Crispy baked panko and parmesan-crusted zucchini fries are for the win. This zucchini recipe is crunchy, satisfying, and a great way to showcase the zucchini squash to your kids without hiding it in their favorite muffin recipe. The crunchy outer coating makes this zucchini a kid-friendly side dish.
Summertime is all about that fresh, locally grown produce, and we would be doing a disservice if we didn’t make all the zucchini recipes with the abundance of zucchini squash this time of year. With that, I present my latest, the crispy, panko, and parmesan-crusted baked zucchini fry!
Kids love a French fry or anything that resembles that. And although these don’t taste or look like a French fry, these zucchini fries are a familiar handheld food your kids may go for. Often, zucchini isn’t a kid’s top choice, but they will try it when it is coated in a parmesan panko crust. I also offer it with their favorite condiments for safe measure.
Why You’ll Love This Panko Parmesan Crusted Baked Zucchini Fries:
- They are a fun way to introduce zucchini to your picky eaters.
- They are surprisingly quick and easy to make.
- No frying is required. These are baked in the oven, or you can air-fry them.
- Perfect side dish for this in-season squash
- They are healthy and packed with nutrients.
- They are delicious.
What You Will Need to Make These Kid-Friendly Zucchini Fries:
Zucchini – the star of the show! You can use yellow, green, or a combo of both. You will be cutting them 1/2 inch thick in size.
Egg wash – I used two organic eggs for the egg wash (the glue that holds the panko parmesan coating to the zucchini.
Coating – The combination of panko, flour, grated parmesan, and seasoning will be coated over these zucchini fries.
Olive oil – spray the pan once with olive oil and once again when the zucchini fries are placed on the baking sheet. This will help cook the fries and crisp as they bake. You can use avocado oil instead of olive oil, but keep to a good quality oil.
How To Make These Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries:
- Preheat your oven to 425°C and prep your ingredients.
- Start by washing zucchini and cutting them into fries about 1 inch in thickness, no need to peel the zucchini. Season with salt and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove some moisture.
- Next, prepare your egg wash and panko bowls. Whisk two eggs with salt in one bowl. Add panko, parmesan, flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano into a separate bowl. Mix.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Now, you are ready to assemble. Take each cut zucchini and dip into the egg wash, then place into panko-parmesan coatings on a baking tray. Do this until you have coated all the zucchini fries. Be sure to leave enough space between each zucchini to ensure they can crisp up.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 425°C, flipping halfway. You are looking for a golden crunchy zucchini fry.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on a baking tray. This step further crisps up those delicious zucchini fries.
- Serve warm with a side of your family’s favorite condiment!
If you are looking for more ways to use those in-season zucchini or want to add more zucchini to your kid’s diet, try my famous chocolate zucchini muffins! They are sure to please any picky eater!
Did you try this delicious crispy baked zucchini fries recipe? How did it go? Leave a star rating and comment on how you liked it. This will help others like you find this recipe.
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Happy cooking!
-Inna
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Panko Parmesan Zucchini Fries
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
Enjoy delicious baked panko and parmesan-crusted zucchini fries that will surely be a hit with the entire family. These fries can be served as a side dish or snack and eaten with dip or on their own. Your picky eaters will love them!
Ingredients
- 4 small or 3 medium zucchinis
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup flour (unbleached all-purpose flour)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°C.
- Wash zucchini, cut them into fries about 1/2 inch thick, and keep skin on. Season with salt, let sit for 10 minutes, and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove some moisture.
- Prepare your egg wash and panko bowls. In two separate bowls, whisk your eggs and salt. Add panko, parmesan, flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a separate bowl. Mix until dry ingredients are well combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dredge each zucchini fry into the egg wash and the panko-parmesan coatings, then place on a baking tray. Do this until you have coated all the zucchini fries. Be sure to leave space between each zucchini to ensure they can crisp up.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 425°C, flipping halfway. You are looking for a golden crunchy zucchini fry.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on a baking tray. This step further crisps up those delicious zucchini fries.
- Serve warm with a side of your family’s favorite condiment!
Notes
- Place leftover zucchini fries in an air-tight container and keep them in the fridge. It should be eaten within two days.
- To reheat, use a toaster oven to re-crisp the zucchini fries. Note that the texture of zucchini fires won’t be as crispy as they are as soon as you make them.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner, Snack
- Method: Oven
