Did you know a zucchini is a fruit? Neither did I until a few weeks ago. It's actually a botanical berry, from the zucchini flower (which is delicious fried but that's for another post). Like other squashes, they last longer than many vegetables, which is great because you can buy a bunch of them at a time and not worry about cooking them right away.
We got a bunch of zucchinis from our last Stokes Farm produce delivery and I wanted to try something different with them. I am a big fan of zucchini fries served at restaurants, and since I can't get my fry fix, I tried to make a healthier version at home. These baked zucchini fries actually hit the spot for a mid-afternoon snack - crispy, lightly salted, and satisfying. I used two zucchinis to make this recipe which was enough to bake the fries on one pan. You can double the recipe and keep them in the oven for a few minutes longer; just make sure to check on them after 22 minutes so they don't burn.
What You Need
1 cup Panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (do not use the pre-made stuff!)
2 zucchinis, peeled and quartered lengthwise
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of black pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a cooling rack with olive oil or cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the Panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Place the flour in a wide bowl. Place the beaten eggs in a separate wide bowl. Dip a few zucchini sticks at a time in the flour bowl, making sure the sticks are covered. Dip the sticks in the egg bowl. Then place the sticks in the Panko bowl, making sure to press down so crumbs stick.
Space out the zucchini sticks on the cooling rack like this:
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Place the rack over a baking sheet to catch drippings and bake in the oven for about 20-22 minutes. Enjoy!
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If you try this recipe, tag us on Instagram or use the hashtag #mackideats - we'd love to see how they turn out!
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