How do you get kids to eat vegetables? Or better still, how do you make vegetables you actually want to eat? I know, lots of people like vegetables. But when you’re trying to have a healthy lifestyle, many of us find we need to add more vegetables to our diets. I know I did.
I eat a lot of steamed green beans and broccoli along with lots of green salads. And I like all of those vegetables. But sometimes I get bored. Sometimes I want something crispy, crunchy, salty, and yummy. What can you do when you want junk food but need to eat vegetables? That was the question I was facing when I developed this recipe.
Zucchini fries were the answer. But since I was going for something a little healthier, I decided to bake them. The result is a crispy, crunchy, flavorful zucchini stick that really satisfies my cravings.
It starts with fresh zucchini. Two medium zucchinis equal four full servings. If you’re feeding a bigger group, you can double or triple this recipe. But stick with the medium zucchinis. Larger ones have larger seeds and a mushier middle. You can, however, substitute summer squash for some or all of the zucchini. Cutting the fries is a little trickier because of the uneven shape, but it tastes great in this recipe.
How do you serve zucchini fries?
At my house, these are a popular side dish to go with burgers in place of French fries. We also love to dunk them in tomato soup! Zucchini fries also make a great appetizer or game day food. They’re crunchy and slightly salty, with a mild zucchini flavor. They taste great on their own, with a sprinkle of parmesan or Romano cheese and with a wide range of dipping sauces. I’ve served them with sweet and sour sauce, marinara, salsa, avocado dip, honey mustard, ranch dip, and even ketchup.
The zucchinis I used here were about 7 inches long and 2 ½ inches across. I cut them in half to make four 3 ½ inch long pieces. Then I cut each longways into three slices. After that, I laid the slices flat on the cutting board and ran my knife through them lengthwise to make 10–12 fairly evenly-sized sticks.
I’ve found this size makes a nice fry with a mild zucchini flavor that’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The thicker you cut the sticks, the more zucchini flavor they have. Thinner sticks are crunchier because they have a higher ratio of breading to zucchini. (If you cut them thinner, you may need more breading to cover all of them.)
I like to use high-sided pans or dishes when I set up my dredging station. I often hang onto the plastic containers and lids from the lunchmeat and other prepared foods I buy. I find these large rectangular bowls are just the right size when dredging small items like mushrooms, chicken nuggets, or zucchini fries. (They work well for making French toast too!)
If you want to place your flour and panko on a plate or in a shallow bowl, that’s okay too. I like the high sides because I happen to be a messy cook and a neat freak trapped inside the same body. If you want to use a zip-top bag for the flour, I recommend doing about 1/3 of your zucchini and flour at a time to make sure each piece is well coated before dipping them into the egg wash.
Some recipes for zucchini fries I’ve seen skip the flour. And while that does make the dish a little lighter (cutting about 40-50 calories and around 10 grams of carbohydrates per serving), the fries won’t be quite as crispy. That’s because the flour gives the egg wash something to stick to. And the better the egg wash adheres to the zucchini, the better the panko sticks to it. But it doesn’t end there. The proteins in the flour and the eggs work together to keep the panko from crumbling and falling off the zucchini while it’s cooking. The flour itself also hardens, making for a double-layered crunch that is oh so satisfying.
Tip: You can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, semolina, rice flour, chickpea flour, barley flour, or corn starch in this recipe. The flavor will be slightly different with each, but the zucchini fries will still taste great!
You could dunk many zucchini sticks in the egg wash and then pop them into a zip-top bag filled with the seasoned panko. It would certainly speed up the process. And it would probably be okay if you’re in a bit of a hurry. But I prefer to cover them with panko by dredging just a few at a time. That way, I can make sure each piece has plenty of crunchy coating.
I started making zucchini fries as a way to get my family to eat more vegetables. Yes, I know potatoes are vegetables. And I know they can be a healthy part of any meal. But variety isn’t just the spice of life. It’s the basis of good nutrition. So, any time I can figure out a way to serve vegetables that my family will devour, I add it to my recipe repertoire. And zucchini fries are a requested vegetable at my house. Plus, I like to serve them with chunky marinara or salsa, so there’s some bonus tomato action going on too!
These can be made as breaded zucchini chips too. For that, you would cut your zucchini into ¼ – ½ inch disks. The thicker you make them, the more zucchini flavor and less breading each chip has. Bread them using the same ingredients and methods. Lay them flat on the baking sheet and bake just as you would for zucchini fries.
Be sure to leave a little space between each piece. Crowding the baking sheet will result in zucchini fries that don’t get crispy. The whole trick to getting that satisfying crunch is to bake each fry from the outside in.
How do you make baked zucchini fries crispy?
Fresh zucchini, like most vegetables, will release some moisture when it cooks. If they’re crowded together, the moisture will seep into the breading, making it soggy. By allowing some space between each zucchini fry, the hot air in the oven can dry that moisture as it’s released. This allows the breading to begin crisping from the moment baking begins.
Once your zucchini sticks are breaded and lined up on your prepared baking sheet, spray them with a little cooking spray. This helps them to crisp up in the oven.
At what temp and for how long do you bake zucchini fries?
I bake zucchini fries at 425°F for about 22 minutes. I know others will tell you to bake at 400°F, but I find the higher temperature makes for crispier zucchini fries. And let’s face it, no one wants soggy zucchini fries. The higher temperature allows the panko and flour coating to crisp up while the zucchini cooks just enough to be soft but not soggy.
After taking the fries from the oven, I like to sprinkle them with a bit of finely ground sea salt and some extra parmesan cheese. But that’s not the only option to try! They are delicious with a variety of seasonings. Dust them with seasoned salt if you like. Or use a bit of Greek seasoning. Salt and a dash of malt vinegar would be great if you’re serving these with breaded fish!
Zucchini fries are very filling. So, you may have leftovers. Or maybe you want to get a head start on some meal prep for a weeknight dinner. You can freeze these zucchini fries and reheat them in the oven. Just spray cooking spray on a sheet pan. Spread out the frozen fries and spray them with some cooking spray. Bake them at 400°F for 15-18 minutes. They will be almost as good as they were the first time around!
Crunchy Oven-Baked Zucchini Fries
Course: Dinner, Entertaining, Healthy, Side Dishes, Snacks, VegetablesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes22
minutes47
minutesLooking for a vegetable dish that will satisfy your salty, crunchy cravings? These crunchy, oven-baked zucchini fries will do the trick!
Ingredients
2 medium zucchinis (about 7”)
½ cup flour
2 eggs
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 ½ tablespoons parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)
¾ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
¾ teaspoon garlic powder (or granules)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Trim ends from zucchini. Cut each squash into 3½” by ½” sticks.
- Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray.
- Place flour in a flat bowl or plate.
- Whisk eggs with water in a flat bowl.
- Combine Panko with parmesan cheese, sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika.
- Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge zucchini sticks in flour. Dip flour-coated sticks in egg mixture, then roll in seasoned Panko.
- Place breaded zucchini sticks on a prepared sheet pan. Repeat until all of the zucchini is breaded. Leave some space between zucchini fries on a baking sheet to allow for even browning.
- Bake in center of oven for 11 minutes. Turn each piece over and rotate pan 180 degrees. Bake for another 11 minutes.
- Remove from oven and season to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (if desired).
- Serve with your favorite marinara sauce, ranch dressing, or honey mustard for dipping.
Notes
- These can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated before baking. Allow them to come to room temperature while the oven pre-heats.
Welcome to Weird Sisters Kitchen! I’m so glad you stopped in. Like many busy kitchens, mine is a little messy at times. I ask that you bear with me as I develop the WSK food story from the ground up. 
