Zucchini fries are one of those stereotypical vegetarian dishes/appetizers that just about everyone has had. Similar to hummus, falafels, tabbouleh and tons of other run-of-the-mill vegan meals, they’re pretty standard, not incredibly exciting, but awesomely delicious.
I remember that when I first became meat-free, practically every time I ate out, I ordered zucchini sticks, fries, strips-whatever form or shape they came in. They embodied a nice balance of very healthy (straight zucchini) and uber unhealthy (deep fried in fatty oil), and were always a good choice for me in my first months of vegetarianism.
Fast forward two and a half years later, and I can’t recall the last time I had them. Considering they usually include an egg batter, I guess they kind of just fell off my radar for awhile. Recently though, my desire for fries outweighed my annoyance about having to grind up flax seeds for eggs and I was on my way to making a yummy batch of vegan baked fries, that are totally addictive.
The only downside? They lose their crispness after refrigerating and are not great reheated. Which means…you MUST eat them all in one sitting 🙂
2 large zucchini, cut into sticks or slices
1 1/2 cups whole wheat organic breadcrumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp flaxseed egg, or egg replacement
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
GREEN ONION DIP
1 1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
3 green onions, chopped
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Whisk together 1/4 cup oil, mustard and flaxseed egg
- Place zucchini slices in a large mixing bowl and pour mixture over them and toss until evenly coated
- In a smaller bowl, mix together bread crumbs, salt, black pepper and paprika
- Coat a baking sheet with parchment
- Dip each coated zucchini stick into the breadcrumb mixture and turn until completely covered
- Place on baking sheet and repeat until all sticks are coated
- Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes-flip over and bake for 5 more minutes
- For the dip, blend all ingredients except green onions until creamy
- Stir in green onions and serve with sticks
About the Author
MMMMMMMMMM! A divine creation! I will make this with my home grown zucchinis in the Summer!