Baked Panko and Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Give your burger and hot dog meals a new side dish with these tasty, crispy zucchini fries. Breaded with panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese, these delicious bites have nothing to envy in classic fries, and they double as a veggie serving. Who knew eating your veggies could get so delicious? A quick bit of preparation and 15 minutes in the oven will bring to your table an innovative side dish that's delicious with your favorite dipping sauces such as spicy mayo, mustard, or ketchup. For this recipe, you'll need a few pantry staples, eggs, zucchinis, and panko crumbs. This is a great recipe to make ahead and bake when ready to eat. The dipped and breaded zucchini sticks can be kept in the fridge for a few hours until it's time to pop them in the oven. If you're lucky to have any leftovers, keep them in the fridge for up to two days and heat them in the oven or air fryer to crisp them up again.

To make the best of your zucchini fries we recommend you use panko crumbs and not regular breadcrumbs. Panko is made of crustless bread, dried and ground, thus making the crumbs lighter while also providing a crispier texture to the dishes they're added to. Japanese in origin, the name panko comes from pan (bread) and ko (flour). Although they're easily found in most groceries, making panko at home is easy. Simply remove the crust from any bread, quickly process the white part in a food processor, and place in a 300 F oven for a few minutes to dry out. Panko will give the zucchini fries an irresistible coating. When used in deep-frying they will absorb a lot less oil than regular crumbs. If you need an egg-free recipe, use any egg replacer you like or soy milk to soak the sticks in before rolling them in the panko mixture.

Zucchinis are a great source of nutrition. Thought of as vegetables, zucchinis are in reality a fruit, from the summer squash family. Called courgettes in France and the United Kingdom, zucchinis are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. High in water and fiber, zucchini is easy on your digestion. Because it's also low in calories and carbohydrates these squash star in low-carb diets. One medium zucchini has 33 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and just 6 grams of carbohydrates—the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of this nutrient is close to 225 and 325 grams. Used as fillers for pancakes and quick breads to add moisture, zucchinis have a mild flavor and thus are great for adding nutrition without substantially changing the flavor of the recipes they're added into. Enjoy these crispy zucchini fries with your favorite mains or as a healthy snack with your preferred dipping sauces.