Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries

Name: Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 medium (about 8 oz each) (680 g) medium zucchini, ends trimmed, halved crosswise, then cut into sticks about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick and 3 inches (7.5 cm) long; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, for drawing out moisture; ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground, divided use; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water until no streaks of white remain; 1 tbsp (15 ml) water, cold; 1½ cups (90 g) plain panko breadcrumbs; ¾ cup (60 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 2 oz / 60 g); 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil cooking spray or extra-virgin olive oil, if using liquid oil, drizzle; if spray, use about 8 seconds of total spraying; 1½ cups (360 ml) marinara sauce, warmed; 1 tbsp (4 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden, crunchy zucchini sticks coated in panko and Parmesan, baked on a preheated sheet pan so they crisp without frying. Serve hot with warm marinara for dipping.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 32 fries (4 servings)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

4 servings

For the fries
3 medium (about 8 oz each) (680 g) medium zucchini, ends trimmed, halved crosswise, then cut into sticks about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick and 3 inches (7.5 cm) long
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, for drawing out moisture
For the coating
½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground, divided use
2 large (100 g) large eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water until no streaks of white remain
1 tbsp (15 ml) water, cold
1½ cups (90 g) plain panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup (60 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 2 oz / 60 g)
1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil cooking spray or extra-virgin olive oil, if using liquid oil, drizzle; if spray, use about 8 seconds of total spraying
For serving
1½ cups (360 ml) marinara sauce, warmed
1 tbsp (4 g) fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
3 shallow dishes or pie plates
Clean kitchen towel or paper towels
Colander or wire rack
Small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl for warming marinara
Fine grater or Microplane

Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the upper-middle of the oven and place a rimmed baking sheet on it while the oven preheats; a hot pan gives crispier bottoms.
Salting and draining the zucchini for 20 minutes removes water, which is the key to a crisp coating. Don't skip it.
Grate the Parmesan from a block if you can; it browns and sticks better than pre-grated powder.
Set up the breading station in a row: flour, eggs, panko mixture, then the baking sheet.

1
Preheat oven and panOven 450°F / 230°C
- Place a rack in the upper-middle position.
- Put an 18×13-inch rimmed baking sheet on the rack and heat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Cut a sheet of parchment to fit the pan and set it aside.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Oven reaches 450°F (230°C).
Tip: Preheat for at least 15 minutes, which easily overlaps with the draining step.
2
Cut and salt zucchini
- Trim the zucchini ends and halve each zucchini crosswise.
- Cut each half into sticks about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick.
- Toss the sticks with 1 tsp kosher salt in a colander set over the sink or a bowl.
- Let stand 20 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beads of liquid have collected and the sticks look slightly glossy and limp-edged.
Tip: Cut sticks the same thickness so they bake evenly.
3
Set up breading station
- Meanwhile, in the first shallow dish, whisk the flour with ¼ tsp of the pepper.
- In the second, beat the eggs with 1 tbsp water until no streaks remain.
- In the third, stir together the panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, and remaining ¼ tsp pepper.
- Do not add more salt; the Parmesan and the drained zucchini supply enough.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Three dishes are ready in a row: flour, egg, panko mixture.
4
Dry the zucchini
- Rinse nothing.
- Spread the salted sticks on a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels, top with another layer, and press firmly to blot out as much moisture as possible.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The surface feels dry to the touch and the towel stops picking up moisture.
Tip: Wet zucchini makes the flour paste up and the crumbs slide off, so blot thoroughly.
5
Bread the fries
- Working in batches of about 8 sticks, toss them in the flour and shake off the excess, dip them in the egg and let the excess drip off, then roll them in the panko mixture, pressing gently so the crumbs stick.
- Set the coated sticks on a plate or rack without touching.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each stick is fully and evenly covered in a thick, dry-looking crumb coat with no bare patches.
Tip: Use one hand for the dry dishes and the other for the egg to avoid clumpy 'club fingers'.
6
Arrange on hot panOven 450°F / 230°C
- Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and line it with the parchment (or lightly oil it).
- Arrange the fries in a single layer with about ½ inch (1.25 cm) between them.
- Lightly spray the tops or drizzle with the olive oil, using about 2 tbsp (30 ml) total across all the fries.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Fries sit in one uncrowded layer with the crumbs lightly glistening with oil.
Tip: Use oven mitts; the pan is extremely hot. Crowding makes the fries steam and turn soggy.
7
Bake and flipOven 450°F / 230°C
- Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 12 minutes.
- Remove the pan, flip each fry with tongs or a thin spatula, and return it to the oven.
- Bake 8 to 12 minutes more.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Coating is deep golden brown and crunchy, and a fry feels tender but not mushy when pierced with a knife.
Tip: If the tops brown before the sides, move the pan to the lower rack for the last 3 minutes.
8
Warm the marinara
- While the fries bake, warm the marinara in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until steaming and just bubbling at the edges.
- Pour into a serving bowl.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Sauce is steaming hot with small bubbles at the edges.
9
Rest and serve
- Let the fries rest on the pan for 2 minutes so the coating sets, then transfer to a platter.
- Sprinkle with parsley if using and serve immediately with the warm marinara.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Fries are crisp when tapped and no longer steaming heavily.
Tip: Serve within 10 minutes for the best crunch.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the salting and blotting steps; excess water is the main reason baked zucchini fries turn soggy.
Preheating the baking sheet gives the bottoms an immediate sizzle and a crisp base.
Space the fries apart so hot air can circulate; use two pans if needed rather than crowding one.
Press the panko mixture on firmly with your palm so it stays attached through baking and flipping.

Make ahead

You can cut, salt, drain, and bread the fries up to 2 hours ahead; keep them in a single layer on a rack in the fridge, uncovered. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 1–2 minutes if needed.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat on a rack set on a baking sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 6–8 minutes until crisp; do not microwave. Freeze unbaked, breaded fries on a tray until solid, then bag for up to 2 months, and bake from frozen at 450°F (230°C) for 25–30 minutes, flipping once. Keep room-temperature holding to under 2 hours.

Substitutions

plain panko breadcrumbs → Gluten-free panko or crushed cornflakes. Cornflakes give extra crunch; crush to coarse crumbs. Swap the flour for rice flour or a gluten-free blend too.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Saltier and sharper, so keep the amount the same and skip any extra salt.
large eggs → About ⅓ cup (80 ml) plain Greek yogurt thinned with 2 tbsp water. Works as a binder, though the crust is slightly less crisp.
medium zucchini → Yellow summer squash. Same method and timing; wring out moisture just as thoroughly.