Crispy {Baked} Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini

By Amanda Paa – Updated February 7, 2021

I’m so glad zucchini is getting its day in the spotlight thanks to the spiralizing trend. People who swore off this vegetable for years are now putting “zoodles” on their plate, a win for health and variety. I love them too, but truth be told, I fell in love with this humble vegetable quite some time ago. Dedicating half of the recipes in my cookbook, to zucchini and other varieties of slender summer squash, its versatility and blank canvas quality lends itself to many delicious dishes.

The beauty of such a chameleon is that new ideas for it never tire. And despite creating nearly 4o recipes for the book, these crispy, dip-happy Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini wedges are new to the show.

Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini Fries {baked, not fried}You’ve probably heard the term “root to stem” cooking, a way of eating the entire vegetable before throwing it away. These gorgeous rainbow chard stems into pickles or using carrot tops to make pesto are some of my favorite examples.

And then there’s “bottom of the bag” cooking, or at least that’s what I’m calling it. Definition: finding ways to capitalize on the crunchy, salty potential of tortilla chips.

When I got my hands on some of Jackson’s Honest new, coconut oil fried organic tortilla chips (YAY!), throwing any speck of them away was not an option. They’re the first of their kind, and I have to say, they taste different in the best of ways, almost buttery and super crisp. In talking with my partners there, these chips were a labor of love and development. Just 3 ingredients – organic non-GMO yellow Corn, organic non-GMO coconut oil, and sea salt.

Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini Fries {gluten-free}

In essence, you’re looking at real food from the garden meeting real food from the field. There was some crushing, dipping, rolling, and baking. An easy process, and quite fun to photograph, and definitely delicious.

Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini Fries {gluten-free}When I made the breading with just tortilla chips, it wouldn’t quite stick. The addition of almond flour/meal was just the solution, helping the crushed corn stick to the egg wash.

And because nuts naturally turn brown as they roast, they give the zucchini even more of a golden brown finish.

Tortilla Crusted Zucchini Fries 8Crispy {Baked} Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini {gluten-free}

I hesitate calling them fries, but they have the sturdiness to dunk….. right into some Green Goddess Cashew Sauce.

It’s nearly good enough to drink, and it’s delicious on zucchini noodles too!

Crispy {Baked} Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini {gluten-free} with Garlic Cashew Sauce {vegan}
Crispy {Baked} Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini {gluten-free} with Garlic Cashew Sauce {vegan}Such a tasty way to feast on a summertime veggie, especially if you’re in that “what else can I do with zucchini” stage. These wedges are naturally gluten-free, and the dipping sauce is vegan. They’re crisp on the outside, with a soft pillowy bite. They’d make the perfect side dish to this Sticky Apricot Basil Chicken, that is if they aren’t all eaten hot off the pan.

Hope you’re taking time this weekend to soak up summer, and enjoy the bounty of your garden and the farmer’s market. I’m off to Chicago early next week, but I’ll be back just in time for the start of the Minnesota State Fair. Ferris wheel and pork chop on a stick, I’m coming for ya. xo

Crispy {Baked} Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini with Green Goddess Cashew Sauce

Serves 3-4

1 pound zucchini (about 3 medium sized), long and slender in shape
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 cup finely crushed Jackson’s Honest organic tortilla chips (Even though my chips were quite crushed at the bottom of the bag already, I gave them a spin in the food processor to get them very fine. This is important because they will stick better to the zucchini this way – too large and they fall off. If you don’t have a food processor, put your chips into a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to finely crush them.)
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (depending on how garlicky you like things)
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half horizontally. This will give you 4 pieces. Now cut each of the 4 pieces in half vertically to make spears, so that they look like pickle spears. (If your zucchini is larger, thus making your spears quite wide, you can cut them in half vertically once more at this point so that they are thinner.)

Toss the spears with 1/4 teaspoon salt and let sit in a colander while the oven preheats (about 15-20 minutes). Mix the tortilla chips, almond flour, garlic powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoons salt in a shallow pan or bowl. Set aside.

Pat the zucchini dry, then dip in egg yolk to completely dunk, then remove with a fork and let excess drip off. Roll in the chip mixture, and press lightly with your hands around the zucchini to help it stick.

Lay each zucchini on baking sheet, without touching. Then bake for 18 minutes, until zucchini is beginning to brown. Turn oven to broil, and let broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the crust a little bit more. Remove from oven and serve hot.

Green Goddess Cashew Sauce (adapted from My New Roots)
½ cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
Scant ½ cup water (plus additional water for soaking)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chives
½ teaspoon sea salt

Cover cashews with water and soak for at least 4 hours. Drain and rinse well. Add cashews to a food processor or blender. Add other ingredients and ¼ cup of water. Blend on high and add the remaining water in increments until the desired consistency is reached – not too thick, not too runny. Season to taste. Will last for 4 days in refrigerator.

Tortilla Chip Crusted Zucchini Fries with Green Goddess Cashew Dip

Many thanks to Jackson’s Honest for sponsoring this post, a company I regularly use in my kitchen and am so happy to partner with. And thank you for understanding that I carefully choose the brands I work with that help make this site possible. All opinions are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links, which I make a small amount of money from should you purchase something.

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August 20, 2015

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27 comments

  1. Nina

    I just love this kind of dish, it looks like the perfect dipping dish, and that sauce. Your photography brings it to justice too, beautiful!

    • Amanda Paa

      Yes, such a nice snack! Or addicting appetizer :) And thank you for the kind words about my photography, Nina. xo

  2. Sophie | The Green Life

    Ooh these look amazing!! And with that green goddess cashew sauce! Sounds like a match made in heaven. <3

  3. Christine

    I love this idea and these photos are all gorgeous! I can see why you had fun taking them, these are very photogenic ;) I also love the dishes you’ve used here, so pretty! <3

  4. Alison @Food by Mars

    Oh dear, these look so wonderful!! Ahh! Everything is perfect and those shots… spot on <3

  5. Joe

    I was hoping to find a recipe for cucuzza on your blog ;-), but this sounds amazing. I will try it soon!

  6. Julia | Orchard Street Kitchen

    Oh my goodness, these look absolutely wonderful! I’ve recently become a huge fan of zucchini, and am so glad I’ve finally discovered how tasty it can be. You’re right that it’s such a versatile little vegetable. Those tortilla chips look amazing, too. And that green goddess cashew sauce? Love! Thanks for the squash inspiration, Amanda!

    • Amanda Paa

      yes for all things squash! glad you’re diggin’ it too julia, thanks for stopping by :) xo

  7. kristie {birch and wild}

    Amanda, I am going to make this a.s.a.p.! I love zucchini and this sauce looks so tasty. Brilliant idea.

    • Amanda Paa

      plant power! and i’m sure you’ve got plenty of zucchini growing in your amazing garden. :)

  8. Faith (An Edible Mosaic)

    I’m the same way – zucchini lover for life! I just bought the spiralizer you recommended and can’t wait to try it (thanks for the rec, love!). And these look incredible. I love that crunchy coating – it’s the perfect use for the crushed chips at the bottom of the bag, which I never quite know what to do with. I will look for these chips, your description of them sounds amazing!

  9. Sherrie

    I like to do this with green beans!!! So yummy, and I LOVE this photos. Also, I love that ceramic plate, I want one!! xx

  10. Rebecca | DisplacedHousewife

    Yum Amanda — these look so tasty…and that dipping sauce sounds heavenly!! xx

  11. Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry

    I could eat and have a whole bag of Jacksons Honest Sweet Potato Chips. I’m excited to try their new tortilla chips which I’m sure taste amazing encrusted on zucchini.

    • Amanda Paa

      the sweet potato chips are so amazing aren’t they? and their tortilla chips are just as good. i think the fact that they’re fried in coconut oil makes them sturdier than most. delicious.

  12. Jenn @ Peas and Crayons

    These are beyond brilliant!!!

  13. Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits

    I can’t tell you how much zoodles I’ve had in the last month! I love that these fries have a lovely tortilla chip crust! Need to try that soon!

  14. Thalia @ butter and brioche

    I am loving the idea of a crisp, crunchy and golden tortilla coating! This zucchini looks amazing and I *nearly* don’t believe that its baked… YUM.

    • Amanda Paa

      wish i could share a plate of them with you Thalia! bake = almost too good to be true, right?

  15. Julie | Small Green Kitchen

    We eat zucchini and summer squash on a weekly basis, usually multiple times. We love it grilled, sautéed, spiralized and made into zucchini boats! These zucchini fries are a must try for us. I love the tortilla chip crust and the dip sounds great, too! :)

  16. Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles

    Beautiful! These look so tasty. You’d be happy to know that I’ve been eating zucchini and yellow squash almost daily the past few weeks. :)

    • Amanda Paa

      I am very happy about that :) #squashlove forever!

  17. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

    YES! I love everything about this, especially that green goddess dipping sauce!

  18. Sarah | Well and Full

    These zucchini fries look amazing!! Especially with that cashew green goddess sauce. While I’ll always be a stickler for my classic potato fries + homemade ketchup, I might make an exception here ;)

  19. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan

    That cashew sauce is calling my name! I need to get my fill of zucchini in before the season ends, I’ve grown to love it over the years :) Enjoy Chicago dear, hop on up to Milwaukee sometime so we can meet!

    • Amanda Paa

      Yes, time to embrace all the zucchini before the winter squash hits! I totally need to get to Milwaukee….. soon. xo

  20. Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk)

    Um, yes! That stack of crunchy zucchini fries is the stuff dreams are made of. I love the idea of a green goddess cashew cream, too!