Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place on a baking sheet; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine Panko and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper; set aside.
Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, spray with cooking spray, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
Place zucchini onto prepared baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes.
While the zucchinis are baking, blend the ingredients for the dip in a small food processor.
Serve the dip with the zucchini fries while hot.
Video
Notes
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge, but they will soften after stored. To reheat, place them in a toaster oven or oven at 350°F for 2-4 minutes until heated through. I would not recommend freezing them since the zucchini contains a high water content and will get soggy when frozen.Make Ahead Tips: You can cut the zucchini fries in advance and store in the fridge on a paper towel in an airtight container. The paper towel will absorb any moisture released from the zucchini.Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
Instead of panko breadcrumbs, you can use regular breadcrumbs.
Instead of all purpose flour, you can use almond flour or other gluten-free flours.
Instead of coating the zucchini in cooking spray, you can use a beaten egg, but I decided to keep it vegan. The egg will make it more crispy though.
Feel free to add nutritional yeast to the cashew dipping sauce to add more of a cheesy flavor. But it's not necessary.
Equipment: I love using my Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender for making dressings and dipping sauces. It's quick and easy, and yields the perfect consistency, without any chunks of garlic leftover.