Crispy Baked Zucchini

Looking for a new veggie to eat tonight? Or today for lunch or breakfast for that matter? Look no further than this delicious, nutritious, fast, easy, tasty Crispy Baked Zucchini!

You may or may not know this but I used to have an aversion to veggies. Like, didn't like any of them...well, very few of them. But, when it was time for me to make a lifestyle change for my health, I knew that incorporating a variety of veggies into my life was one of the top priorities.

So, I started with the common veggies I could find at the store: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and yes, zucchini.

I tried it raw, peeled, baked, grilled, sauteed, stuffed, stir fried, you name it. And slowly, but surely, I learned to love them all sorts of ways. But it wasn't until I found a recipe for baked zucchini that I learned of my most favorite way to eat zucchini: Bake it until it's crispy and then, what you get is basically a zucchini chip. I mean, if i could eat cheesy, crispy zucchini chips, then I might be able to tackle this healthy living thing after all.

How do you make Crispy Baked Zucchini?

Making this crispy zucchini is easy as pie!

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees, then slice the zucchini into ¼-inch rounds.

Next, toss the zucchini with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Spread the coated zucchini on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer (so they get nice and crispy). Add another baking sheet if needed.

In another small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings. Sprinkle this mixture over the zucchini rounds.

Put your pan(s) into the oven and allow the zucchini to roast until they're tender, about 12-16 minutes, depending on how thick your slices are. The thinner the slices, the more quickly they will be done.

The zucchini will be tender and the topping will be browned when they are done. For extra-crispy zucchini, leave it baking another minute or so, but watch so it doesn't burn.

How do you make zucchini not soggy?

Soggy zucchini is the worst and to be honest, it's a lot of the reason I was put off from eating it in the first place. Sure, it's fine if it's meant to be soft, like, in an au gratin recipe or as part of a stir-fry, but when zucchini is overcooked it gets mushy and that's just a big no-no.

If you encounter this problem when making your crispy baked zucchini, i recommended one of two things:

1. Slice your zucchini thinner. Make sure it's ¼-in thick or less for best results. Watch while it bakes to make sure it's crispy but not burnt. Unless you like it that way, then by all means, crisp it up to your liking.
2. Elevate the zucchini both literally and figuratively by adding a baking rack to your set up. So, you'll put a baking rack right inside of your baking sheet. Spray the rack to make sure the zucchini doesn't stick. When it's ready to bake, put the zucchini right on top of the baking rack, then carefully add the breadcrumb mixture and bake. Adding a baking rack allows all sides of the zucchini to get hot air circulating around it, crisping it up all on both sides.

What makes zucchini healthy?

Zucchini is a great, healthy vegetable to add to your diet. One serving is low in calories, has almost zero fat (less than 1 gram, so why even count it?), and even has 1 gram of plant protein.

One serving of zucchini also contains 1 gram of fiber; vitamins A, C, K, and B6; potassium, manganese, folate, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, and thiamine. These vitamins and minerals help support your immune system, your vision, your skin, and your digestion. Zucchini also contains a large amount of antioxidants, which are important compounds that help your body fight off free-radicals.

Zucchini is also a recommended plant source for people with type 2 diabetes, as it has been shown to be a low-carb vegetable that can help lower blood sugar levels.

So what do you say? Are you ready to add zucchini to your healthy diet today?

More delicious zucchini recipes

• Zucchini and Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats
• Healthy Zucchini Lasagna
• Pesto Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles
• Asian Zucchini Noodles
• Baked Zucchini Pasta