Crispy Zucchini Chips: Healthy Oven Baked Zucchini Recipe (2024)

Learn how to make crispy oven baked zucchini chips. Not only is this recipe a healthy and delicious side dish, it’s also a great way to use zucchini when it’s in season in the summer. My crispy zucchini chips are a lightened version of the traditional recipe because they are baked and not fried. I also replaced the egg with an egg substitute for an easy vegan alternative when you use flour or plant based bread crumbs.

Crispy Zucchini Chips

Fried zucchini is a summer staple across most of America. Zucchini is easy to grow and provides an overabundance of crops each year. If you don’t grow your own zucchini, then I’m sure a few friends can spare a few for you to make tasty zucchini chips.

One zucchini plant can produce up to 10 pounds of squash per plant. The plants can offer fresh zucchini for several months, so you can make this recipe for crispy zucchini chips for most of the summer.

When I was a kid, my mom fried her crispy baked zucchini chips. We had a zucchini chips recipe almost every night for a few months. By the time the season was done, we were tired of this side dish. However, we always looked forward to it through the winter and the following spring.

I wanted to create a recipe for crispy zucchini chips that are baked and not fried for a healthier take on this zucchini recipe. So not only did I bake these, I also replaced the egg in therecipe with an egg substitute made from chickpea flour and water. While chickpea flour doesn’t taste great raw, it’s virtually undetectable when baked. It also adds a boost of protein to these tasty zucchini chips. Plus chickpeas are a heart healthy food!

How Do You Make Zucchini Not Soggy?

Oven baked zucchini chips can tend to get soggy. Therefore I recommend slicing your zucchini thicker than you normally would. I used to cut it my zucchini into thin slices. However, I now cut my quick zucchini chips into ½ inch slices.

Another way to ensure that you get crispy oven baked zucchini chips is to allow your oven to preheat fully. Do not put the zucchini chips recipe into the oven before the oven has come to temperature.

Once you begin baking the zucchini, allow them cook for the full amount of time. If you have a light inside your oven, use that to check your crispy baked zucchini chips through the window rather than opening the oven door. Opening the door can let heat out and lower the temperature inside your oven.

How Do You Dry Zucchini Before Cooking?

I don’t always dry my zucchini before cooking, but it does help make oven baked zucchini chips extra crispy. Here is how to dry zucchini before cooking:

• After you cut your zucchini into slices, put the slices in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.
• Toss the zucchini gently and pour into a colander set over a bowl or in the sink.
• Then let the zucchini rest for 30 minutes.
• Finally, blot the zucchini dry with a clean towel. This removes excess water so you can bake extra crispy zucchini chips.

Should You Salt Zucchini Before Cooking?

No, you do not have to salt zucchini before cooking these easy zucchini chips. Although it’s not necessary, using salt will remove excess water for crisper chips. If I’m in a hurry, I skip this step when I’m making my zucchini chips recipe.

Do You Cook Zucchini With the Skin On?

Unless you want to remove the skin from your zucchini, you can absolutely cook your zucchini with the skin on.

The skin of a zucchini has a lot of vitamins and minerals. You can peel it, but I leave it on for quick zucchini chips as well as for the extra nutrients found inside the skin.

You can simply rinse the whole zucchini in cold water to wash. Alternately, you may also use diluted vinegar to clean your vegetables. Then trim off ¼ inch on each end before using zucchini for zucchini chips recipe.

Baked Zucchini Serving Suggestions

I like to eat crispy oven baked zucchini chips by themselves, but they are also delicious in sauces. Try them with of the following sauces or dips:

• Vegan jalapeno ranch dip
• Romesco sauce
• Pesto or vegan pesto
• Marinara sauce or pizza sauce
• Cashew cream
• Tzatziki
• Garlic aioli
• Cheddar cheese dipping sauce
• Buffalo dip

I normally make these easy zucchini chips as a side dish for dinner, but they aren’t limited to just dinner time. They make a great lunch as the main dish or the side dish. They are perfect for parties or small gatherings since you can make a tray of crispy baked zucchini chips at once.

When I make them for dinner, they go well with marinated chicken, grilled fish or salmon, pasta salad, shrimp, or a salad.

Tips for Perfect Crispy Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

This is an easy recipe for crispy zucchini chips, but here are some tips to help you make them.

• Use medium or small zucchini for crispy oven baked zucchini chips. Large squash have seeds inside that are edible but don’t taste as well.
• Cut zucchini into ½ inch slices for this recipe for crispy zucchini chips. Thinner slices can get soggy.
• To draw out excess water, sprinkle salt over zucchini slices and place in a colander for half an hour.
• I used chickpea flour to make an egg replacement. You can use an egg if you prefer.
• Preheat your oven and put the oven baked zucchini chips in a hot oven. Avoid opening the door and letting out heat.

Crispy Oven Baked Zucchini Chips Ingredients

To make easy zucchini chips, you will need the following ingredients:

• Zucchini Squash
• Chickpea Flour and Water: You will use these to make a chickpea egg. However, you can also substitute this with and egg if desired.
• Nutritional Yeast
• Bread Crumbs
• Smoked paprika powder
• Olive Oil
• Sea Salt

How to Make Crispy Zucchini Chips

Follow these directions for quick zucchini chips:

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then drizzle olive oil onto a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Next, prep the zucchini by slicing it into ½ inch thick rounds. Lightly sprinkle the zucchini with sea salt, then toss to coat. Place the zucchini rounds in a colander, then allow to rest for 30 minutes to draw out the excess moisture.
3. While the zucchini rests, make the chickpea egg mixture. To do this, combine the chickpea flour and water. Then whisk well to combine. Follow with the nutritional yeast, salt and smoked paprika, adding it to the chickpea egg substitute, then mixing well.
4. Next, use a clean towel to remove excess moisture from the zucchini slices. Dip each slice into the chickpea egg mixture, Then dip the coated zucchini chips into the breadcrumbs.
5. Place the dipped zucchini slices onto the prepared baking sheet. Then bake for 20 minutes, or until the chips are golden brown and crisp.

More Zucchini Recipes

If you love my recipe for crispy baked zucchini chips, then be sure to try these other homemade zucchini recipes:

• Vegan Zucchini Brownies
• Healthy Zucchini Egg Cups
• Flank Steak Tacos with Zucchini

This recipe for crispy zucchini chips originally appeared on Becca Ink.

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