These easy Baked Zucchini Fries are bursting with cheesy, garlicky goodness in every crispy bite. Serve them as a healthy snack or appetizer with your favorite dipping sauces and live it up! Gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb and keto with vegan, paleo and Whole30 options.
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Updated July 2022
Crispy Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Fries
Do you have a whole section of garden zucchini begging to be used up? These crispy Zucchini Fries are on our menu every year during the summer when we have an abundance of zucchini. Covered in a crispy gluten-free breading made with almond flour and vegan parmesan, you’ll probably want to make a double batch of these babies. Once you bite into that crunchy exterior of these veggie fries, your taste buds will be graced by a lovely combination of flavors.
The tangy parmesan cheese and the savory garlic salt are a mouthwatering combination on their own, and they’re only enhanced by the additions of herby Italian seasoning and smoky paprika. Grain-free crackers or breadcrumbs can also be used if you’d like your fries to be extra crispy. All you need is your go-to dipping sauce for an unforgettable munchie!
Are Zucchini Fries Healthy?
When you rank the nutritional value of regular potato-based fries versus zucchini fries, zucchini fries win by a mile. Zucchini has fewer calories, fewer carbs and more fiber than potatoes, and it’s also jam-packed with vital nutrients like fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C. To make these fries even healthier, they’re baked in the oven instead of fried over the stove. This means they don’t require a drop of oil!
What You’ll Need
You really only need 5 ingredients to throw together these zucchini fries, but we highly recommend using everything listed below—swapping in any substitutions that work best for you. Scroll down to the recipe card for the appropriate quantities of each component.
- Medium-Sized Zucchini: Wash and dry the veggies before slicing each zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut the halves into quarters, then cut each of those quarters in half horizontally. You should end up with 16 spears.
- Egg: For vegan fries, substitute the egg for 2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk mixed with half a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens.
- Almond Meal: Superfine almond flour will also work for this recipe.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Use vegan parmesan if necessary. For Paleo and Whole30 fries, swap out the cheese for 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
- Garlic Salt: Combine sea salt with a touch of garlic powder to whip this up yourself.
- Dried Italian Seasoning: Optional but strongly recommended for added flavor.
- Smoked Paprika: Optional, for a smoky kick.
- Crushed Grain-Free Crackers: Optional, for extra crunchiness. We like to use Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers, but you can also use Hu’s Kitchen Grain-Free Crackers, Real Phat Foods Crackers, or any other low carb/keto cracker of choice. If you don’t have crackers, you can reach for any kind of crushed breadcrumbs.
How to Make Baked Zucchini Fries
These crispy fries will be ready to go before you know it. Just follow the simple process outlined below!
Heat Oven & Prep Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease a large baking sheet (or line it with parchment paper).
Cut Zucchini: If you haven’t already, slice the zucchini into sticks by cutting them in half lengthwise, then slicing each piece into half-inch quarters. Cut the spears in half, horizontally.
Prepare Egg & Breading: Beat the egg in a shallow bowl and whisk together the almond flour, grated parmesan, garlic salt, smoked paprika and Italian seasoning in another shallow bowl.
Dunk in Egg & Coat With Breading: Dip each zucchini stick into the beaten egg, then dredge them into the parmesan mixture, coating them well on all sides. Place them onto the baking sheet in a single layer and repeat with the remaining zucchini pieces.
Cook: Bake the fries for 19-21 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until they’re golden-brown and crispy.
Enjoy! Remove the baked zucchini fries from the oven and serve them with your desired dipping sauce(s).
Can I Cook Them in the Air Fryer?
Absolutely! In fact, we have a whole post that goes over How to Make Air Fryer Zucchini Fries in detail. Be sure to check it out if you’re looking to utilize this foolproof appliance.
Tips for Success
These trusty tips will help you make the ultimate baked zucchini fries. Get ready for some nonstop munching!
- Use a Sharp Knife: Be sure to use a sharp kitchen knife when you’re slicing your zucchini into spears. If the knife is starting to dull, it’s more likely to slip.
- Cut Even Spears: It’s important that your fries are all relatively the same size so they cook at an even rate. We like to make ours about half an inch wide.
- Double-Dry the Zucchini: In order to ensure an ultra-crispy result, we like to pat the zucchini dry a second time after we cut out the spears. This also helps the beaten egg stick to the zucchini.
- Serve Immediately: These fries are crispiest when they first come out of the oven. After they’ve had a couple minutes to cool down enough so that they won’t burn your mouth, go ahead and dig in.
Flavor Variations
Just like potato-based french fries, these babies can be seasoned in countless ways. Don’t be afraid to get creative with them!
- Taco Seasoning
- Chili Powder
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- BBQ Rub
- Tajín Seasoning
- Chinese Five Spice
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
What Goes Well With Veggie Fries?
These crispy zucchini fries are sure to go well with all your favorite dipping sauces and entrees. Dunk them into homemade Hummus, Guacamole or Green Goddess Dip if you’re looking to impress a group of hungry guests with an addicting snack.
If you’re serving your fries as an appetizer, you’re going to want to follow them up with an equally impressive main course. These Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Bowls are a fail-proof choice, as is this Baked Orange Sesame Salmon.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
Although these fries are best served fresh, they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days once they’ve cooled completely. Reheat them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 5-10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. Alternatively, you can warm them up in a single layer in a 375°F Air Fryer for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Can I Freeze These?
We don’t recommend freezing your zucchini fries – they have a high water content and tend to get mushy when frozen. If you’d like to try it anyway, here’s the best method:
Place the cooled fries onto a large baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer. Place the pan into the freezer for 30 minutes, or until the fries are hard. Transfer the frozen fries to a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat them directly from frozen.
More Easy Low-Carb Appetizers
These easy Baked Zucchini Fries are bursting with cheesy, garlicky goodness in every crispy bite. Serve them as a healthy snack or appetizer with your favorite dipping sauces and live it up! Gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb and keto with vegan, paleo and Whole30 options.
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 large egg for vegan fries, sub with 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk mixed with 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseeds. Let sit for 5 minutes, until thick.
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup grated Vegan Parmesan cheese can sub with regular grated parmesan cheese if not dairy-free or 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for Whole30/Paleo
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning optional but highly recommended for added flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika optional but highly recommended
- 1/4 cup crushed grain-free crackers optional, for extra crunch
Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
Slice the zucchini into 1/2-inch spears. Read blog post for detailed cutting instructions.
Beat the egg in a shallow bowl and whisk together the almond meal, Parmesan, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and paprika (if using) in another shallow bowl.
Dip each zucchini stick into the egg wash then dredge into the parmesan mixture, coating well on all sides. For extra crispy fries, you can roll into some crushed pork rinds or crushed Paleo crackers such as Simple Mills Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers. Place on the baking sheet in a single layer and repeat with remaining zucchini pieces.
Bake them for 21-24 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy.
Remove baked zucchini from the oven and serve with desired dipping sauce.
Recipe Video
- See our easy Air Fryer Method for cooking zucchini fries if desired.
- To Store: Transfer cooled zucchini fries to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- To Reheat: Bake fries on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 375°F for 5-10 minutes, or until warm, flipping halfway through.
- To Freeze: Place cooled fries onto a large baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until fries are hard. Transfer frozen fries to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen.
Did you try this recipe?
Gertrude -
Yum, these were delicious! Thank you!
Melissa -
This was amazing! Thank you!
Liliana -
Thank you! We made these and they were amazing!