Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries with Marinara Sauce

You’ll be able to put this oven-baked zucchini fries recipe together in less than 45 minutes without a fryer. It’s a healthy appetizer or side dish that the whole family will love!

Baked Zucchini Fries

Zucchinis are one of our favorite vegetables in this house. We’ve found a lot of ways to make them taste… well, not like zucchini. That may make it sound like they’re less desirable, this vegetable transforming ability is kind of magical.

Disguising a vegetable as something else, ANYTHING ELSE, is a big deal when you’re trying to feed kids. Especially ones that are convinced that they don’t like anything that falls into the vegetable category even if they’ve never tried it.

I know I’m not alone in this struggle, but man. This is a phase I will not miss.

We’ve made things like zucchini bread and some form of zoodles with pasta sauce multiple times, but now that zucchinis are abundant, we love finding more recipes to use them in. Especially baked zucchini recipes.

And these baked zucchini fries are definitely winners for the whole family.

I have tips below on making these easy zucchini fries below, but you can jump to the recipe if you’re ready to get baking!

Jump to Recipe

One of the biggest reasons I’m a huge fan of these healthy zucchini fries is because they’re oven baked. As in no fryer. No giant grease pot that makes you question if you should really be eating it. Because of this, despite the fact that they’re breaded zucchini sticks, they still seem nice and light.

These crispy baked zucchini sticks are also super versatile. They’re great as appetizers, side dishes, or even as a main course if you’re as big of a fan of baked zucchini as we are. Our favorite ways to make this baked breaded zucchini recipe is with the marinara sauce recipe that’s included below.

Here’s a quick tip on what zucchinis to buy/use for these simple baked zucchini fries: Zucchini has a lot of natural moisture in it so it can be diffiult to get crispy results when oven roasting it. Because of this, we recommend buying small, firm zucchini for these breaded zucchini fries. You may also want to remove excess seeds prior to dredging the zucchini sticks as well.

How to Make Baked Zucchini Fries

Breaded zucchini fries are super easy to make in the oven. You don’t need a ton of ingredients (mostly seasonings) to make these crispy zucchini fries, either.

Once you preheat the oven to 400F, place a metal baking rack inside of a baking sheet then set them both aside.

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and the seasonings.

In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, add the water, and whisk together until frothy.

In a third bowl, add the Parmesan cheese. Set the bowls up so it’s the seasoned flour, egg mixture, and Parmesan cheese bowl so you can easily make the breaded zucchini fries.

Dredge the zucchini spears in the seasoned flour then dip into the egg mixture. After the excess egg drips off, place in the bowl with Parmesan cheese. Turn each zucchini fry a few times to evenly coat it in the Parmesan cheese bowl. Once you’re done, place the battered zucchini sticks on the baking rack in the baking sheet.

Repeat this with all of your zucchini fries and then place the baking sheet with the breaded zucchini in oven. Roast the zucchini until the fries are crispy and golden (approximately 20-30 minutes), flipping halfway through.

Remove them from the oven, then serve the breaded zucchini sticks with the marinara sauce recipe below.

How to Make Marinara Sauce for Baked Zucchini Fries

We love using a simple marinara sauce for dipping these healthy zucchini fries in. It’s our favorite sauce for zucchini fries, but ranch is pretty tasty as well.

While the crispy zucchini fries are roasting, combine olive oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste in a medium saucepan.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant (approximately 1-2 minutes.) Season with salt and pepper if using.

Reduce heat and add in the crushed tomatoes. Cook around 8-10 minutes or until the marinara sauce is bubble and has slightly reduced. Remove from heat and add in the basil and parsley.

Serve warm with the oven baked zucchini fries.

Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries with Marinara Sauce
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

You can hardly even tell that these oven baked zucchini fries weren't tossed in a fryer! Paired with the marinara sauce, the whole family will love this healthy snack

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Author: Ashley
Ingredients
Zucchini Fries
  • 2 Small/Firm Zucchini Halved and cut into ¼-inch thick slices
  • 1/2 Cup Almond or Coconut Flour
  • 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Tbsp Water
  • 1 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Marinara Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
  • 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 8oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions
Zucchini Fries
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and place a metal baking rack inside of a baking sheet then set aside.

  2. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and the seasonings.

  3. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, add the water, and whisk together until frothy.

  4. In a third bowl, add the Parmesan cheese.

  5. Dredge the zucchini pieces in the seasoned flour then dip into the egg mixture. After the excess egg drips off, place in the bowl with Parmesan cheese. Turn each zucchini fry to evenly coat it and place on the baking rack in the baking sheet.

  6. Repeat and then place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Roast the zucchini until the fries are crispy and golden (approximately 20-30 minutes), flipping halfway through.

  7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with the marinara sauce.

Marinara Sauce
  1. Combine olive oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste in a medium saucepan.

  2. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant (approximately 1-2 minutes.) Season with salt and pepper if using.

  3. Reduce heat and add in the crushed tomatoes. Cook around 8-10 minutes or until the marinara sauce is bubble and has slightly reduced. Remove from heat and add in the basil and parsley.

  4. Serve warm with the oven baked zucchini fries.

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