The Well Plated Cookbook is now available! These easy oven baked Zucchini Fries with Parmesan and Panko are just as crisp as fried fries for a fraction of zucchini patties baked calories!
A healthy, kid-friendly side dish or appetizer. I had grand plans for our zucchini supply this year, but now that we’ve tasted Baked Zucchini Fries, I’m not sure if I’ll ever want to eat zucchini any other way again. With their crispy, Parmesan- and Panko-crusted outsides and tender insides, this recipe is more than a side dish—it’s proof that a stand-alone vegetable can be legitimately delicious in its own right. One of the absolute best things about ordering any kind of vegetable fries is that it feels like cheating. I think we know what’s really going on here. In a restaurant, deep-fried vegetables of any kind, while ultra tasty, aren’t what my body habitually needs.
Move over potatoes, these crispy baked Zucchini Fries are here to steal the show! They’re simple, healthy, and coated in a delicious Panko, Parmesan mixture! Whenever I set out to lighten up a traditionally indulgent recipe like fries, first and foremost I prioritize making sure the recipe tastes fantastic. I never want choosing to eat healthy to feel like a sacrifice.
For me, the biggest qualifier of a great-tasting baked fry is that it needs to be CRISPY. It’s why these classic Baked French Fries and these Sweet Potato Fries have been a hit with readers, and today’s zucchini fries are delightfully crispy too. So crispy in fact, they can hold up to big-time dipping. For summer, I am all about a cool, creamy basil yogurt dip.
I’ve included the recipe for it below. These zucchini fries also welcome a hearty dunk in marinara sauce for an Italian spin. You also can enjoy them all on their own. A tasty blend of spices mixed in with the Parmesan and Panko coating makes them snack worthy in their own right. When I’m in a hurry and need a fast recipe to go along with dinner, Roasted Green Beans, Roasted Zucchini, and Easy Sauteed Zucchini with Parmesan are more than satisfactory. They pair nicely anything and let the main event shine. But when you want something that makes you ask yourself wow, is this really a vegetable?
Healthy baked Zucchini Fries will quickly become your family’s new favorite appetizer or side dish! Tips for Crispy Zucchini Fries A few key tips will ensure that your baked Parmesan zucchini fries turn out the crispiest in the land. In fact, they are even crispier than some fried zucchini fries that I’ve eaten out at restaurants! Coat with Panko AND with Flour.
A variety of breadcrumbs popular in Japanese cooking, Panko crumbs are extra large and flaky compared to standard breadcrumbs, meaning that zucchini fries with Panko crisp more substantially. That said, Panko can be hard to adhere to the outside of foods. Coating the zucchini fries with flour in addition to Panko ensures every bit of the surface is covered. It’s the best of both worlds.