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Some of you shared that you’re growing zucchini in your gardens this summer! I’m not growing any, but always get some from friends and neighbors. And the cool thing about zucchini is that it’s such a versatile vegetable that you can use as a substitute for pasta, tortillas and even fries like these baked zucchini fries!
Healthy Vegetable Fry Recipe
No, these baked zucchini fries don’t actually taste like potato fries. It’s basically a healthy and fun way to eat more vegetables, while kinda sorta satisfying those fries cravings. Pair them with ranch dressing, garlic aioli, marinara, a quick cashew dipping sauce, or my Greek yogurt dip.
How to make baked zucchini fries
Prepare the zucchini and dredging bowls
You want to cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice into thirds and finally cut into spears that are about 3 inches long. Next, prepare a bowl of flour, an egg wash and another bowl of the breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning.
Then it’s pretty much an assembly line of dredging. Start with the flour, coat egg, and then roll around in the breadcrumbs pressing gently so it fully adheres to the zucchini.
As you’re dredging, you can line up everything on a cutting board. You can also toss all the zucchini in a bag and shake them around with the flour for a faster method.
Having all the zucchini on the cutting board helps with the next step which is to spray them with cooking spray. Make sure to spray both sides.
And then you can finish with the breadcrumbs step. Be sure to press the breadcrumbs gently on to the zucchini so they stick to them when you bake. Then bake in the oven until golden and crispy, turning at the halfway point.
And here are the baked zucchini fries fresh out of the oven.
Make the dipping sauce
If you want to make a special sauce to go with this, try this cashew dipping sauce. It’s made with soaked cashews, dairy-free milk, garlic, lemon juice and dijon mustard. And, if you want a cheesy taste, you can also add nutritional yeast, but it’s not necessary.
The measurements (found in the notes section of the recipe card) will make more than enough for two batches of the baked zucchini fries recipe. But I like making extra because it’s easier to blend when the quantity is not too small. Plus, it’s a great dipping sauce to have ready in the fridge!
Or try my new yogurt sauce in the recipe card below.
Tips for making baked zucchini fries
- Cut the zucchini equal sizes. This is important to ensure even baking for all the zucchini. And this way you won’t end up in the situation where you’re waiting for some zucchini fries to crisp while others start to burn.
- Blot the zucchini fries with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This may not be necessary for the zucchini you use, but if you notice that it has a lot of moisture after you cut it, be sure to dab it dry. This will avoid any soggy zucchini situation.
- Avoid the “dreaded dredged fingers”. This not only wastes time cleaning up your fingers in between dredging, but it also messes with the coating of the zucchini fries. So I recommend one hand for one bowl and the second hand for the other bowl.
- Enjoy immediately. All good things must come to an end, and the crispness of zucchini fries comes to an end rather quickly after you remove them from the oven. That’s because zucchini is loaded with water – it’s just the nature of the vegetable. So enjoy fresh, hot and crispy out of the oven for best texture!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use gluten-free flour or breadcrumbs
Yes you can. I use what I have in my pantry, which is all-purpose flour and panko breadcrumbs. But this will work with gluten-free flour mixes or almond flour, chickpea flour or oat flour or other types. You can also use any gluten-free breadcrumbs you like.
Can I freeze the zucchini fries
No, I would not recommend. Zucchini has a very high moisture content, so it doesn’t respond well to freezing. When frozen, it accumulates ice crystals, which yields sad and soggy zucchini. Make them fresh and enjoy them hot from the oven.
I love this tasty alternative to french fries when you’re craving something in fry-from with that fry crunch. They make a fun and flavorful appetizer or side dish, especially during the summer when zucchini is in abundance.
More fries recipes
More zucchini recipes:
- Zucchini Tater Tots
- Chicken Stuffed Zucchini
- Zoodles with Shrimp
- Zucchini Fritters
- Zucchini Casserole
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Baked Zucchini Fries recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
This Baked Zucchini Fries recipe was originally published on June 11, 2019 as a vegan recipe. It has recently been updated to use an egg for dredging and now uses a Greek yogurt dipping sauce. If you loved the original cashew dipping sauce, you can find it in the recipe card below.
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Baked Zucchini Fries
Video
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 zucchinis cut into fries about 3-inches long
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs
For the Dip
- ½ cup full fat Greek Yogurt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add all the zucchini to the bowl and toss with your hands until all the zucchini sticks are well coated with the flour.
- In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper; set aside.
- Whisk together two eggs in a second small bowl and set aside.
- Working in batches, dredge the coated zucchini in the eggs, then the panko mixture, pressing to coat the breadcrumbs onto the zucchini.
- Place the zucchini onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes.
- While the zucchini are baking, whisk together the ingredients for the dip in a small bowl. Serve the dip with the zucchini fries while hot.
Notes
- Instead of panko breadcrumbs, you can use regular breadcrumbs.
- Instead of all purpose flour, you can use almond flour or other gluten-free flours.
- Blend ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I made them by slicing and salting, laying the pieces on a clean towel for awhile to absorb the moisture. I didn’t need oil spray, I pressed the pieces into flower, panko, Italian seasonings, garlic, salt, and parmesan/Asiago cheese. They baked on a rack at 450.
So glad you enjoyed them!
Hi!
I tried these amazing, fit baked zucchini fries. They turned out satisfying! Only wish I had left them in longer to get them more crispy. I made a variation of the dipping sauce, and to my surprise, I created sour cream sauce! I added half of an 16 ounce tofu package and 3/4 cup and a little more of creamy coconut milk—it looked so unreal! Thank you for the inspiration. Every time I’m in the kitchen with Feel Good Foodie recipes, I learn something new! 🙂
Took you advice:
Avoided the “dreaded dredged fingers”.
Had the Zucchini fries hot and crispy out of the oven right away.
Thanks for another yummy recipe.