Cheesy Baked Zucchini Fries recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my zucchini fries soggy? ›

Mushy veggies are also often the result of overcooking. When the interior is loaded with moisture, you have to cook it for much longer to evaporate all of the water and avoid the interior having the unappealing, spongy, raw texture that eggplant and zucchini are notorious for.

Yes, you should always salt your zucchini before frying — especially if you're aiming to achieve a crispy texture. Salting your zucchini helps remove the excess moisture stuck in the zucchini that would otherwise make frying a challenge.

These Zucchini Fries are a great way to use up those extra vegetables. Plus, they're delicious, easy to make and a much healthier alternative to those greasy french fries.

Don't overcrowd the pan, which can cause the zucchini to steam instead of roast. Unless you have time to salt and drain the zucchini, wait to salt it until after they're cooked so the salt doesn't draw out the moisture in the oven—this can lead to sogginess.

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.

You only need a little salt — half a teaspoon of kosher salt for one medium zucchini, say — to start pulling the water out. Use more, and the zucchini will simply taste like zucchini-flavored salt. If you try to rinse out the extra salt, you risk adding back in the water you just tried to get rid of.

Chill the breaded zucchini: It helps the breading stay stuck, which means they won't fall off in the fryer and they'll be crunchier. Refrigerate the breaded zucchini for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours—it's just enough time to help the breading stick.

Raw zucchini can also cause gas and bloating, especially if you overdo it. Zucchini is rich in fiber that your gut doesn't digest. When your body doesn't fully break the fiber down, gas can build up and cause bloating and make you pass wind. Eating raw vegetables can cause gas if you have irritable bowel syndrome.

Parsnip and Turnip Fries: These are probably the two most popular potato fry alternatives. Parsnips look like white carrots and are full of fiber with a tinge of sweetness. A turnip is round and has a texture almost identical to a potato. We Prep + Rally these every so often in our menus!

Zucchini is 94 percent water, which is why it gets mushy when cooked for too long. The first step in this recipe involves salting the flesh of the zucchini and allowing it to stand for 15 minutes. The salt draws the moisture from the flesh which helps ensure that the vegetable stays firm during roasting.

Does salt draw water out of zucchini? ›

By sprinkling the cut vegetable with salt and letting it stand in a colander over the sink, water will drip out, leaving behind a firmer vegetable. The zucchini can then be more easily sauteed or roasted to bring out its natural sugars and, hence, flavor.

When exposed to environmental stress, poor soil pH, or poor soil nutrition, zucchinis trigger the production of cucurbitacin, a natural phytonutrient that helps the plant overcome stress but consequently results in the unwanted bitter taste.

Blossom End Rot

It's occurs due to the plants inability to get calcium. This can be caused by a few things: Watering inconsistency (the most likely cause especially if you've had a lot of rain) Soil PH is either too high or too low (do a PH test to check)

A quick dip in a countertop deep fryer will breathe new life into soggy fries. If you don't have one, roasting them in a hot oven will also do the trick. You can also throw the fries into a hot skillet on the stove top. Additionally, an air fryer will crisp up a smaller batch of fries in just a few minutes.

Mold - Maybe the most obvious sign that fresh produce has gone bad. If you see mold on your zucchini, it's time to toss it out. Soft spots - When inspecting whole zucchini, if you find any soft spots that easily indent or feel squishy, this is a sign that it has begun to rot inside.