Crispy Baked Vegan Zucchini Fries (Easy Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy when frying? ›

Yes, you should always salt your zucchini before frying — especially if you're aiming to achieve a crispy texture. Salting your zucchini helps remove the excess moisture stuck in the zucchini that would otherwise make frying a challenge.

Make sure you pat your zucchini dry – dry zucchini will get crispy, wet zucchini will get soggy. Set up your breading station. For these zucchini fries we first toss them in flour, then dip in egg, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.

These Zucchini Fries are a great way to use up those extra vegetables. Plus, they're delicious, easy to make and a much healthier alternative to those greasy french fries.

Arrange the zucchini pieces into a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It will stick to the pan if you don't line it first!) Freeze the zucchini for about 1 hour, until it's firm to the touch, then transfer it to an airtight container to preserve the flavor as you store it.

Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.

In much the same way, putting fried food on a cooling rack means the excess oil will drip off, but there's enough air circulating underneath the food that the bottoms don't get soggy.

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Then, spread your French fries out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure none of them are touching (if they're too crowded, they won't get as crispy). Heat them in the oven for about eight to ten minutes, then give them a quick toss.

Second bake – double frying

In order to do that you get the oil to a higher temperature. That should be 180˚C (350˚F) and the second time should leave your fries being perfectly crispy and golden. Again turn them out onto a sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle immediately with salt.

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices. I found quarter-inch slices the perfect thickness. Thinner slices fall apart during cooking; thicker slices require a longer salting time.

Season it before and after baking.

Tossing the zucchini with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper before baking gives it an amazing foundation of flavor. But adding a few extra seasonings after it roasts really takes it over the top.

Should you soak zucchini in salt water? ›

Definitely not. You only need a little salt — half a teaspoon of kosher salt for one medium zucchini, say — to start pulling the water out. Use more, and the zucchini will simply taste like zucchini-flavored salt. If you try to rinse out the extra salt, you risk adding back in the water you just tried to get rid of.

Raw zucchini can also cause gas and bloating, especially if you overdo it. Zucchini is rich in fiber that your gut doesn't digest. When your body doesn't fully break the fiber down, gas can build up and cause bloating and make you pass wind. Eating raw vegetables can cause gas if you have irritable bowel syndrome.

Parsnip and Turnip Fries: These are probably the two most popular potato fry alternatives. Parsnips look like white carrots and are full of fiber with a tinge of sweetness. A turnip is round and has a texture almost identical to a potato. We Prep + Rally these every so often in our menus!

Avoid storing zucchini in plastic, which can trap moisture and make the skin slimy. Either leave zucchini loose or place it in a paper bag.

Blossom End Rot

It's occurs due to the plants inability to get calcium. This can be caused by a few things: Watering inconsistency (the most likely cause especially if you've had a lot of rain) Soil PH is either too high or too low (do a PH test to check)

By sprinkling the cut vegetable with salt and letting it stand in a colander over the sink, water will drip out, leaving behind a firmer vegetable. The zucchini can then be more easily sauteed or roasted to bring out its natural sugars and, hence, flavor.

Vegetables get soggy when they are over cooked. What many people don't realise is that they are still cooking after taking them out of the pan. To prevent this use less cooking time and/or quickly cool them in a bowl of ice cold water to prevent them cooking any further. Any further heating is just to warm them up.