Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries
Skip the potatoes and make these Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries in the oven. Dipped in an egg wash each zucchini fry is rolled in a crunchy seasoned panko breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese mixture. They’re then drizzled with butter and baked on an oven rack until crisp and golden. Dip in marinara sauce, Ranch dressing or your favorite fry sauce and enjoy.
Easy Oven Fried Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries Recipe
This fresh zucchini is breaded with a crispy panko Parmesan mixture drizzled with butter and oven fried until golden. Bake it on an oven rack to allow air to circulate on all sides making it super crispy after baking. How to make Oven Fried Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)
- Prepare Pan – Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Fit an oven safe rack into the pan and spritz with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Zucchini – Remove stem and cut zucchini through the middle into two equal halves. Next, slice each piece lengthwise in half.
- Slice – Lay on the cutting board flat side down, slicing into 1/4-1/3 inch slices.
- Coating – On a plate or shallow dish mix together panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic salt until well blended.
- Dredging Station – Prepare the dredging ingredients in this order sliced zucchini, egg wash, and panko Parmesan crumbs.
- Dredge the Zucchini – Dip zucchini in the egg wash then into the panko Parmesan breadcrumbs. Place side by side on the baking rack leaving equal space between each piece.
- Drizzle each with the melted butter.
- Oven – Place into the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes OR until golden and crispy.
- Allow to cool on the rack for a 2-3 minutes then carefully remove to a serving platter.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
How to Make the Best Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries Recipe
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries: 3 large zucchini, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, dry Italian seasoning blend, garlic salt, beaten eggs and melted butter.
- Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A broiler pan or a baking sheet fitted with an oven safe rack, sharp knife and cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, cheese grater, shallow bowls or plates to set-up the dredging station, mixing bowls and spoons.
- This recipe can easily be adapted to size up or down in servings.
- You can use freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Parmesan Reggiano cheese. You can also use quick and easy grated Parmesan in a can depending on your prep time.
- Panko breadcrumbs tend to maintain their crispy texture better than a fresh or seasoned dry breadcrumb for these zucchini fries.
- Do you have to use a baking rack to make Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries? If you don’t have a baking rack, you can lightly spritz a baking sheet or a broiler pan with cooking spray and they will be equally delicious.
- You can serve these zucchini fries fresh from the oven with warm marinara, homemade comeback sauce or yum yum sauce on the side for dipping.
- Store leftover Panko Parmesan Zucchini Fries chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a sheet pan in a 375°F oven until crisp and heated through. You can also reheat in an air fryer.
More Southern Style Zucchini Recipes to Make
Whether it’s summer and zucchini is in abundance or you’re looking to shake-up your side dish menu, zucchini provides a delicious alternative to more carb heavy options.
- Dishes like this Baked Zucchini with Tomatoes and Gouda Cheese.
- Cheesy Baked Zucchini Bites are a delicious for your small bites menu.
- Skillet Zucchini Bacon Cornbread is baked crisp and golden in a cast iron skillet.
- My Mom’s delicious Zucchini Bread recipe works every single time.
- Light and refreshing Grilled Vegetable Salad drizzled with an Apple Cider Honey Vinaigrette.
- Also, hop over to my Parade kitchen and browse the collection of 20 Uniquely Tasty Ways To Use Zucchini.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Panko Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Fries
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 315kcal
Ingredients
- 2 jumbo OR 3 large zucchini
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese OR Parmesan
- 1 1/2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup butter OR light butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Fit an oven safe rack into the pan and spritz with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Remove stem and cut zucchini through the middle into two equal halves. Next, slice each piece lengthwise in half.
- Lay on the cutting board, flat side down, slicing into 1/4-1/3 inch slices.
- On a plate or shallow dish mix together panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic salt until well blended.
- Prepare the dredging ingredients in this order: Sliced zucchini, egg wash, and panko Parmesan crumbs.
- Dip zucchini in the egg wash then into the panko Parmesan breadcrumbs. Place side by side on the baking rack leaving equal space between each piece.
- Drizzle each with the melted butter.
- Place into the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes OR until golden and crispy.
- Allow to cool on the rack for a 2-3 minutes then carefully remove to a serving platter.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
When I’m making a dish that requires a dredging mixture, it can be a challenge to stop and mix additional breading. These zucchini were approximately 9-10 inches long and around 4-5 inches in circumference. You can adapt the breading ingredient amounts based on the size of the zucchini you’re preparing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 965mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 891IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 2mg
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Normally, I would recommend that for frugality. However, it’s unsafe to do so when raw egg is involved. To prevent any bacterial issues, discard any unused dry ingredients once mixed with, in the case of this recipe, a raw egg product.
If you have too much of the dry ingredients left over, you can put it in a bowl w/lid and put in the freezer until the next time you need it. This way you don’t waste anything and you can just add to it.
I scooped out the zuccini and stuffed with almost a Spanish rice mix, drizzled on marinara sauce. Covered tight my with foil baked 45 min to an hour. If you pierce the zucchini with a fork and get little resistance then it’s almost done. Peel back foil. Sprinkle liberally with parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella. Broil or bake till golden. Delicious.
As long as it’s frozen, she is okay.
Hi Beth! Wow, you are blessed! I dearly love zucchini just about any way you can fix it. I sure hope your family loves these as much as we do. 🙂
I have tons of zucchini in my garden right now. I can’t wait to try this. I’ve been breading with cornmeal and frying in oil, grilling on the gas grill and also making zucchini bread. This gives me something new to try. Thanks Melissa for your yummy posts!
Hi Beth –
This was Awesome! Another Zucchini Recipe:
I cut the zucchini into slices like you would a cucumber for a salad and place the slices into a pot w/ either some white wine or veggie or chicken broth. I add onion, a can of Rotelle Tomatoes w/ chiles (don’t drain) and some crushed garlic (I use the kind from a jar) and a couple of heaping tablespoons of salsa. I then steam it real good and add shredded cheese (any flavor, but I like Pepper Jack and Mild Cheddar, mixed) and put the lid on to let it all melt together and walla! A great side dish for all of that fresh yummy garden grown zucchini. My brother isn’t a fan of zucchini but he sure liked this! I even made it at my Momand Dad’s house for them and a friend and they even liked it even though they don’t like spicy foods. Their friend asked for the recipe as well as my my Mom and I gave the rest of the leftovers to their friend. My Mom got jealous! LOL
Great question, I’ve only ever used fresh for these fries. Frozen vegetables have a very different texture, so, my thought would be that they wouldn’t work as well.
Frozen probably won’t work as they retain a lot of water. I’m definitely trying these
Can frozen zucchini fries be used?
Hi Terry, hope you enjoy these!
Yes, you’ll still have great success with or without a rack. Spritz your metal baking sheet with cooking spray and it will work perfectly.
Lovely recipe,thank you! Just what I was looking for as I think about the summer bounty to be arriving from the garden. Great to see a “breaded stick” recipe for baking and not frying! Happy Cooking, from Canada!:)
can I do this without a rack and just put in the baking pan? I don’t have one.
Hi Hillary! We love these, I’m delighted you enjoyed them, too. Thanks for stopping by to let me know. ~ Melissa
I made these last night for my husband and I as an alternative to eating french fries. They were FANTASTIC!! No dipping sauce needed because they had such great flavor. I followed the recipe just as printed. Thanks for sharing!
Sandy, from one Mom to another..that makes me verrry happy! ☺ Thank you for letting me know! ☺
Made them, LOVED THEM! Even my none vegy eating 9yr old ate them an loved them!
Hi Cheryl, I make a special effort to give specifics, because cooks of all skill levels visit my blog regularly. 🙂 For a seasoned cook, you’ll do a great job with this recipe! I hope you enjoy!! 🙂
Yes! Thank you 🙂 Cant wait to try. A lot of directions but I like the way you explained it!
Hi Peggy, I couldn’t agree more..Panko makes everything better! I love your idea about egg plant..might try that on my kids, too! 🙂 Enjoy and welcome!!
Melissa, this looks awesome and I can’t wait to try it. I have done this with egg plant before and my sons love egg plant ever since.I fell in love with Panko bread crumbs,lol,and never fry.We do this method for all our veggies, especially sweet potatoe fries.Yum.Thanks for the post.
Peggi, you are most welcome…thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
what about the water in the squash. I made the squash with the mixture on top and baked them and they had so much water in them.
Squash does have moisture however I’ve not found it to be an issue for these. Keep in mind squash isn’t starchy like a potato so the texture of these zucchini fries won’t be the same.
I can’t wait to try these Melissa! Thank you for posting this recipe!