Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries with Wasabi Mayo

Prep 20 min·Cook 25 min·Total 45 min·4 servings (about 24 fries)·VEGETARIAN·315 kcal

Ingredients

For the zucchini fries

2 zucchini (medium)
100 gr (3.5 oz.) panko breadcrumbs
50 gr (1.8 oz.) grated parmesan
2 eggs
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper (to taste)
oil for brushing or spraying (optional)

For the wasabi mayonnaise

2 to 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 to 1 tsp wasabi paste
1 tsp lime juice
salt (to taste)

Equipment: Baking tray, Baking paper, 2 shallow bowls, Sharp knife, Grater, Small bowl for the dip

Instructions

Get everything ready

1.Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F) top and bottom heat and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2.Wash the zucchini and cut them into long fry-shaped batons. If you like, salt them lightly, let them drain in a colander for 20 minutes and pat them thoroughly dry afterwards.
3.Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl and season them with salt, pepper and paprika powder.
4.In a second shallow bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the grated parmesan, the garlic powder and the oregano.

Bread and bake

1.Pull each zucchini baton through the seasoned egg first, then turn it in the panko parmesan mixture until it is coated all over.
2.Spread the breaded zucchini fries out on the prepared baking tray with a little space between them.
3.If you like, brush or spray the fries thinly with oil, which makes them even crispier.
4.Slide the tray into the preheated oven and bake the zucchini fries for about 25 minutes, until they are golden and crisp.
5.Turn them once halfway through the baking time so they brown evenly on both sides.

Wasabi mayonnaise and serving

1.While the fries are in the oven, stir the mayonnaise, sour cream, wasabi paste, lime juice and salt smooth in a small bowl.
2.Taste the dip and add a little more wasabi or salt if needed.
3.Take the finished zucchini fries out of the oven, arrange them on a serving platter and enjoy them piping hot with the wasabi mayonnaise.

Notes

Tip from my kitchen: coarse panko is irreplaceable here, fine breadcrumbs only settle around the vegetable as a thin layer and never turn properly shattery. If you have time, salt the cut batons lightly, let them sit in a colander for 20 minutes and pat them thoroughly dry, which is the single biggest crunch lever there is. With the wasabi paste, start with half a teaspoon and taste again after a few minutes, because the heat keeps developing; wasabi powder stirred smooth with a little water works just as well. For children I always stir up a second small bowl with no wasabi at all. In an air fryer the fries come out beautifully at 200°C (392°F) in 15 to 20 minutes, with every other step unchanged. As a side or an appetizer the tray feeds 4, and as a light main with a salad it fills up 2.

Nutrition per serving: 315 kcal · 12 g protein