Parmesan-Panko-Crusted Baked Zucchini

With plenty of cheesy, buttery flavor, this quick-cooking zucchini dish comes together in less than 30 minutes. Enjoy these crispy rounds as a side dish, or pair with your favorite dipping sauce for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

Frequently asked questions

What is panko zucchini made of?

Panko gives this zucchini an extra-crispy crust, and a handful of other ingredients get tossed with the breadcrumbs to provide pops of flavor. Parmesan cheese brings the umami, a trio of fresh herbs — parsley, chives, and thyme — adds savory depth, and salt and pepper round it all out. Rather than using egg to adhere the breading, we first coat the zucchini with pure butter.

What goes well with breaded zucchini?

Whether you want to match it with a main dish for dinner or serve it up with sauce as a snack or appetizer, there are endless options for our Parmesan-crusted zucchini. Marinara is a classic dipping choice; tangy buttermilk ranch or creamy lemon aïoli are also fantastic, just to name a few. As a side dish, the zucchini is great alongside tomato-based pasta dishes, steak, or nearly any kind of chicken preparation. Whatever you pair it with, it's bound to be one of the first things to disappear off the plate.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Zucchini is one of the absolute easiest vegetables to prep, which is part of why this recipe is such a breeze to make. There's no need to peel zucchini or remove the seeds; simply wash it, trim the ends, and it's good to slice as needed. When selecting zucchini for this dish, you'll want them to be medium-sized, about eight inches long and two inches or less in diameter. Larger specimens may look impressive, but they tend not to be very flavorful and have tough, fibrous seeds. When baking breaded zucchini, take care not to crowd the pan for optimal crunch.