Fried Zucchini in the Oven
Baked Zucchini Fries with a Parmesan Crust.
Zucchini is dipped in a thick coating, then baked in the oven for an authentic fried zucchini taste with far less fat.
Who doesn't love fried zucchini? With a crunchy coating and tender interior, it's the perfect snack to go with everything from beer to a bit Italian dinner.
And yet, like all fried foods, fried zucchini is heavy in saturated fat. Oven frying solves this problem. The key is to make sure you use the right batter. Since zucchini is 95 percent water, you need a relatively thick coating in order for your oven-baked zucchini "fries" to taste like real fried zucchini. Without it, the zucchini will just get soft and mushy, not crispy, like real fried zucchini.
In order to keep calories and fat down, this recipe uses buttermilk, cornmeal and just a touch of Parmesan cheese to make the thick breading. The result is a crispy, crunchy coating and a tender, sweet inside, just like real fried zucchini Parmesan.
Serve these zucchini fries with the apricot sauce recipe below or your favorite dipping sauce. Kids even like them with ketchup!
Oven Baked Zucchini Fries with Apricot Dipping Sauce
- 2 medium-to-large zucchini
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup non-fat buttermilk
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- apricot dipping sauce (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan generously with non-stick cooking spray.
Trim the ends off the zucchini and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. Sprinkle with kosher salt. This will help draw some of the moisture out of the zucchini. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow dish. Mix the cornmeal, Parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper into another shallow dish. Dip the zucchini slices into buttermilk, then the cornmeal mixture. Place on the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake 12 minutes until browned on the bottom. Turn, then bake another 3 to 5 minutes until browned on the top. Serve with apricot dipping sauce.
Apricot Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup no-sugar-added apricot jelly (such as Polaner All-Fruit Jelly)
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 dash hot sauce
Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Per serving (zucchini with 2 Tbsp. apricot dipping sauce): 201 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein, 6% vitamin A, 45% vitamin C, 15% calcium, 6% iron
Here are some more healthy appetizer and side dish recipes you might like:
- Baked Zucchini Chips
- Un-Fried Zucchini and Prosciutto Bites
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Beet Chips
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Roasted Vegetable Dip Recipe
- Fresh Green Beans with Sea Salt
- Roasted Garbanzo Beans
- Broccoli au Gratin
