Shop
My
Custom
My Zucchini Fries Recipe Is Crispy, Cheesy Veggie Goodness
These zucchini fries are my favorite way to satisfy those cravings for parmesan french fries in a lighter, healthier way! I’ve been making them for years, and in fact, they’re one of my oldest zucchini recipes. Even my kids loved them when they were toddlers.
- Tender zucchini with garlic parmesan coating – These fries are lightly crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and loaded with savory flavor with a light parmesan crust. You’ll actually want to eat your vegetables with these!
- No breadcrumbs or deep frying – I use parmesan cheese for the breading and bake the zucchini fries in the oven, so they’re healthier, naturally low carb, and gluten-free.
- Just 5 simple ingredients – If you’ve got zucchini, you probably have everything else you need in your pantry.
- Quick appetizer or side dish – My zucchini fries recipe takes just around 30 minutes! They’re a perfect summertime dinner side, but I also love them as an appetizer for parties or even a snack.
This is a simple, fun upgrade to my plain roasted zucchini, except my baked zucchini fries recipe has a crispy parmesan coating. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my zucchini fries recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Zucchini – Yellow squash works great, too! Of course, summer squash fries won’t actually taste like potatoes, so if you want a veggie option that tastes closer to those, make my rutabaga fries, yuca fries, or jicama fries instead.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – This makes a healthy breading in place of breadcrumbs, and adds tons of flavor. I prefer grated parm from a shaker can for this recipe, because it doesn’t melt as easily. I don’t recommend using shredded cheese, which melts a lot in my experience.
- Egg – This helps the parmesan stick to the zucchini. A flax egg might work as an egg substitute.
- Spices – I kept it simple with just garlic powder and (optional) black pepper. You can also add other spices if you like, such as Italian seasoning, paprika, or onion powder.
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOW
How To Make Zucchini Fries
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Slice the zucchini. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again. (You’ll end up with 4 wedges.) Repeat cutting lengthwise until you get thin strips, slightly less than 1/2 inch thick. Then, stack the pieces and cut them crosswise to the length that you want your zucchini fries.
- Coat in breading. To set up your breading stations, whisk the egg in a small shallow bowl, and mix the parmesan with spices in another shallow bowl. Dip each zucchini fry into the bowl with the egg, shake off the excess, and press into the cheese mixture to coat. (See my tips below on this part!)
- Bake until golden. Arrange the zucchini strips in a single layer on a lined baking sheet (again, see my tips below). Bake zucchini fries until deep golden brown. Flip them and rotate the pan halfway through. Eat them fresh while they’re hot!
My Tips For Crispy Results
- Use small zucchini if possible. Larger zucchini holds more water, which can make the fries soggy. I recommend getting small to medium ones if you can.
- If your zucchini is particularly “wet,” pat dry with paper towels after slicing. This helps the breading stick better and they crisp up more.
- Don’t add salt. Salting the zucchini before baking makes them mushy and too salty. The parmesan is already salty enough, anyway.
- For extra crispness, replace half the parmesan with breadcrumbs. I didn’t do this to keep this zucchini fries recipe light and easy, but not going to lie, parmesan alone is not as crisp as breadcrumbs. If you want to make the swap, replace half of it with panko breadcrumbs, gluten-free breadcrumbs (like I do for fried eggplant), or even almond flour (like I do for fried zucchini).
- Use one hand for the breading and the other for the egg mixture. This is my top tip, and I do this for all my breaded recipes! Breading can clump if it gets too wet, so using opposite hands helps to avoid this issue. Sometimes I even do this in batches: Keep most of the breading in a separate bowl, and add only a little at a time to the bowl where you’re dipping. This always keeps the breading clump-free.
- Parchment paper, foil, bare pan, or a rack? Decision time! Parchment paper doesn’t get your zucchini fries quite as crispy as aluminum foil or an unlined pan, but they don’t stick to it as easily. If you choose foil or a bare pan, coat with a generous layer of cooking spray. You can also bake the fries on a rack fitted over a baking sheet (the trick I’ve learned from cooking bacon in the oven), for extra air flow — translation: extra crispness!
- Don’t crowd the baking sheet. Make sure to leave space between the fries to help them get crispy.
- Want extra browning and crispness? You can pop the pan under broiler for a couple of minutes, or lightly pan fry them. Or just cook them in the air fryer for 7-8 minutes (similar to my air fryer zucchini, except in fry shapes instead of slices).
Zucchini Fries (Easy, Healthy Recipe)
By
My baked zucchini fries recipe uses just 5 ingredients and takes 30 minutes! They're healthy and easy, with a golden, crisp parmesan coating.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Line and lightly grease a baking sheet. (Parchment paper works best, but foil might be okay if you grease it very well.)
-
Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise 4 times (to make eight long sticks from each squash). Then cut the sticks once crosswise, making 16 sticks from each squash, approximately 4 in (10 cm) long and 1/2 in (1 cm) thick. If the zucchini sticks feel "wet", pat them dry with paper towels.
-
Prepare two shallow bowls – one with beaten egg and one with a mixture of grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and black pepper. Dip each squash stick in the egg, shake off the excess, then press into the parmesan mixture, coating all sides. (Use one hand for the egg and the other for the parmesan, to avoid getting too much egg in the parmesan which will make it clumpy.) Place on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer without touching.
-
Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping the fries and rotating the pan halfway through, until fairly dark golden. (The time can vary depending on the size of your zucchini strips.)
-
Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until darker golden and crispy.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 8 baked zucchini fries, about 4″ long each
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get crispy zucchini fries that don’t turn out watery, prevent the breading from clumping, the best way to prepare your pan, how to get extra browning, and more.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. I place them between layers of paper towels to absorb any moisture. They do get a little soggy, so you’ll need to crisp them up again when reheating.
- Meal prep: I don’t recommend making these ahead, but you can slice the zucchini in advance to save time.
- Reheat: You can pan fry or broil to make the zucchini fries crispy again, but my favorite method is to pop them in the air fryer for a couple of minutes.
- Freeze: Arrange the fries on a parchment lined baking sheet to freeze solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Instead of thawing, bake from frozen until hot and crispy. (Thawing can make them mushy.) Lightly pan fry if needed to crisp up more.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System and Healthy Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Zucchini Fries
Serving Ideas
Looking for the perfect pairing for your zucchini fries? Here are some of my favorites:
- Dipping Sauce – Totally optional, but it totally enhances the fry experience! I love them with my homemade marinara sauce (pictured above), but my quick ranch dressing, spicy mayo, or garlic aioli are also amazing with these.
- Burgers – My baked zucchini fries are perfect with beef burgers and bacon wrapped hot dogs. You can also change it up with a turkey burger, salmon burger, chicken burger, or smash burger.
- Fish – Repurpose the parmesan breading to make my parmesan crusted tilapia or parmesan crusted salmon. Double the parmesan! They also make the perfect crispy side for lobster rolls.
- Chicken – Pair your fries with my crispy coconut chicken tenders or grilled chicken. It’s a kid-friendly combo that adults love, too!
255 Comments
Stephanie
0I love zucchini and am always looking for new ways to eat it. I can not wait to try these. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get my boys to try them since they look like fries.
Elizabeth
0They turned out great! I subbed cotija for Parmesan (I use them interchangeably in most recipes). I think using parchment is key—no sticking, and easy cleanup. Delicious with keto ranch and my keto oven bbq chicken. Thanks for a keeper recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing with us, Elizabeth!
Melissa Szucs
0Hi Maya
I just tried this tonight and OMG, they were amazing and so simple! Thank you so very much for this great receipe!!! Im sure i will find more just like this on your website!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Melissa! Thanks for stopping by!
Diane Willis
0I made the Zucchini Fries today and they were good, but they didn’t brown like yours on the video. You turned them 1/2 way through the cooking period and they were brown on the bottom. I started to turn mine 1/2 way through and although the tops were beginning to brown (unlike yours), the bottoms were wet and completely unbrown. The parchment paper seemed wet. I cooked them longer… about 25-30 minutes and they were somewhat browned, and tasted good, but they weren’t really crispy… a little limp.
What do think caused this difference?
BTW, the flourless chocolate cake is to die for!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Diane, It might be that your oven runs a little cooler than mine, since you needed to cook them for longer to get them to brown, OR your zucchini pieces were bigger. Try increasing the temp a bit next time. Another possibility is you had particularly “wet” zucchini; you can pat them dry a bit before coating if they feel damp. Finally, I added a step to place them under the broiler at the end, so that should help with the crispiness.
Gaye Miller
0These are great! My husband really liked them too. That makes them double great! We like spicy food, so I mixed Cajun seasoning in with the parmesan cheese. Using parchment paper and flipping them is the secret to them turning out crispy. Thanks for thiś recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you and your husband liked them, Gaye! Thanks for stopping by!
Pam
0How can these have 21 g of protein?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pam, The protein comes from the eggs and parmesan cheese.
Lola
0These recipes are wonderful. Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Lola!
Roe
0So, First of all they tasted delicious! But mine sort of turned out more like zucchini cheese scramble lol. I did grease the tinfoil really really really good but the zucchini just stuck right to the tin foil. I couldn’t flip them. They were pretty soft, I’m guessing because I didn’t turn them halfway through. Also, I can’t have garlic bc I have IBS and garlic is an irritant. I skipped the powder but do you think some sort of powder is necessary to help with the crust? Do you have any other methods for getting the fries crispy?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Roe! I’m glad they were delicious despite the flipping issues. I think that was definitely the biggest reason they weren’t crispy. Using parchment paper next time can help if they still stick for you using greased foil. The garlic powder isn’t necessary so you can definitely skip it!
Rhonda
0Awesome perfect snack. I chose a low carb spicy marinara to dip. Delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Rhonda! Love these zucchini fries with marinara.
mEGAN
0I made these with dairy free cheese and they turned out great! Slightly different flavor than when I made them with regular parmesan, but still delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Good to know! Thank you, Megan!
Barbara
0Making them as we speak, also added some eggplant fries
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I hope you like them all, Barbara! Thanks for stopping by!
Carol
0Awesome! These are delicious. Thanks for the recipe
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Carol!
Jill
0In the oven now. I used garlic salt and onion powder on mine. Cannot wait try these!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jill! I like to add those, too.
Kay
0Made these for my tea today – scrumptious. 😀
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Kay!
Rebecca
0Would it work to substitute yellow squash in this recipe?
Barbara
0yellow squash, zucchini and eggplant…awesome
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rebecca, I haven’t tried it but it would probably work. Let me know how it goes if you do!
Travis
0In the video it appears that you use partchment paper…if that is true it would be nice if the recipe were to reflect that. As other comments have said these stick to a commercial non stick pan. I will try one more time with parchment paper but I am not optimistic.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Travis, The recipe card originally stated to line the pan, so it was never recommended to place the fries directly on a non-stick pan. I added to the recipe card that parchment paper works best, though foil might be okay if you grease it very well. I always use parchment paper when making these fries and they never stick. Hope you like them!
Michele
0Do you think avocado could work? I used up our zucchini yesterday. 🙁
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Michele, Yes, that sounds like a great idea!
Holly Woods
0I have been eating low carb for a month now and there are not very many veggies that I care for (including zucchini). But they looked so good I thought I would try these tonight. I made them for me and my husband. They were delicious! And so easy to make! My husband loved them too! Makes me very happy because I needed to add more vegetables to my low carb diet and these definitely do the trick! Thanks so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You’re welcome, Holly! I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed these.
Mari
0These were a nightmare to make and were no better than when I just saute squash. What a waste of my time and Parmesan cheese!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mari, Sorry to hear that they weren’t for you. What was difficult about making them? I have a video posted above the recipe card and it’s pretty straightforward. Other than that, I find them different from sauteed squash and have gotten the same feedback from others. If you prefer pan frying, you could try this fried zucchini and squash recipe instead, which is even more crispy.
Andrea Hosage
0Delicious, thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Andrea!