Recipes · Snacks & breakfast
Zucchini Sticks with Parmesan Crust
AI-written · not yet kitchen-tested
Zucchini is mostly water, and that is exactly what makes breading slide off. So the sticks are salted first, left to drain for 15 minutes and patted dry; after that, no more salt is added because the Parmesan brings plenty. Dark Parmesan tastes bitter, so the crust should stay golden brown. A basket of about 4 liters holds roughly 20 sticks, so you cook in two batches.
This recipe was written with AI assistance and has not yet been kitchen-tested. Check quantities and times as you cook, and follow safe core temperatures for meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) zucchini 2 medium, seeds scooped out, cut into sticks about 3 inches (7 cm) long and 5/8 inch (1.5 cm) wide
- 1 tsp salt for drawing out water
- 40 g (1.4 oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs large, beaten
- 60 g (2.1 oz) dry breadcrumbs
- 50 g (1/2 cup) Parmesan finely grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano crumbled
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil for brushing or spraying
Method
- Wash the zucchini, trim the ends, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the watery seeds with a teaspoon. Cut the halves into sticks about 3 inches (7 cm) long and 5/8 inch (1.5 cm) wide.
- Toss the sticks with the salt in a colander and let them stand for 15 minutes until water drains out. Then spread them on a kitchen towel and pat them thoroughly dry; the egg only clings to a dry surface.
- Set out three shallow plates: the flour, the beaten eggs, and a mixture of the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder and pepper.
- Turn the sticks in the flour, pull them through the egg, let the excess drip off and roll them in the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture. Press the crust on firmly.
- If the instructions for your air fryer call for preheating, preheat it for 3 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). Put half of the sticks (about 20) into the basket in a single layer with space between them and brush or spray them with olive oil.
- Cook at 400 °F (200 °C) for 10 minutes. Halfway through (after 5 minutes), turn them. The sticks are done when the crust is golden brown and the zucchini is tender but not mushy when pierced. If the Parmesan turns dark brown, take the sticks out earlier.
- Cook the second batch the same way and serve the sticks right away; after about 10 minutes the crust loses its crunch.
Tip: Genuine Parmesan is made with rennet of animal origin. If you cook strictly vegetarian, use a hard cheese made with microbial rennet.
Tip: The scooped-out seeds can be cooked into a soup or tomato sauce, so there is no need to throw them away.