My crispy keto zucchini fries are the ultimate side dish, snack or appetizer - a crunchy coating on the outside and soft zucchini on the inside. Thanks to my ingenious (and tasty) low carb breadcrumb mix these fries NEVER turn out soggy! Naturally gluten free and only 4.9g net carbs.
I've tried many zucchini fry recipes and most of them come out disappointingly limp. This is because zucchini contains a lot of water, which soaks into the bread crumbs.
That's why I took matters into my own hands and created this recipe for keto courgette fries. I tested the recipe several times until it was perfect: The zucchini inside becomes tender, while the coating stays deliciously crunchy.
The secret? Ground flaxseed!
Flax is brilliant at soaking up liquid and turns amazingly crisp when baked.
Combined with almond flour, parmesan and spices, it makes a tasty "bread crumb" mix that's high in fiber at the same time.
I serve the fries with a simple lemon aioli. Alternatively, plain keto mayonnaise or my easy 4 ingredient guacamole work well, too.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Crunchy - The zucchini fries are coated in the crunchiest keto bread crumbs.
Easy and quick - Bake them in one go in the oven. No need to turn or burn them in a pan!
Keto - Zucchini is naturally keto, but regular bread crumbs aren't. Thanks to my keto bread crumbs, a serving of 10 fries is only 4.9g net carbs.
Family-Friendly - My whole family loves this recipe, including the carb eaters. These fries taste just as good as regular zucchini fries. They just happen to be low carb and gluten free as well.
Versatile - Serve as a side dish, snack or appetizer.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you'll need:
Zucchini - Must be super fresh and firm. If they feel soft and limp - don't use them. Also, look for small to medium zucchini as they have a better texture. Large zucchini tend to be more watery.
For the Bread Crumbs we mix together:
- Almond flour - Super-fine almond flour or regular ground blanched almonds
- Ground Flaxseed - I prefer golden flax because it has a milder flavor than brown flax
- Parmesan - finely grated. This adds flavor and helps hold together the crumbs
- Seasonings - We need salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning
Eggs - We need 2 whisked eggs to "stick" the bread crumbs to the fries.
Olive Oil - I spray the fries with olive oil before I bake them in the oven.
Instructions
It is easy to make crispy keto zucchini fries. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for ingredient amounts, the detailed method and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Remove the ends from the zucchinis and slice into 1.5 - 2cm thick fries.
Then cut to the desired length.
If the zucchini sticks are feeling wet after slicing, pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
STEP 2
Whisk the eggs with a fork and place them in a shallow bowl.
In a second shallow bowl, mix the almond flour, ground flax, garlic powder, parmesan, seasoning and optional Italian herbs.
STEP 3
Dip each zucchini fry in egg.
Shake off the excess egg and only then dip into the 'breadcrumb' mix.
Do this in small batches of 3 - 4 fries at a time to prevent too much clumping.
STEP 4
Place the fries on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and repeat until all the fries are used up.
Depending on the size of your oven, you'll need 2-3 trays.
STEP 5
Drizzle with olive oil or generously spray. Bake for about 25 minutes until crisp, turning after 20 minutes.
Remove the keto zucchini fries from the oven and allow to cool slightly to crisp up. Then, serve with lemon aioli or your favourite dip.
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Shallow Bowls. Using shallow, open rimmed bowls for the eggs and crumb mix allows you to dip multiple zucchini at the same time.
#2 Divide the Bread Crumbs. To minimise wet clumps, separate the "breadcrumb mix" into 2 bowls. This way you'll have a fresh, dry and non-eggy coating mix half way through!
#3 Give them space. Don't place the zucchini closer than shown in the image above. Leave 1 inch of space between each. They need the air circulation to crisp up from all sides.
#4 Pro Tip: Make a larger portion of Keto Breadcrumbs and store it for future recipes!
Variations
Change the Flavor: Instead of Italian seasoning (a mix of marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano and basil), try
- cajun seasoning
- homemade keto taco seasoning
- za'atar
- or spice them up with a pinch of paprika or cayenne pepper.
Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free parmesan or nutritional yeast.
Swap in cauliflower: Instead of zucchini fries, make my keto cauliflower popcorn!
Cooking Methods
Can you make this recipe in the air fryer?
Yes! Preheat the air fryer to 200 C / 400 F. Arrange the zucchini in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Leave space around each fry.
Cook for around 10 minutes or until crispy. Depending on the size of the air fryer, you may need to do this in several batches.
Can I fry keto zucchini chips in a frying pan or skillet?
Yes, this also works well. Use a deep frying pan and fry in batches so the zucchini do not clump together. Remove with a slotted spoon and put the fries on kitchen paper to soak up the excess oil.
Check my keto onion rings recipe for a visual guide of this method. I make these in a frying pan and shot a video that tells you all the tips and tricks.
I don't own a deep fryer, but I think this would also work.
Serve With
As mentioned above, keto zucchini chips can be a snack, an appetizer or a side dish.
SAUCES: I like them with my homemade aioli, which is included in this recipe. You can also serve them with sugar free ketchup, mayo or even this delicious sugar free sweet chilli sauce.
They go well with any protein:
- Steak
- Lamp chops
- Pork chops
- Chicken (try this Keto Lemon Chicken)
- Keto Salmon
Storage
I recommend to eat these fries straight away. But if you have any leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for 1-2 days.
It's best to layer them between sheets of kitchen paper because they will release some liquid over time.
When you're ready to eat them, crisp them up in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes (200C / 400F).
Can you freeze baked zucchini fries?
Sure you can! So they don't clump together, freeze them lined up on parchment paper.
Once frozen, you can transfer the fries into a freezer bag.
Don't defrost them - bake straight from frozen for around 10-12 minutes until they have crisped up again.
Related Recipes
- Italian Zucchini Soup30 Minutes
- Keto Zucchini Muffins35 Minutes
- Air Fryer Turnip Fries
- Crispy Air Fryer Radishes19 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Crispy Baked Keto Zucchini Fries
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini / courgettes 650g / 23 oz
Keto Bread Crumbs
- ½ cup almond flour or ground almonds / 50g
- ½ cup ground flaxseed 55g
- 1 cup grated parmesan freshly grated is best, 90g
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional, but recommended
To Coat
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to spray or drizzle
Lemon Aioli Dip
- ⅓ cup keto mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper or to taste
- Optional 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C electric or 400F / 200C fan.
- Remove the ends from the zucchinis and slice into 1.5 - 2cm thick fries. They can be up to 10 cm long.
- Line 2-3 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Whisk the eggs with a fork and place in one shallow bowl. In the second bowl, mix the almond flour, ground flax, garlic powder, parmesan, seasoning and optional Italian herbs.
- Dip each zucchini fry in the whisked egg. Shake off the excess, then dip into the 'bread crumb' mix. Do this in small batches of 3 - 4 fries at a time to prevent too much clumping.
- Place on the baking tray, leaving space around each fry and repeat until all the fries are used up. Drizzle with olive oil or generously spray. Bake for about 25 minutes until crisp, turning after 20 minutes.
- Remove the keto zucchini fries from the oven and allow to cool slightly to crisp up. Serve with lemon aioli or your favourite dip.
Lemon Aioli
- Whisk all the ingredients together until combined. The aioli can be stored in a sealable glass jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Letty B
These were delicious. I substituted ground pork rinds for the almond flour and cooked them in the air fryer for 10 minutes @400°. Loved the lemon aioli.
Calendula Keeler
Wonderful!!
Caroline Cross
wonderful side dish. thank you!
Rose
These are delish! ✨
Janet
These sound and look lovely, but can I make them dairy free by leaving out the parmesan?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, you could use nutritional yeast instead of the parmesan.
Monika MAJSNERSKA
Hi, Can I put them on chips baking tray(plenty of little holes)? Without paper? Hot air could circulate better?
Katrin Nürnberger
I think that is a great idea! Yes! This will make them even crispier, like in an air fryer.
Jo
These were fantastic! I have just one tip; I often make these to go alongside keto beef burgers. I hate wasting anything in the kitchen, so if I have a bit of leftover egg and some of the cheese/almond/flax mixture, I mix it into my burgers before cooking. Adds a bit of seasoning and flavour and binding!
Eve
Brilliant!!!
Marlene Fried
I love your recipes and not one have I disliked. I sometimes worry about the fat in the receipts as I was on cholesterol pills before I lost weight. Should the amount of fat in a recipe be a reason for not using it? I have printed a lot and will keep trying them! Thx
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Marlene, I cannot give you medical advice because I am not a doctor. If you have a specific health concern, you should always get professional advice. The idea of eating low carb is that you're getting your energy from fat rather than carbohydrates. But of course, you can't eat unlimited amounts of fat - you should only as much as your body actually needs. Low carb food tends to be nutrient dense, therefore portion sizes are smaller. I concentrate on eating plenty of vegetables and other fibre rich foods such as flax and other seeds, plus eggs, fish and meat, plus the occasional (not daily) dessert. 🙂
Sarah
Has anyone tried making in an air fryer? I have used it for sweet potato fries and it is great.
Katrin Nürnberger
You can definitely make this in the air fryer. The baking time reduces a little.
Toni
There is a difference between healthy & unhealthy fats. Fats in avocados, coconut oil, nuts, and olives are healthy fats. Avoid canola, soy, & peanut oils as well as Crisco shortening like the plague! There are some interesting books by doctors entitled "The Great Cholesterol Myth" and "The Great Cholesterol Con," which are very enlightening. And stay off the drugs that lower cholesterol. Your brain & hormones need it!!
jo
My new fav low carb fry. So tasty!
Barbara Alessandra
Very delicious, makes up for not eating French Fries.
Gail
These were fabulous. Prepared them for my diabetic husband who misses french fries. He devoured them! I used finely grated parmasean cheese which didn't give the nice "branches" in the crusty exterior as Katrin's. Instantly a food favorite. Going to try the same coating on carrots and parsnips.