zucchini parmesan crisps
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 9:17PM 
And fried squash, like most deep-fried things, is darn good.
These crisps are the healthier -- but still totally delish -- baked version of those deep-fried veggies I ate as a kid.
We just ate these right off the pan, barely cool enough to handle.
It's an awesome little snack or side.
The parmesan gives the zucchini a nice golden, salty side.
The Panko adds the "crisp" to the crisps, while the thin round of zucchini inside is ever-so-slightly soft and flavorful.
This is my favorite way to eat zucchini and squash now.
It's easy and it doesn't really taste healthy...it tastes like something deep-fried and delicious.
adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe in The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life
- 1 lb. zucchini or squash (about 2 medium-sized)
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan (heaping)
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (heaping)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil and spray lightly with vegetable spray.
Slice zucchini or squash into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. Toss rounds with oil, coating well.
In a wide bowl or plate, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper.
Place rounds in parmesan-breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides of each round, pressing to adhere. The mixture will not completely cover each round, but provides a light coating on each side.
Place rounds in a single layer on baking sheets. Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over the rounds.
Bake for about 22 to 27 minutes, until golden brown. (There is no need to flip them during baking -- they crisp up on both sides as is.)
Reader Comments (27)
WOW! Your photos look so delicious. I remember when...also. And yes, Viriginia....these really are the best I have ever seen. Can't wait to try them.
The zucchini in our garden has gone out of control this year - I'm excited for this new recipe to use them up!
Glad to hear it! Hope you like the crisps as much as we do!
These look so yummy!
I tried these today and they were great. A little on the salty side for me so next time I make them I like just omit the salt. I think the salt in the parmesan will be plenty for me:)
Made them. Loved them. Making them again tonight. Thanks for a great recipe that was so easy to follow. The first time I made these I cut most of them a bit too thin. I was afraid that cutting them in 1/4 inch rounds would mean they never really get crunchy. So I cut most of them a wee bit thinner. They got crunchy and were yummy; as a matter of fact, we didn't get them to our plates but instead ate them all while standing over the pan. Even though they were yummy, I didn't taste the zucchini really - just the seasoning (I added a bit of garlic salt too) and the panko / parm mixture. This time I will cut them according to your directions, and I bet they will be even better!
Made these tonight and they came out great! Looked just like they do in your pictures. Good way to get some veggies into non-veggie lovers. Delicious! Thanks for posting it.
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Can't wait to try them, they look delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
My hubby is NOT fond of fried zucchini,made this for dinner tonight ...he had seconds and only stopped because he could eat no more! He couldn't stop saying how great it tasted and wasn't greasy and was cooked perfectly;>} Thank You for this easy, delicious recipe, I am an extremely grateful cook and wife tonight!!
Glad to hear it, Debby! :)
Absolutely delicious! Best zucchini recipe ever!,,
Mine were a little soggy... any suggestions?
Hi Emily - I'm not sure. They usually come out so crispy!
Here's a few ideas: Make sure the zucchini slices aren't too thick. Cut each round no larger than 1/4" thick. Preheat oven completely, check oven temp and make sure it's a "true" 400 degrees (some ovens run lower on the temperature than what's actually displayed). Only use 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the zucchini slices.
Those are the only suggestions that come to mind. Hope that helps!
I just made these for the first time and the they are amazing incredible delicious! So easy and really cheap. I have been on a pringles bender lately and can totally see these crispy tasty treats helping me get over my chip addiction. Thank you!
can't wait 2 try these w/my 20 month old daughter. she'll love helping me make them & will hopefully eat the zucchini. she's a veggie lover, but not too fond of squash-like veggies. hmmm...wonder who she gets that from?! not me, lol ;)
Thanks so much! I have been looking for a way to use the gigantic zucchini on my countertop. Have already done ratatouille, zucchini bread, zucchini pancakes, sauteed zucchini...
I may try it with coconut oil instead of olive oil--always looking for ways to get those MCFAs in my diet!
These are so delicious! I had to cook them a little longer (32/33 min or so) to get them nice and crisp. Thanks for the recipe, love that they don't need to be flipped!!
Absolutely delicious!!! I made these tonight for my husband and a couple of this friends as a side to a steak dinner. They were raving about them all night and are begging me to make them more often! I used 3 zucchinis, but apparently I should double the recipe next time!
So happy to hear they enjoyed the crisps! :)
I made these today and my husband made a face when I told him it was zucchini. But, after one bite, he was hooked. He savored every one and wanted more. We each ate half of the batch in one sitting, so we each had about one zucchini. They actually tasted more like potatoes to us.
Mine were almost soggy, though... I had to bake them quite a bit more than directed, and my oven tends to run hot. At 22 min, too moist... at 27 minutes, still too moist... so I turned up the oven to 450 and baked for almost 10 minutes more. I just tasted one at intervals until I was happy. I was still worried when I took them out, they looked a little floppy, but after cooling for a couple minutes on the counter they were perfect.
Thanks for this recipe, now my husband has a new favorite appetizer and I'm happy since they were easy to make and inexpensive. :)
Hey there - my daughter found this recipe on Pintrest (where else?! 😊) and we tried it last night. Everyone in my family liked it even though I didn't have panko....I'm anxious to try it that way. I did add Romano cheese to the mixture....I think that and the use of regular bread crumbs were my only changes. I did need to cook it a bit longer than specified, though. It was really tasty and a new way to enjoy zucchini! Your pictures are beautiful!
Thanks!
I'm going to make these, but I'm going to use almond meal insteard of panko to stick to paleo clean eating.
Thanks, K. Langston! Your version sounds yummy!
Cool on the paleo, Pat...let us know how they come out!
Made them tonight! Delish!!!! Thanks!