These crispy baked zucchini fries are a healthy and tasty side dish. They are baked until crispy and are a great way to eat your veggies while satisfying your French fry craving.
It’s ok to indulge in deep-fried French fries every once in a while. Besides, they are a delicious treat and all foods should fit in your diet. Even the zucchini fries at a restaurant are deep fried and loaded with fat. You may think you are making a healthy choice because you are getting a vegetable, however the amount of saturated fat in the dish means it should be eaten in moderation.
These zucchini fries are every bit as delicious as regular ones made in the deep fryer. Baking these fries keeps them from being loaded with saturated fat, and you also get to control the salt. These zucchini fries come out of the oven golden and crispy due to the panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese coating. No one will believe you didn’t use oil because there is no compromise on the flavor.
Zucchini is an incredibly versatile vegetable that is packed with nutrients. Zucchini’s high water percentage makes it naturally low in calories. Zucchini is also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, vitamin A, and manganese. In addition, zucchini is rich in antioxidants, which are beneficial plant compounds that help protect your body from free radical damage.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage to your cells. In addition, they can contribute to the aging process and play a part in diseases, like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. On the other hand, antioxidants can protect and even reverse damage caused by free radicals. So it is important to eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to get the protective antioxidants.
Zucchini’s mild flavor and firm texture make it an easy vegetable to add to recipes or cook with. Here are some other examples of dishes I cook using zucchini:
- Shred zucchini and add to baked goods (muffins, breads)
- Turn zucchini into noodles or “zoodles” to replace or add to pasta dishes
- Add to soups or salads
- Replace lasagna shells with thin slices of zucchini
- Replace tortillas with thin slices of zucchini for enchiladas
- Stuff zucchini
- Grill it
- Make zucchini fritters or pancakes
Make these zucchini fries as a snack or a side dish. Serve the fries hot out of the oven so they don’t get soggy. Bread the fries ahead of time and place in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Dip them into marinara sauce, ranch, honey mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Baked Zucchini Fries
Ingredients
- 2- 3 zucchini
- olive oil spray
- 2 egg whites
- ½ cup milk of your choice
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup regular breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp parsley
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the zucchini: remove the ends and cut the zucchini into thirds. Cut each third, the long way into ½ inch thick slices. (depending upon the thickness of the zucchini , you should get 3-4 sliceThen slice those pieces into ½ inch thick matchsticks, trying to keep the size of them as even as possible.
- Preheat oven to 425°Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease well.
- Whisk the egg whites in a shallow bowl then add the milk and continue to whisk until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, mix together parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, parsley, and pepper.
- Start your assembly line. First dip the zucchini sticks into the egg mixture, then roll in breadcrumb mixture until thoroughly coated. Place the coated zucchini on baking sheet while you get the remaining fries ready.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes flipping half way through. Zucchini fries are done when they are crisped to your liking. Serve and enjoy with favorite sauce.
Nutrition Facts
These crispy baked zucchini fries are addicting. Try this recipe out this Memorial Day Weekend! Also, keep this recipe handy when you have a surplus of summer zucchini!
What’s your favorite way to eat zucchini?
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