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Enjoy the perfect snack with these parmesan zucchini chips coated with garlic, panko, and cheese and baked to a deliciously crunchy perfection!
For a delicious meal, serve these zucchini chips as a side to a seafood boil or alongside creamy mushroom pork chops. They complement the flavors so perfectly!
Zucchini Chips Recipe
If you like seasoned, cheesy, delicious, baked squash chips, first of all, I now know why we’re best friends! Second, welcome to our next obsession: zucchini chips with garlic + parmesan cheese! These bites are a blend of tender zucchini, crispy seasoned panko bread crumbs, garlic, and rich Parmesan, all baked to crunchy perfection.
Imagine sinking your teeth into wonderfully crispy zucchini chips that are not too soft, not too firm, just right. Flavored with an array of tasty ingredients, it’s a snack lover’s dream come true!
Usually, baked zucchini tends to get soggy which is why I always make my go-to zucchini casserole recipe. However, I am happy to report that this problem is resolved with a cheese and panko coating. The coating stays crispy as it bakes, and the zucchini chips stay wonderfully crunchy on the exterior, soft on the interior, and packed with the deep taste of Parmesan and garlic.
What You’ll Need
You only need a handful of basic pantry ingredients to make these easy zucchini chips. You can find the measurements and directions in the recipe card further down the page.
- Zucchini: I use a mandoline slicer to cut the zucchini into about 1/4-inch rounds because thinner slices result in crunchier chips.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This is used to coat the zucchini slices and help the coating stick. Regular olive oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, and even melted butter will also work.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Enhances the overall flavor of the zucchini chips.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: Adds a crispy texture to the zucchini chips. Regular breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes also work.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Provides a savory flavor and helps to create a crispy crust.
- Dried Oregano: Italian seasoning, dried basil, or any other favorite dried herbs are okay to use.
- Garlic Powder: Infuses the chips with a subtle garlic flavor. For a different flavor, try them with onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper.
- Cooking Spray: Used to lightly coat the baking sheets and the zucchini slices, aiding in achieving a crunchy texture.
How To Make Zucchini Chips
Whether you want to use up the last of your summer zucchini harvest or simply crave a nutritious yet delicious snack, this parmesan zucchini chips recipe will hit the spot.
- Prep. Start by preheating your oven to 450˚F. Line three baking sheets with foil, lightly spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- Prepare the zucchini. In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini slices, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Make the cheese topping. In a separate bowl, mix panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and garlic powder. Dip each zucchini slice in the cheese mixture, coating both sides and pressing the coating to adhere.
- Bake. Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly spray each slice with cooking spray for extra crunch. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the zucchini crisps turn golden brown.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauces like avocado lime Ranch, sour cream, honey mustard, romesco sauce, etc.
Air Fryer Method
Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You will need to cook them in batches. Air fry at 375˚F for 10 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.
Recipe Tips
- Slice uniformly: For even cooking, slice your zucchini into uniformly thick rounds. The thinner the slices, the crispier the chips.
- Make them extra crispy: Salting the zucchini slices before baking is an extra step you can take to make them crispier. Let them sit in a colander for about 30 minutes, then pat them dry with paper towels and continue with the recipe.
- Bread them properly: Make sure the zucchini slices are well-coated with the Parmesan-panko mixture. Pressing the coating onto the slices will help it adhere better.
- Avoid overcrowding: Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. The zucchini slices should be in a single layer and not touching each other. This allows for even baking and helps the chips get crispy.
- Use cooking spray: A light spray of cooking oil on the coated zucchini before baking will aid in achieving a crunchier texture.
- Rotate the baking pan: Rotating the pan halfway through baking helps to ensure even browning.
- Watch the chips: To avoid burning the chips, keep a close eye on them, especially towards the end of the baking time. They can quickly go from perfectly crisp to burnt.
- Season after baking: If you want to add more flavors, feel free to sprinkle the chips with a little more seasoning, like paprika or salt and pepper, right after they come out of the oven. The heat will help the flavors adhere better.
Serving Suggestions
Parmesan zucchini chips are really good on their own, but they’re also great served as an appetizer with dips. Try them with sauces like marinara, basil pesto, parsley pesto, plain yogurt, or Taratur for added flavor!
These crispy treats pair well with a range of main dishes, too. Try them with a juicy New York Strip steak, a hearty rigatoni bolognese, or even a grilled turkey burger. The possibilities are endless!
Storing Leftovers
Zucchini crisps taste best when served immediately while hot and crispy. If you have leftovers, put them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for 1 to 2 days.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Air Fryer Zucchini Crisps
- Zucchini Tomato Casserole
- Skillet Zucchini and Mushrooms
- Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters
- Creamy Parmesan Baked Zucchini
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Parmesan Zucchini Chips
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch to ½-inch rounds (the thinner the chips, the crunchier they will get)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Line 3 baking sheets with foil; lightly spray them with cooking spray and set aside.
- Prep the zucchini. In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini slices, olive oil, salt, and pepper; mix until well coated. In a separate bowl, combine the panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and garlic powder.
- Coat. Dip slices of zucchini in the cheese mixture and coat on both sides, pressing on the coating to stick. Place the zucchini slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly spray each zucchini with cooking spray. This will help with achieving a crunchier texture.
- Bake. Pop the baking sheets in the oven and bake the zucchini chips for 10 minutes; rotate the pan and continue to bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the chips are golden brown.
- Serve. Remove the zucchini from the oven and transfer them to a serving plate. Serve them with sour cream, plain yogurt, ranch dressing, marinara sauce, pesto, etc.
Notes
- Cut the zucchini slices the same size for uniform baking.
- For flavor and crispiness, coat them well with oil and parmesan mixture.
- Spray them with cooking spray for extra crunch.
- Don’t overlap the zucchini chips on the baking tray.
- Serve right after baking for the best taste and texture.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Not very flavorful….needs more seasonings..
Also, expected the coating to stick but it didn’t…had to pile the panko-parmesan mixture on…
Will tweak the flavors and ingredients to make it more savory..
Also I will not buy aerosol sprays…so just drizzled small amount of olive oil on top.
Could have cooked the whole batch about 4 minutes longer to get a crisper chip. next time.!!
Hi, Betsy. Rather than using an aerosol spray,, you can purchase a manual oil mister/cooking sprayer. I use a Chefvantage in the kitchen and a Misto outdoors. The Chefvantage has a glass bottle, the Misto is aluminum. Both are available on Amazon.
They have oil sprays now that are not aerosol. Just oil with a nozzle.
I air fried mine. I think I will turn the temp down and cook them longer next time. This time they didnt crisp up quite enough before browning. I should have dejucifyed them before hand also I think.
I’m in Germany and I made this recipe and I enjoyed it very much. We don’t have cooking spray, so to compensate ,I took one slice of zucchini and dipped it in olive oil and coated the tops of the already breaded zucchinis.
It worked well. I also used parchment paper instead of aluminum foil. I also have a convection oven so it baked faster. I set the temperature at 220ยฐC or 230ยฐC without a convection oven. I baked them for about 12 minutes and turned the pan in the opposite direction, Everyone liked them. It was also very easy to do.
It was not as crunchy or flavorful as I had hoped. Thinking I might go with a fried version since the baked one was disappointing.
I make these often…great snack for a diabetic! I use small zucchinis and slice them on the thinner side. I pour 2 egg whites into a quart baggie and throw in a bunch of zucchini slices. In a wide bowl I season the panko and Parmesan cheese with garlic and onion powders, along with ground red chili for some kick. I do have to pile the mixture on each slice, as not enough sticks to it for my liking. It is tedious but worth it.
Just had these for dinner…delish! Crispiness is achieved by placing the coated slices directly on the baking sheet – a sheet that has been sprayed. I served with homemade ranch dressing. YUM-O! Thank you for sharing.
Sounds good Iโm going to try this evening.
Iโm going to try them in my Air Fryer. Yumo.
Hope I donโt sound too stupid but I count my daily intake of carbs and on the nutritional facts it just states per serving. How much is โa servingโ per these nutritional facts listed. Thanks in advance
Not to sound like an idiot, but what type of liner are you using on the pan??
Hi! I use parchment paper. ๐
Aluminium foil.
The video is misleading, they are cut very thick, and it shows just dipping the slices in the bread crumbs. They don’t stick that way. Also it took an hour to get close to crisp, but still soggy. Waste of time.
Hi! I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the zucchini chips! I don’t think the video is misleading at all … in my blog post, I do talk about cutting them thick when I serve them as a side dish, and how I cut them thin when serving them as an appetizer. The thinner you cut these, the crispier they will be.
Love this recipe. However they were not crisp. I will try dipping in egg whites and baking at 475 degrees. Very good flavor. I could have eaten the whole pan.
I thought they were perfection!
I have to try making these! They look amazing!
Haven’t made it yet! Tomorrow! Sounds and looks fantastic!
I love that you bake these chips instead of frying! Thanks for sharing!!