You're going to love these! Zucchini gets transformed into healthy, crispy, golden brown baked zucchini fries with a 3-ingredient pesto yogurt dipping sauce.
I knew I hit the jackpot when my self-described zucchini-hating son sat in front of a plate of these baked zucchini fries and plowed through half of them in one sitting.
“Are you sure this is zucchini?” he asked for the fifth time, looking at me suspiciously as though I was trying to pull some sort of Harry Potter-magic spell wool over his eyes.
Fried foods don’t show up on our plates very often, though air fryer recipes have been a fun new way to serve up traditionally-fried foods.
While these zucchini fries could easily made in the air fryer, I achieved fantastic results from baked them in the oven.
And the pesto yogurt dip? They take these crispy zucchini sticks to a whole new level. You’ll want to dip and dip…and dip some more.
Tips for making baked zucchini fries:
This recipe really couldn’t be any easier. One medium zucchini produces several servings of fries, and the 3-ingredient pesto yogurt dipping sauce takes them from really good to insanely irresistible.
The trick to the crispy, golden brown texture on the outside of the fries is cooking them in a HOT oven and using panko bread crumbs , which lend much more crunch than standard bread crumbs.
Line a baking sheet with foil (easy clean-up trick!) and place a wire rack on top of the foil. The rack is a key component in ensuring that the fries are crispy on all sides – not soggy on the bottom. The rack allows allow the air/heat to circulate around the fries.
Your dredging station is made up of three bowls – one for the flour, one for the whisked egg and one for the seasoned breadcrumbs. I typically use one hand for the flour and the other hand (or a pair of small tongs) for the egg dip and breadcrumbs. This will help to keep the flour dry.
Serve the zucchini fries immediately – hot and crispy!
What if I can’t find whole wheat panko?
If you have neither whole wheat panko bread crumbs (affiliate link) nor whole wheat pastry flour on hand, don’t let that stop you from making these.
Regular panko bread crumbs and all-purpose flour will still produce healthier zucchini fries (hey, they’re still not fried, right?), and great flavor and texture.
What to serve with zucchini fries:
As an appetizer with...
- 5-Minute Black Bean Dip
- Mini Avocado & Hummus Quesadillas
- 3-Ingredient Brie & Cranberry Phyllo Turnovers
As a side dish with...
Printable Recipe
Baked Zucchini Fries with Pesto Yogurt Dipping Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini
- â…” cup whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- olive oil cooking spray
The sauce::
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
- â…› teaspoon salt
Instructions
The Fries:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet. Coat the cooling rack with cooking spray.
- Cut the zucchini into 3-inch long and ¼-inch thick pieces.
- Spoon the flour into a medium bowl. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Working with several zucchini pieces at a time, dredge the zucchini in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the zucchini in the egg, then place it in the bread crumb mixture, covering completely.
- Transfer the coated zucchini pieces to the prepared rack, in a single layer. Repeat with remaining zucchini pieces.
- Light coat the zucchini with the cooking spray.
- Bake in the oven until the zucchini is tender and the breading is browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
The Sauce:
- In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, pesto sand salt.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on July 6, 2015, and was updated on July 30, 2020.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
kellie | The Suburban Soapbox
I bet my family would love these, they're a bunch of fried food fiends. They look amazing and I can't wait to try them!
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
Love the dip - my kids are not big on zucchini but I know they'd love them if I made these fries
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
These will definitely be happening!! Zucchini is so good and cheap right now and I just made a big batch of pesto!!
becky
Okay, these fries look so crispy and perfect but that dipping sauce, that sounds just perfect!! This is what I'll be using my summer zucchini for!
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
Love this recipe, Dara! They look absolutely delish and I can't wait to try them!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
Love these healthy "fries". And hello SO MUCH ZUCCHINI right now. Great way to use it!
christine
We love turning veggies into "fries" over here. That dipping sauce sounds like perfection!
Marla Meridith
Great recipe Dara! Need these in my life now!!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen
Love that your son plowed through these fries. I know I would too.
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
Your son sounds like my husband! Put something healthy in front of him, especially zucchini, and I get HATE.
So, if yours ate these, then maybe there is hope. If not, I'll eat them ALL myself because that dip? I LUHVE. Pinned!