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Roasted Zucchini with Garlic Parmesan

Want to learn how to roast zucchini spears in the oven? This simple Roasted Zucchini with Garlic Parmesan recipe is the only zucchini side dish recipe you will need!

Generously coated with garlic and parmesan, these roasted zucchini spears are baked until they are crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and are full of incredible flavors.

Roasted Zucchini spears baked with garlic and parmesan on a round plate

Don’t forget to also check out these other yummy veggie favorites such as Fresh Green Bean Casserole, Roasted Whole Carrots and Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes.

Oven Roasted Zucchini Spears

If you don’t love zucchini, don’t give up on it just yet…give this Roasted Zucchini Spears a try! You might just change your mind.

Zucchini itself has a mild flavor, and because of that they are sometimes considered fairly bland. That is why we are bringing amazing flavor and textures to this Oven Roasted Zucchini – loading it with lots of fresh garlic and parmesan, and baking it until the outsides are crispy.

By adding two simple ingredients and oven-roasting these zucchinis, it is such a game-changer.

P/S: we don’t only love garlic parmesan on out zucchinis. This gorgeous flavor combination works on so many things, such as Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta, Roasted Garlic Parmesan Potatoes, Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings, Easy Garlic Parmesan Asparagus. Seriously delicious.

Zucchini is a super healthy and delicious vegetable, full of Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium, Vitamin A, has lots of antioxidants, and is low in fat and sugar. There are so many benefits to eating them.

They are typically in season during the late summer and are very budget-friendly as well.

So we are on a mission here. Let’s make this Roasted Zucchini Spears super tasty so that you’d want to eat them and actually enjoy eating them.

Looking for more zucchini recipes? Also check out my Grilled Chicken Zoodles, where zucchini noodles are used in placed of regular noodles as a low carb substitute.

Ingredients

We are keeping this roasted zucchini spears recipe fairly simple here. We are using a few basic, pantry-friendly ingredients:

A plate of baked zucchini spears
  • Zucchini – use 3-4 zucchinis for this recipe 3 if they are very large and 4 if they are smaller. Slice them into spears – see below for step-by-step instructions.
  • Fresh garlic – mince garlic finely – avoid substituting with garlic powder.
  • Parmesan cheese – grated. You can buy ready grated cheese, or grate a block of parmesan cheese by cutting it into smaller pieces and pulsing it in the food processor (best and quickest way to grate parmesan!). I find that shredded parmesan cheese works less well because it’s harder for it to stick to the zucchini spears.
  • Olive oil – or another cooking oil – vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil etc.
  • Salt and black pepper

How to bake zucchini spears

Oven Roasted Zucchini Spears is my favorite way to cook a zucchini side dish because it allows me to thorough season the zucchini and cook it quickly under high heat in the oven in order to crisp the outside without over cooking the insides.

And because it is sliced into spears, there’s a lot of surface to generously coat zucchini in the most flavorful and tasty seasonings. More seasonings = tastier zucchini!

Step 1: Prepare zucchini

Before seasoning and roasting the zucchinis, let’s first prepare the zucchini itself.

Scrub and wash whole zucchini under running water and then slice it into quarters.

There’s no need to remove the skin. Slice off the top and bottom, then slice it into half lengthwise, and then slice the half into quarters lengthwise.

You should get four spears from each zucchini.

whole zucchini and zucchini spears sliced into quarters
Slicing zucchinis into spears

If you have a large zucchini, you can slice each of the spears into half if you prefer them shorter, but it is not necessary.

Once all the zucchinis are sliced, place zucchini spears on a paper towel and then use another piece of paper towel to dab on the top of zucchini spears to remove moisture.

Zucchinis tend to have a lot of moisture in them, so we want to remove access moisture as much as we can so that they are not wet and soggy. This will also help crisp up the zucchini.

This is an important step when making Roasted Zucchini!

Using paper towel to dab on zucchini spears to remove moisture
Pat dry zucchini with paper towels to remove moisture

Step 2: Season zucchini

A solid seasoning and make or break your Oven Roasted Zucchini dish!

Bring zucchini spears into a large rectangular dish so that they can lay flat on the dish.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic, salt and black pepper.

Pour mixture onto zucchinis and use your hands to give it a toss.

Add grated parmesan on there, and toss again to combine.

A rectangular dish filled with zucchini spears tossed in garlic and parmesan cheese

Step 4: Bake!

To make sure Zucchini is crispy and not soggy when bake, we are going to top the baking sheet with a baking rack. Place a parchment paper or aluminum foil in between them to catch the drippings and make cleanup easier.

Spray baking rack with cooking oil spray, then place zucchini spears on the baking rack.

Zucchini spears can be placed right next to each other but avoid overlapping them.

unbaked zucchini spears topped with garlic and parmesan on baking rack

Be sure to scoop up all the parmesan and garlic pieces and place them on top of the zucchini spears. They bring flavor to your zucchinis and will become the crunchy golden brown top we all know and love in roasted zucchini so don’t let them go to waste!

Bake in the oven at 425℉ for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and bubbly.

And that is it – Garlic Parmesan Roasted Zucchini Spears that is crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside, full of fantastic flavors.

Whenever I serve roasted zucchini spears, everyone loves it! Including those who are wary about zucchinis.

So if you are on the fence about zucchini, give these oven baked zucchini spears with garlic parmesan goodness a try.

If you need only one zucchini recipe in your life, THIS IS IT!!!

This is almost always the way I make my zucchinis when I want to make it as a side dish. It’s quick, healthy-ish (let’s conveniently ignore the amount of parmesan I added to it), delicious, and it’s just hard to go wrong with it!

Tips and Tricks

A few things to note when making Oven Baked Zucchini, so that you can make a bomb oven roasted zucchini spears:

  • Pat dry zucchini before seasoning them! Zucchini produces a lot of moisture and we want to remove as much access moisture as possible.
  • Bake zucchini spears on baking sheet topped with baking rack, with parchment paper in between to catch the drippings. This will prevent zucchini from becoming soggy and gives it a nice crispy texture.
  • Make sure to spray baking rack with cooking spray if not Roasted Zucchini will get stuck on the rack.
Roasted zUcchini sticks with golden brown top

Substitution and Variation

My goal here is to show you how to roast zucchini in the simplest, most basic way possible (that is still crazy delicious, of course). You can definitely jazz it up, make it fancier, and put your on twist to it! In fact, I encourage it!

Here are other items you can add to this baked zucchini spears recipe if you’d like, and I would love to hear more ideas if you have them!

  • Add herbs to the seasoning mix, such as thyme, dill, Italian seasoning, oregano etc.
  • For my cheese lovers out there…top it off with more cheese after baking! You can add more parmesan, or even top it with mozzarella and send it back into the oven for a minute so that it melts.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley at the end.
  • Dip zucchini in ranch or your favorite creamy dipping sauce.
  • When finish baking, remove zucchini from baking rack promptly so they do not stick to it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do to make my garlic parmesan zucchini more crispy?

1) Make sure zucchini is pat dry before seasoning and baking
2) Make sure they are top with parmesan on top (scoop up those parmesan and garlic piece and lay it on top of the zucchini before baking) – parmesan will crisp up and turn brown after baking
3) Make sure you do not overlap the zucchini sticks when baking
4) At the end, broil it for a few additional minutes if you like the top more golden brown. Be careful and watch the oven when you broil the zucchini because they will burn quick!

How do I reheat Roasted Zucchini Spears?

Reheat in the toaster oven or oven so that zucchini will become crispy. If microwaving zucchini, it will be soft and soggy (not crispy).

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍

More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

ZUcchini sticks on a plate, baked with golden brown top

Roasted Zucchini

A simple and yummy way to oven roast zucchini! Baked zucchini is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and coated with garlic parmesan seasoning.
4.98 from 49 votes
Print Pin
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 82kcal
Author: MinShien

Ingredients

  • 4 zucchinis medium
  • 3 tbsp olive oil plus more for greasing baking rack
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
  • Wash and scrub zucchinis. Slice off the top and bottom of a zucchini. Slice zucchini into half lengthwise, then slice each half into quarters lengthwise. Repeat for the other zucchinis.
  • Place zucchini spears on a paper towel, then use another piece of paper towel to dab zucchinis to remove access moisture. Place and spread out zucchinis In a large rectangular dish (one where you can easily toss them in seasonings later).
  • In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, salt and black pepper.
  • Pour seasonings onto zucchini, then use your hands to toss them so they are coated evenly in seasonings.
  • Place a parchment paper on a baking sheet, followed by a baking rack. Grease baking rack with cooking spray (or brush with oil). Place zucchini spears on baking rack. Line them next to each other but avoid overlapping on top of each other. Use a spoon to scoop up garlic parmesan leftovers on the baking rack and top them carefully on the zucchini spears.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are brown. Optional: broil for a minute or two if you'd like the tops even more golden brown.
  • Remove zucchini from baking rack so they do not stick to it. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Important notes for roasting zucchinis:
  • Pat dry zucchini before seasoning them! Zucchini produces a lot of moisture and we want to remove as much access moisture as possible.
  • Bake zucchini on baking sheet topped with baking rack, with parchment paper in between to catch the drippings. This will prevent zucchini from becoming soggy and gives it a nice crispy texture.
  • Make sure to spray baking rack with cooking spray if not Roasted Zucchini will get stuck on the rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 229IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Did you make this recipe?Take a pic and tag me at @joyous.apron, or hashtag #joyousapron on Instagram!

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Recipe Rating




24 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    MinShien, I am so enamored with your wonderful recipes, especially this group of vegetable recipes. I’m glad to be able to find them on Pinterest. I had to downsize so I lost a lot of recipes and cookbooks, among others. Now I can keep them close at hand in my Pinterest account, and won’t ever lose all your really simple great recipes again. I am a happy camper!!!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks so much for your kind words, Elvera! I’m so glad you were able to find them and try them! Let me know when you make another recipe – would love to hear your thoughts on how it went!

  2. Michaela Kenkel says:

    5 stars
    We have SO MUCH ZUCCHINI this year! I have been looking for new recipes and happened upon this one. It was PERFECTION! Thank you!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks Michaela! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  3. 5 stars
    This is my new favorite zucchini recipe! It’s so easy to make and super delicious, even my husband who isn’t really a summer squash fan loves it. It’s my weekly go-to. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thank you so much Joy! It’s great to hear that! 🙂

  4. Katharine says:

    5 stars
    Delicious, flavorful and super easy! I’ll get my kids eating zucchini yet!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thank you, Katharine!

  5. 5 stars
    Oh I love roasted zucchini sticks, but sometimes they’re softer that I want. Thank you so much for the tips on getting them crispy!! I have a zucchini in the refrigerator I need to use, so the timing for this recipe is perfect.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      I hope you love it!!!

  6. M.F. Stewart says:

    5 stars
    This is simply a fantastic way to use up all of the zucchini I have in my garden. I’ve made lots of muffins and breads. Last night I used this method to roast the zucchini and everyone loved the vegetable side. I’ll be making the zucchini this way tomorrow night.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      That’s wonderful! So glad everyone enjoyed this recipe!

  7. 5 stars
    This zucchini recipe made a bland veggie taste so delicious. We all need lots of zucchini recipes this time of year. An easy side dish for bbq parties. We love it.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Happy to hear that, Gloria!

  8. 5 stars
    This roasted zucchini was so easy to make! This is a great, healthy side dish recipe.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Thanks Ali! So glad you enjoyed it!

  9. 5 stars
    YUM! the garlic parm topping is so good, and love how crispy it gets in the oven. I don’t cut my zucchini like this often (or at all) but I’m definitely going to do it more now because it’s so quick and I LOVE the texture of it! thanks

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      So glad to hear that Rebecca! Thanks for sharing and I’m so glad you like the flavors and textures in this!

  10. 5 stars
    I love how you upped the roasted zucchini game by adding all that marvelous garlic and parmesan. It tasted SO GOOD even the kids were having seconds.

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Yay! Always a win when that happens right?! Thanks for sharing!

  11. 5 stars
    This was such an easy and delicious side dish! We used it as a healthy side for burgers (instead of fries) and it worked really well!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

  12. 5 stars
    I love zucchini and I am always looking for new ways to prepare it. This one is a winner! Easy and delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!

    1. Joyous Apron says:

      Glad to hear that this worked out so well for you!