Oven-Fried Zucchini

By Melissa Knific

Published July 4, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(443)
Comments
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Crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, these oven-fried zucchini aim to please the soggy skeptics. Zucchini are about 95 percent water, so a few things need to be done to ensure the disks don’t lose their bite. First, slices should be uniform in thickness (½ inch) for even baking. Next, lightly salting both sides of each slice before coating draws out some of the moisture (make sure to blot the zucchini slices dry with paper towels). Lastly, a generous amount of cheese in the coating helps the zucchini brown and crisp. To avoid bread crumb-y hands, use one for dipping in the egg wash and the other for the panko. To retain their crispness, the zucchini are best served right away. Try them with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup plain panko bread crumbs

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan

  • 2 teaspoons dried basil or Italian seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium)

  • Marinara or pizza sauce, for dipping (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

21 grams carbs; 106 milligrams cholesterol; 393 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 29 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 465 milligrams sodium; 13 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Adjust an oven rack to the top-third position and heat to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment and coat with cooking spray.

  2. Step 2

    In a shallow bowl or pie plate, beat eggs. On a large plate, combine panko, Parmesan, dried basil, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mix with a fork until well combined.

  3. Step 3

    Trim ends of zucchini and cut into ½-inch-thick slices. Arrange on the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly on one side with salt and let sit for a few minutes, then blot with a paper towel. Flip zucchini and repeat salting and blotting on the second side.

  4. Step 4

    Add a handful of zucchini slices to the beaten eggs, turning them a few times to coat. Transfer, one by one, to the panko mixture, allowing excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Turn zucchini a couple times in the panko, gently pressing the panko so it sticks. Return the coated zucchini to the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Repeat with the remaining zucchini slices until they’re all coated.

  5. Step 5

    Bake zucchini for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently flip the zucchini with a spatula, then bake until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with marinara sauce for dipping, if desired.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
443 user ratings
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Comments

Karen in Montreal

Salt the zucchini and pat it dry, then drop each piece in a bowl of all purpose flour, toss a bit to cover all sides. Take it out, give it a little shake to get excess flour off, then slide the piece into the egg mixture, then the panko mixture. Filling will stick on much better. Extra work, but extra tasty.

Lillian

Why not give directions for doing this in an air fryer?

Edith

To get breading to stick on anything, let the breaded food rest on a rack for 5 - 10 minutes before cooking.

hcross

This recipe is more trouble than it is worth. I have tried it twice and it is underwhelming and time consuming. The flavoring is fine, but the coating does not stick to the zuke slices.

Cici

Not great but okay1

Molly E

Not worth the effort. Followed to the letter (even measured slices with my measured bench scraper) and baked in a convection oven at 425. It took forever, the coating didn't stick well, and the breadcrumbs never really browned.

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