Zucchini Fries with Tzatziki
Spring is here and I am craving all sorts of fresh and bright foods for the season! One of my all-time favorite veggies to enjoy really year-round but especially in spring and summer is zucchini.
I adore zucchini grilled, sautéed, mixed in pasta, burgers or even in baked goods. But have you ever tried a zucchini…fry?
Sounds like the ultimate oxymoron, I know! But let me be the first to tell you that these zucchini fries are the best food marriage and my new favorite spring food obsession.
I had a vision of using zucchini in fry format for quite some time. Zucchini is so sturdy and serves a clean slate for flavor, I thought what better way to jazz it up than to cover them in panko, seasonings and bake them to crispy perfection? If you are familiar with my Portobello fries which take this same approach with Portobello mushrooms, you know for a fact that this is a solid idea indeed.
My zucchini fries are stupid simple to make and mighty addictive to eat. Simply cut your zucchini into spears, dredge in seasoned flour, eggs and herby, lemony breadcrumbs, then bake to golden brown perfection. I serve mine alongside a garlicky, lemony, cool, creamy and tangy tzatziki. Each bite is crispy, crunchy, lemony and fresh. These are a great healthy(ish) side or appetizer, and are absolutely perfect for spring!
Zucchini Fries with Tzatziki
Ingredients
Fries
2-3 zucchini, cut into spears (easiest way to do this is to slice off the ends, quarter your zucchini then half each quarter)
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Zest of one lemon
Kosher salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Tzatziki
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
1/2 English cucumber
Zest and juice of one lemon
Kosher salt and pepper
Directions
Make Tzatziki
Over a paper towel, grate cucumber with a cheese grater. Over the sink or a strainer, squeeze grated cucumber into paper towel firmly to remove moisture. Add shredded cucumber to a bowl with yogurt, lemon juice and zest, and garlic. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make fries
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet and set aside.
Grab three shallow bowls or plates. Add flour to the first, eggs and water to the second and Panko, Italian seasoning and lemon zest to the third. Season each dredge layer with salt and pepper and use your fingers or a fork to combine each.
Working in batches, dredge zucchini in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko mixture, pressing to coat.
Place zucchini onto oiled baking sheet and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Serve with tzatziki and enjoy!
