I Could Not Stop Snacking on These Baked Zucchini Fries
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
One of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer is visit our local farmers' market. On our most recent trip, my husband and I came back with some gorgeous tomatoes for caprese salads, peaches for smoothies, and zucchini for…we weren't quite sure. I can't resist a good deal, and one of the booths had gorgeous summer squash for a great price.
"We'll find something to do with it!" I said.
Of course, the first place I searched was SouthernLiving.com, and I came across these Baked Zucchini Fries. I'm very lucky in that I don't have any dietary restrictions, so swapping regular pizza dough for a cauliflower crust or tater tots for ones made of broccoli has never been my priority. I've been trying to eat healthier lately, so I thought, "why not?" I wasn't in the mood for our usual sautéed or roasted squash, and we'd never attempted homemade veggie fries or chips.
These Baked Zucchini Fries may have made a low-carb convert out of me! Not only were they easy to make, but they were absolutely delicious.
The zucchini is tossed in flour, an egg-and-milk combination, and a panko breadcrumb-and-grated parmesan cheese mixture. The breading includes salt, pepper, and garlic powder, but we agreed we'd add crushed red pepper the next time around for a hint of heat. The only caveat of the dredging process is the several dishes it involves, but we used all dishwasher-safe ones, so cleanup was easy. Though I just had my husband to help with the process, this would be a fun cooking activity for the kids to get in on. Bake the "fries" on a generously greased (like, Mama-at-church generous; you don't want them sticking!) wire rack on a baking sheet. I couldn't help but sneak a few right off the pan when they came out of the oven, but I don't advise it. We served them with warm marinara (store-bought shortcut for the win) like the recipe suggested, but they would be delicious dipped in Alfredo sauce, pesto, or in my opinion, ranch.
We enjoyed these Baked Zucchini Fries as an afternoon snack, but I can't wait to serve them as an appetizer for friends or alongside a juicy burger this summer. I genuinely could not stop reaching for one after another of these fries! Because they're reminiscent of a mozzarella stick or French fry, these would be a huge win with the picky eaters in your home. It's simply a bonus that this yummy recipe also happens to be good for you.
Get the Recipe: Baked Zucchini Fries
The next time we add zucchini to our bag at the farmers' market, I know exactly what to do with it.
