Looking for a healthy snack that the kids will love as well? Try these crispy baked zucchini fries which is all vegan and uses no oil.
Reasons to try this baked zucchini fries
- Makes a delicious snack - These zucchini fries are crispy, delicious and make a great snack! These are equally good for serving guests or the snack box.
- Great for you snack- full of zucchini's goodness and does not contain any added sugar or oil.
- Easy to make - the zucchini fries comes together quickly. You can also get the little ones involved in breading the zucchini and make it a fun experience for them.
- Use up those zucchinis - Whether you have too many zucchinis growing in the backyard or picked up a few extra ones from the farmer's market, this recipe is perfect to use up those extra ones.
Ingredients we need to make these zucchini fries
Zucchini - Use fresh and firm zucchini since zucchini tends to turn bitter over time. You can either use the green zucchini or yellow squash.
Panko - Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs and adds more texture compared to breadcrumbs. It also tends to form a lighter coating. If you have breadcrumbs at home and want to use it, then go ahead and use it.
All Purpose Flour - This will form the first level of coating for the zucchini.
Garlic - I have tested this recipe with finely chopped garlic to coat the zucchini before breading it. You can skip this and just use garlic powder mixed in the panko and AP flour as mentioned in the recipe below.
Plant based milk - I used soy milk here but oat milk would also work here. Both of these are creamier/ mild tasting compared to other alternatives like almond or coconut and adds some extra flavor.
Seasoning - You can play around with different seasonings for added flavor. I used a combination of salt, black pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. I used this combination in both the AP flour and the panko crumbs.
How to make crispy zucchini fries?
Pat dry the zucchini - Once you cut the zucchini in to large matchsticks, pat them dry individually with a paper towel. This will remove any moisture. Keep them aside.
Panko is key - Panko is much drier and flakier than regular breadcrumbs. The way panko is processed, it gives a crispier and lighter coating.
Bake at a higher temperature - The high heat helps crisp up the zucchini fries and does not need any added oil. I have tested baking these at both 375 deg F and 385 deg F. Obviously at the former temperature, it takes around 5-10 minutes longer but either way, the fries turned out so crispy.
FAQ
No, you don't need to peel it. Zucchini's skin is pretty thin and is perfectly delicious.
It's best to bake the zucchini just before serving and serve 5 minutes after removing from the oven which gives it time to cool. No matter how crispy these fried are, they will get soggy the longer they sit outside.
No! Plant based milk works perfectly to help the panko stick to the zucchini and there is no need for eggs.
No! I know it is usually recommended to salt zucchini to draw out extra moisture. However, I did not see any reason to do this and the fries turned out crispy without having to salt
Storage and Reheating
I would not recommend storing this since the fries will go limp in a couple of hours after they are done baking. If you do have any leftovers, keep them wrapped in a paper towel in the refrigerator.
To reheat, bake in the oven at 375 deg F for 7-10 minutes or until warm. The fries won't be crispy anymore like when they are fresh but will still taste great.
Other delicious snack recipes to try - Greek Yoghurt Sandwich, Crispy Chili Babycorn, Aloo Chana Chaat, Zucchini Fritters with Corn, Iyengar Bakery Vegetable Puff, Peach Bruschetta, Hara Bhara Kebab.
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Recipe
Baked Zucchini Fries(No egg or oil)
Equipment
- 1 Full or Half baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 medium Zucchini washed and cut in to finger sized sticks
- 2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 cup AP Flour
- ½ cup Plant Based Milk preferably oat or soy
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ + ½ tablespoon Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the panko, AP flour and milk each in a separate bowl or plate. Add the Italian seasoning, half tablespoon of garlic powder, salt and pepper to the panko. Mix well. Season the AP flour with salt, pepper, remaining garlic powder and mix well. Ensure you don't over salt else the fries will end up being very salty.
- Preheat oven to 385 deg F. Wipe dry all of the zucchini sticks using paper/tea towels. Take one zucchini stick and roll it in the AP flour. Gently dip in the bowl of milk and finally roll it in the panko breadcrumbs. Place on the lined sheet pan. Repeat until the sheet pan is full ensuring it is not crowded.
- Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until the zucchini fires are golden brown and crispy. Serve with any dip of your choice.
Notes
- You can also use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder if you choose. Finely chop the garlic or grate it. Coat the zucchini with this garlic before breading.
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