How-To: Crispy Oven Zucchini Fries

Need a healthy new way to prepare the abundance of zucchini you have growing in your garden while also satisfying your craving for fried foods? Well, look no more! Try out Paula’s Crispy Zucchini Fries! The crunchy texture and mellow zucchini flavor is sure to be a family favorite.

Ingredients hints and tricks
We like to use smaller zucchini because they are sweeter and have fewer seeds. If you cannot find Panko breadcrumbs you can substitute in regular dried breadcrumbs with no problem. We just prefer the extra crunchy texture that Panko brings to the dish. Smoked paprika can be easily found nowadays at most grocery stores. We like it for its smoky deep flavor. If you only have regular paprika use that as a substitute with a tiny dash of cayenne.

Step 1:

First gather your ingredients; you’ll need ½ cup flour, 1 egg + 1 egg white, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, 2 zucchini, ½ cup Panko bread crumbs, cooking spray, and salt and pepper to taste. Then, preheat your oven to 425˚F.

Step 2:

Trim your zucchini into a fry like shape. We cut ours into ½ inch thick strips about 4 inches long.

Step 3:

Set up your standard breading procedure: in the first casserole dish add flour and season with salt and pepper. In a second casserole dish add the eggs and whisk until smooth. In a third casserole dish add the panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, smoked paprika, and another good pinch of salt and pepper.

Step 4:

Gently toss the zucchini in baths, first through the flour. This “dries” the zucchini so the next layer can adhere to the zucchini (which would be the egg). After you flour the zucchini, dip into the beaten egg until coated. Let the excess egg drip off the zucchini.

Step 5:

After coating the zucchini with the egg, gently toss it through the Panko breadcrumbs.

Step 6:

Add the zucchini to a parchment lined sheet tray, leaving ample room between each fry so it has room to crisp up form the heat of the oven. Give the zucchini a light spritz with some non-stick spray and sprinkle again with some salt. Bake for 10 minutes, flip them, and then cook for 10 minutes more, or until golden. You can also use your air fryer, if you prefer!