Zucchini Fries

Photo credit Heather Nan

Zucchini fries! Exquisite succulence wrapped in a perfect crunch. Do they count as your vegetables for the day? Who cares! They are one of our most requested recipes at Culinary Crafts, and for good reason.

Any way you choose to serve them—as an appetizer, side dish, or even the main attraction at your summer soiree—these zucchini fries will always have diners begging for more. Zucchini fries are the final answer to the age-old question, “What am I supposed to do with all this zucchini?”

So when we recently got another request to share the recipe (this time from a newlywed couple who featured our zucchini fries at their after-ceremony bash), we decided it was time. Here is our recipe for Zucchini Fries with a bonus recipe of our legendary Utah Fry Sauce. Here you go. You’re welcome.

Photo credit Heather Nan

(makes six servings)

Ingredients

3 medium 7-inch zucchini, cut into ½ inch x 3 ½ inch sticks
½ cup Panko crumbs
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp dry parsley
¼ tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
¾ tsp ground black pepper, divided
2 large egg whites

Directions

Place racks in the center of oven and preheat oven to 425°. (Alternatively, you can use your air fryer or tabletop deep fryer.) Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Dry your zucchini sticks on a towel. (Don’t worry about getting them completely dry; they’ll need a little moisture to make the flour stick.)
In a wide, shallow container, combine the flour, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are foamy. In separate wide, shallow container, combine the Panka breadcrumbs, cheese, onion powder, paprika, parsley, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper.
Working with a few zucchini sticks at a time, roll the individual sticks in the flour mixture until they are thoroughly covered. Then dip them briefly into the egg whites so that they are completely covered. Finally, add them to the Panko mixture and give them a thorough coating with the mixture.
Arrange the coated zucchini on the baking tray so that the individual sticks do not touch each other. (If you’re using an air fryer or tabletop deep fryer, skip to Step 6.) Lightly spray the arranged sticks with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, then give the sticks another light coat of cooking spray. Rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees in the oven and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven when the sticks are light golden in color and have a crisp outside.
If using an air fryer, set your fryer to 375° and bake for 4 minutes, then give the fries a shake and continue baking for another 4 minutes. If using a deep fryer, set temperature to 350° and fry for 3-5 minutes until your zucchini fries are golden brown.
Serve the fries immediately, with dipping sauces of your choice.

Pro Tip: Tzatziki sauce, marinara, ranch, and various kinds of salsa make excellent sauces for these fries. If you want to try our fabled Utah Fry Sauce, here’s how.

Utah Fry Sauce

Combine 1 cup ketchup, 1 cup mayo, ¼ cup pickle juice, and a pinch of paprika. That’s it.

Enjoy!