
Followed your recipe step by step, and it turned out as promised. This dish is such a crowd pleaser, and the kids love getting involved in the dredging! I once ran out of Parmesan, so I used shredded cheddar which I chopped really fine and added to the breadcrumbs and it worked beautifully as well. Thank you for this.
Even after the flour and eggs; sometimes the panko mixture doesn’t want to stick to the zucchini!!
How do you reheat zucchini fries? Should we put them in a container in the freezer and put them back on a cookie sheet?
Added garlic powder to the Panko mix. My “I hate zucchini” crowd loved it!
These are my new addiction!! Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe.. i followed it exactly and they are perfect!! I made a copy of the Bloomin Onion sauce to dip them in.. yummy!!!
I just made this for lunch in-between meetings. It took 12 minutes to prep. I added in a few shakes of red pepper flakes for zing. Quick and easy recipe and a great way to use up all those end of summer zucchinis
I have made these before, but deep fried them. Tonight, I baked them. My family said they “like them better this way.” Another success!
Just got a 10 out of 10 rating from my daughter and her friends! I whipped these up in no time and served them to my daughter and friends at our pool! Thanks for making me so popular!
I have made these about 3 times now and they are always a delicious treat and healthy snack. I really enjoy these!
You show a ziploc bag. Is that to save a step? Thanks.
Yes! 🙂
These were fabulous! I had a few small mushrooms, and decided to try them as well. Also a HUGE success! The topping on the mushrooms browned a little faster, but they were crunchy and delicious.
Excellent starter!
I’ve made this a few times and comes out perfect every time. It is so delicious that even my 5 year old who, not only doesn’t like crunchy food but also doesn’t like to eat any vegetable, tried it today and loved it so much that she doesn’t want to share with me! Now I have to make more!
That’s great!
You never disappoint! These were amazing. I used nutritional yeast instead of parm. My picky family members vowed to “try” them but ended up scarfing them down! Thank you!
How many fries are in a serving size? Planning on making these!
Hi Alyssa! You would have to divide the full amount by 6 servings to get the serving size. Hope that helps!
Delicious and sooo easy!! Thank you Chungah!
I wonder if these zucchini fries can be prepped and frozen before baking? If so, what would be a good time and temperate for baking frozen fries? Would you recommend a change to the prep as well, like blanching the zucchini?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
I just made a vegan version of these! Delicious!
– Follow Your Heart Parmesan shreds
– Neat Egg – watered down quite a bit more than package directions though
I love that these are made without oil!
Oh that’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!