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Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries

Salting, drying, and leaving space around each baton are the small steps that let this Parmesan-panko coating turn crisp in an oven or air fryer.

Golden Parmesan-panko zucchini fries sit beside a small bowl of marinara sauce for dipping.

Zucchini releases water quickly, which can soften a breaded crust before it browns. A short salted rest followed by careful blotting gives the flour, egg, and crumb coating a drier surface to cling to.

A hot pan or air-fryer basket and room between the batons finish the job. Choose the oven for one broad batch or the air fryer for smaller rounds, and serve each batch while its crust is crisp.

Manage zucchini's moisture

Cutting the zucchini evenly helps the batons cook at the same pace, while salting draws some surface water into the colander. Pressing them between towels afterward matters just as much: a wet surface dilutes the egg wash and makes crumbs slide off.

Build a coating that stays put

The flour layer gives the egg wash something to grip, and the egg binds the seasoned crumbs around the outside. Shake away extra flour and press the panko mixture gently onto each face so it forms a thin, even shell instead of a heavy clump.

Even zucchini batons move from flour and egg into a shallow dish of Parmesan-panko crumbs. — Even zucchini batons are blotted dry before they pass through flour, egg, and Parmesan-panko crumbs.

Leave room for browning

Arrange the breaded pieces with visible gaps so hot air can move around their edges. If the pan or basket is crowded, cook in batches; piled pieces trap steam and soften the crust.

Choose the cooking method

The oven works well when you want to cook a larger layer together, especially on a pan that has already heated. An air fryer browns quickly in smaller batches, so keep each round uncrowded and use the visual cue of deep-golden crumbs rather than relying on the clock alone.

A broken zucchini fry shows tender green flesh inside a browned Parmesan-panko crust. — A close view shows the browned panko and Parmesan shell around a tender zucchini center.

Serve straight away

Warm the marinara while the zucchini cooks, then bring it to the table as soon as the coating is browned. The crust gradually softens as it sits, so serve batches promptly and keep any later air-fryer rounds separate from the finished fries.

Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries

4 servings

51 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 lb medium zucchini
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce, warmed, for serving

Method

Cut and salt the zucchini
Trim the zucchini and cut it into even batons about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long; toss with the kosher salt in a colander and rest for 15 minutes.
Look for: Beads of moisture collect on the zucchini and drain through the colander.
Heat the cooking surface
For baking, heat the oven to 450 F with a rimmed sheet pan inside; for air frying, preheat the appliance to 400 F according to its instructions.
Look for: The oven or air fryer reaches its set temperature before the coated zucchini goes in.
Dry the batons thoroughly
Spread the salted zucchini on a clean towel and press firmly with another towel until the surfaces feel dry; removing surface water helps the coating adhere and brown.
Look for: The towel absorbs visible moisture and the zucchini no longer looks wet.
Set up the flour and egg
Put the all-purpose flour in a shallow dish; in a second dish, whisk the eggs with the water until no streaks of white remain.
Look for: The egg wash is smooth and the flour is spread in an even layer.
Season the crumb coating
In a third shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, finely grated Parmesan, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper until evenly mixed.
Look for: Parmesan and seasonings are distributed throughout the panko with no clumps.
Coat each baton
Working in small batches, dust the dry zucchini in flour and shake off excess, dip it in egg, then press it into the Parmesan-panko mixture on every side.
Look for: Each baton has a thin flour layer beneath an even coating of crumbs.
Arrange with space
Carefully brush the hot sheet pan with olive oil, or brush the air-fryer basket lightly; arrange the coated batons in a single layer with visible gaps between them.
Look for: No batons touch or overlap, leaving room for hot air to circulate.
Bake or air fry until crisp
Bake at 450 F for 12 to 16 minutes, turning after 8 minutes, until browned and crisp; or air fry at 400 F for 8 to 11 minutes per uncrowded batch, turning halfway.
Look for: The crumbs are deeply golden at the edges and feel dry and crisp.
Serve while the crust is crisp
Warm the marinara sauce while the zucchini cooks, then serve the fries immediately with the sauce alongside for dipping.
Look for: The sauce is warm but not bubbling, and the crumb coating is still crisp.