The secret to making them crispy? Salt them to draw water out and then bake them in a hot 425°F oven. I love zucchini, especially in-season zucchini, with smooth dark-green skin and firm flesh. I have many zucchini recipes on this website, including zucchini lasagna, zucchini noodles, and grilled zucchini. These zucchini chips are especially good. They are incredibly crispy and flavorful. It’s one of my favorite side dishes when zucchini are in season. It helps that my family loves them, too - even the Picky Eater!
Variations
As mentioned above, you can coat the zucchini slices in melted butter (use your hands or a pastry brush) instead of spraying them with olive oil. I love the flavor that butter adds! Experiment with more spices. Good options that I tried and liked include onion powder, chili powder, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper. I use just a pinch of each. For a dairy-free option, it’s fine to omit the parmesan, although the chips are tastier and crispier with it.
Instructions
More Zucchini Recipes
Recipe Card
Olive oil spray: I love cooking with this delicious oil. Avocado oil and melted butter are excellent alternatives. Fresh zucchini: Using small, firm zucchini in this recipe is best. You don’t want them large and watery. To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Grated Parmesan: Use finely grated parmesan, not coarsely shredded.
Slice the zucchini thinly, salt the slices, and then rinse and dry them. This step helps eliminate some of the zucchini’s water content, which helps prevent sogginess. Arrange the zucchini slices on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, keeping the oven on. Season the zucchini with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan. Bake the zucchini chips until browned and crispy, for 15-20 more minutes. When I make them as a side dish, I like to serve these chips with a main dish that I can bake in the same 425°F oven. So, I often serve them with one of the following:
Chicken parmesan Chicken leg quarters Blackened salmon Baked cod Roasted rack of lamb Baked salmon
You can get some of the crispiness back by baking them in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
