Zucchini is a very versatile vegetable. You can stuff it, grill it, even turn it into noodles. You can also bread and bake it, like I did, creating delicious sticks that pair great with marinara sauce.
I have to admit, I was expecting this side dish to be more like zucchini fries, sturdy and crisp. They did not come out quite as I expected (probably since they were baked, not fried). The flavor was still there though. These zucchini sticks paired perfectly with my Chicken Bruschetta Burgers. (They would also make a great appetizer.)
The recipe was pretty simple. Just cut the zucchini, bread them, and throw them in the oven. Next time, I think I’ll use some panko to make the sticks crunchier. I will also cut them thinner. I used 6 small zucchini, which made 48 sticks. I definitely didn’t need that many! Leftovers were good though! (You definitely want to reheat in a toaster oven and not the microwave though!) The best part of this recipe is the reduced guilt you feel after eating a bunch of sticks compared to if you ate some French fries!
Start by preheating your oven to 425°…
- Break an egg into a bowl.
- Add a splash of water.
- Season with some s&p.
- Whisk with a fork.
- Pour some Italian seasoned breadcrumbs onto a shallow dish.
- Add some grated Parmesan cheese.
- Season with a couple of tablespoons of garlic powder.
- Mix to combine.
- Cut the ends off of some zucchini.
- Cut each zucchini in half, then each half into quarters, creating 8 sticks per zucchini. (Make sure all sticks are about the same size so they cook evenly.)
- Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Dip the zucchini sticks into egg mixture.
- Then coat the sticks in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the sticks on the baking sheet.
- Spray the sticks with some more nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake, until golden, about 25 minutes.
- Warm up some marinara sauce before serving for dipping.
Enjoy!
Two Years Ago: Mexican Lasagna
Three Years Ago: Barcelona Burgers
Baked Zucchini Sticks (serves 8)
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 small zucchini, cut into 8 sticks each
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup water
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup marinara sauce
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat your oven to 425°.
- Combine the egg and water with some salt and pepper.
- Whisk until fully incorporated.
- Pour the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder into a shallow dish.
- Mix to combine.
- Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Dip the zucchini sticks into the egg mixture.
- Roll each stick in the breadcrumb mixture until fully coated.
- Place the zucchini on the baking sheet.
- Spray the tops of the zucchini sticks with some more cooking spray.
- Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Serve with marinara sauce.
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