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Baked Zucchini Sticks

Baked zucchini sticks that turn out golden and crispy in the oven, fanned out like fries for easy dunking. Coated with a parmesan herb breadcrumb crust and served with warm marinara for a fast, healthy appetizer.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
sweating time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini sticks
  • 3 medium zucchini Cut into sticks about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
  • 1 tsp salt For sweating the zucchini.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs Beaten.
Parmesan herb coating
  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese Grated.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp paprika
  • olive oil spray Spray generously on the coated sticks.
Serving
  • marinara sauce For dipping; warm if possible.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the zucchini
  1. Salt the zucchini sticks and let sit for 10 minutes so they weep moisture.
  2. Pat the zucchini sticks completely dry with paper towels to help the coating crisp.
Set up and coat
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and paprika in one bowl for the crust.
  3. Set up a breading station with all-purpose flour, beaten eggs, and the breadcrumb-parmesan mixture.
  4. Coat each zucchini stick in flour, dip into the eggs, then press firmly into the breadcrumb-parmesan mixture.
Bake until crispy
  1. Arrange the coated zucchini sticks in a single layer on the sheet pan so they roast instead of steam.
  2. Spray generously with olive oil to promote browning.
  3. Bake for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.
Serve
  1. Serve the baked zucchini sticks immediately with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Notes

Pro tip: drying the salted zucchini thoroughly is the key to a crisp parmesan crust. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat on a sheet pan in a 425°F oven until hot and crisped. Freezing is not recommended because the coating softens after thawing. For a lighter option, use whole-wheat breadcrumbs while keeping the same bake time.