Roasted Parmesan Zucchini

This roasted Parmesan zucchini is a quick and easy side dish. Fresh zucchini is coated in olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and then roasted until tender and the cheese is golden. Roasted zucchini is a dish that goes with so many main dishes and is a delicious way to eat more veggies.

It might not win first place in the beautiful side dish pageant, but what this roasted Parmesan zucchini lacks in looks it makes up for in flavor. And that’s what really matters, right? Beauty is so overrated.

And it’s an excellent way to use up the bounty of zucchini you may find yourself with this summer. Whether it’s friendly neighbors offloading their garden-fresh zucchini on your doorstep or your own inability to restrain yourself at the farmers’ market, somehow it seems we all end up with more than we know what do with. So, here is your solution: you can roast it.

It’s simple with just a few ingredients and easy to make in just a few steps. It’s so delicious you might just eat the whole pan yourself. I speak from experience and that experience was a great one.

Ingredients

• Zucchini
• Olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Black pepper

I think grated parm works best because it’s easier to coat the zucchini with it. If you use shredded it tends to fall off and you end up with most of it on the sheet pan when it’s all said and done.

For the zucchini, I like to cut it into sticks:

• First, slice it in half and then slice each half lengthwise in half so you have four parts.
• Slice each part into thirds or fourths so you have a bunch of sticks when you’re done.

How to Roast Zucchini

Put all of your zucchini sticks in a large bowl, drizzle the olive oil over the top and then sprinkle the grated parm and pepper over the top. Gently toss the zucchini until the sticks are evenly coated in the olive oil and cheese.

Place the sticks on a baking sheet in an even layer. Make sure they have space in between so they aren’t crowded. If they are packed in together they will end up steaming and end up really mushy.

Check the bowl you tossed them in. See the extra cheese at the bottom? Go ahead and sprinkle it over the sticks on the pan.

Roast the zucchini at 400°F for 15 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and carefully flip the sticks over. Roast them for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until they are tender and the cheese is golden brown.

You may have crispy Parmesan clusters on the pan and, if you do, life is about to be amazing. Just place the roasted zucchini on your plate and sprinkle the crunchies over the top as a garnish.

This roasted Parmesan zucchini recipe serves four as a side dish or one as a main dish if you’re like me and just eat it all straight from the pan (← not kidding).

Happy roasting!

More Easy Side Dishes

• Roasted Radishes
• Honey-Lemon Glazed Carrots
• 5-Minute Cilantro-Lime Rice

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