Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable that is so easily added as a complement to a variety of dishes. In this recipe, in-season summer zucchini has the opportunity to really shine. It is cooked with a crisp, seasoned breading, to serve as an appetizer or a side for a variety of summer meals.
You can choose to bake or pan-fry the zucchini, and serve it with your favorite sauce for dipping! While marinara is a classic choice, I also love pesto or cashew cream (pictured is leftovers from a batch of my garlicky beet and cashew cream pasta sauce)!
What are some of your favorite summer vegetables? How do you like to prepare them? 
Breaded Summer Zucchini Fries
In-season summer zucchini has the opportunity to really shine in this recipe. It is cooked with a crisp, seasoned breading, to serve as an appetizer or a side for a variety of summer meals. You can choose to bake or pan-fry the zucchini, and serve it with your favorite sauce for dipping!
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour gluten-free if needed
- 1/2 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs gluten-free or whole wheat if desired
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast or finely grated vegan parmesan
- 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- A pinch of ground black pepper
- Cooking spray if baking
- Avocado oil or oil of choice if pan-frying
- Sauce of your choice for dipping
Instructions
- If baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the zucchini into matchsticks that are about 3 inches long and 1/2-inch wide.
- Arrange three bowls side by side for breading your zucchini. Place the flour in the first bowl, then whisk together the non-dairy milk and starch in the second bowl. Mix together the breadcrumbs with the herb seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper for the panko coating in the third bowl.
- Dip all sides of the zucchini sticks, one by one, into the flour, then the milk mixture (allowing excess liquid to drip off), then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the zucchini, evenly coating each piece.
- To bake, arrange the zucchini on the prepared baking sheet, an inch or two apart, and spray with cooking spray. Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove to the oven to flip them and spray the other sides with cooking spray. Return to the oven to bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until your desired crispness is reached.
- OR
- To pan-fry, heat 1/2-1 inch of oil in a deep skillet to about 350 degrees F.
- Fry the breaded zucchini (in batches depending on how big your pan is), for 3-4 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon or large fork, and transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve and enjoy alongside your favorite sauce for dipping.
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