Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks are topped with a simple cheese herb mixture and ready in 30 minutes. This simple snack or side dish is big on flavor, low calorie, and ready to be enjoyed plain or with your favorite dip!
During zucchini season we also love to make Mediterranean zucchini boats and this list of healthy zucchini recipes comes in handy!
Baked Parmesan zucchini is one of the easiest healthy sides ever! What I like is 10 minute prep, how firm zucchini turns out and melted herbed Parmesan cheese on top. We now love these crispy Parmesan potatoes as well!
And those burnt bits on the bottom of the baking sheet are the best! Zucchini with Parmesan cheese is a match made in heaven, lots of flavor and little calories.
Zucchini tomato bake and healthy zucchini casserole are two other cheesy sides we love, and when I am out of Parmesan I make grilled zucchini. Zucchini is truly one of my favorite versatile veggies!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Nutritious: Zucchini is low calorie, low fat but high in fiber. Which means you can eat a lot of zucchini with little calories and keep your belly full longer.
- Affordable: It’s easy to grow, budget friendly and found year round at the grocery store.
- Simple: 5 ingredients and that includes salt and pepper.
- Easy: Less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Family friendly: The neutral flavor of zucchini makes it so versatile!
These zucchini slices also are made without any oil, are egg free and naturally gluten free without any breadcrumbs in sight!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Parmesan zucchini recipe is delicious with just 5 simple ingredients!
- Zucchini: This recipe works best with small-medium zucchini you can just cut in halves. If you have large garden zucchini, cut into 2 inch thick rounds.
- Parmesan cheese: Nothing beats freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Pre-grated cheese in a shaker works but doesn’t taste the same as it contains fillers like cellulose. I usually buy fresh Parmesan hunk at Costco, cut a piece to use for now and freeze the rest.
- Dried oregano: You can also use dried basil, thyme or Italian spice mix in equal amount or any combination of them.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Baked Parmesan Zucchini
While zucchini naturally contains a lot of water, it is all retained inside the wedges.
Slice zucchini in halves, so their flat surface will hold cheese and spices. Place zucchini on large baking sheet.
Make cheese herb mixture by combining Parmesan cheese, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Sprinkle mixture on top of zucchini, about 1 1/2 tsp per each slice. When spreading, go slow so precious bits do not fall on the baking sheet and stay there.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, then broil for 5 minutes. Broiling ensures the planks get nice and crunchy!
Tips for Best Results
- Excess moisture: If your zucchini seems watery after slicing, sprinkle with salt, let rest 10 minutes and then pat dry with towel.
- Size of zucchini slices: Larger zucchini cut in half will be more firm after cooking. If you prefer more tender results, try cutting your halves into quarters or try sticks aka Parmesan zucchini fries. If you are cutting zucchini rounds, thicker rounds will be more firm, thinner rounds more tender.
- Even slices: No matter your cutting choice, aim for roughly the same size for all your pieces so it cooks evenly.
- Love garlic? Me too! Add some garlic powder to your Parmesan and herb mixture.
- Crunchier results: Add a few crushed sourdough croutons or panko bread crumbs to your cheese herb mixture.
FAQs
Yes! Courgette aka zucchini aka summer squash is high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, vitamins C, B, K and potassium.
This oven roasted zucchini recipe uses minimal ingredients with Parmesan cheese being the only ingredient with additional calories. But with it’s robust taste, we only need a minimal amount.
#1 reason for soggy zucchini is over-cooking it. Unlike firmer veggies, zucchini has high water content. It means that if you overcook it, water starts to seep out. Do not overbake and know that ovens vary, so you know your oven best. Also cut it into larger pieces because they are hard to overcook.
Possibly, but it has not been tested. I would try at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes then check. Also, consult your air fryer manual for suggested cooking time.
Zucchini slices make a great side dish at dinner or literally eat by the stick for a snack. Drizzle or dip with healthy ranch dressing, marinara, salsa or pesto. Add protein like turkey burgers or turkey meatballs and you have a low carb dinner right there.
Storing Leftovers
Store: Baked zucchini stays fresh and firm in the fridge for up to 3 days, perfect for healthy lunch ideas. That is if crazy thing “leftovers” even possible with this yummy recipe.
Reheat: In the oven for a few minutes or if in a hurry the microwave. Microwave will be softer leftovers.
Another rule in life is to never freeze zucchini. They will thaw stringy and yucky.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Baked zucchini fritters
- Sauteed zucchini
- Zucchini lasagna
- Pasta with zucchini
- Zucchini potato bake
- Tuna zucchini cakes
- Zucchini lasagna rolls
Enjoy, friends, and let me know how you liked baked Parmesan zucchini in the comments below.
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks
Ingredients
- 8 small-medium zucchini cut in half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 tsp oregano, thyme or basil dried
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Trim the ends of zucchini, then cut in halves and arrange on a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, mix Parmesan cheese, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Top each zucchini slice with approximately 1.5 tsp of cheese herb mixture, spreading evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then broil on High for 4 – 5 minutes or until cheese is crispy and golden.
- Serve warm or cold as a side dish, appetizer or snack.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 2 – 3 days. Do not freeze.
- Garden zucchini: If you have large garden zucchini, cut it into 2″ thick rounds.
- Dried herbs: Any combination of dried herbs works including Italian seasoning.
- Fresh grated: Fresh Parmesan cheese tastes the best, not from a shaker.
This was amazing!! I made it with cilantro line chicken and my 10 yr old twins gobbled it up!! So happy they love eating healthy now!! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I also tried your Baked Chicken Breast recipe last night. It was fabulous too!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing this positive feedback. I am thrilled that your 10 year olds loved it, Kelley!
What a great treat! Ive never had zucchini like this before. My picky 8 year old likes it as well 🙂 Its really good! Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic! Glad everyone enjoyed the recipe!
These were excellent and oh so good too. We had them with your Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Portobellos for lunch and supper today. We were full after eating them. Definitely a keeper and healtbhier than a burger from any fast food place.
These parmesan zucchini sticks were so easy and to die for!
I do something very similar. I slice them in half, long way, season them with Cavender’s Greek Seasoning and them broil till almost tender. Then sprinkle the fresh parmesan cheese and broil till browned.
Sounds the same.:)
Add a little spaghetti or pizza sauce before the cheese and you have pizza!!!
Thank you Thank you! It was wonderful. I’m a new veggie lover and learning to embrace Clean Eating! Wonderful recipes like such makes me wonder…why I haven’t been doing this all my life?! Be Blessed.
Similar recipe from and woman I knew who was raised in Italy then moved to San Francisco. She boils the Zucchini for 10 mins; cuts them in half the same as above; scoops out the meat leaving the shell; puts the zucchini meat in a double boiler & adds cheeses & seasonings to your taste, cooks the mixture till it melts the cheeses and then puts it back into the shells and bakes until golden brown on top. Sprinkle with more Parmesan and serve. Very tasty and you can make it your own with your selection of cheeses and Italian spices.
Interesting. I’ll keep it in mind. Sounds a bit more work than this recipe.
Hi Olena! I just discovered your website and I love everything about it! This recipe looks so yummy. I love zucchini too. I cut them and fry in sunflower oil (bad, I know..) and top them with a white souce (yoghurt with dill and pressed garlic – ukrainian style, haha, I am from Ukraine too). Definitely will try baking them and topping with cheese. Thank you for sharing this recipe and for amazing photos.
Hi Lili. Nice to meet you and thank you.:) Garlic and dill – any time! My mom makes zucchini like you do. Although yesterday she promised to try a few of my zucchini recipes. We will see LOL.
I just put these in the oven 2 minutes ago. I had one lone zucchini sitting in the kitchen a few days from spoiling so I searched Pinterest and now yay for an afternoon snack!