Baked Balsamic Parmesan Zucchini

This baked parmesan zucchini recipe is a delicious side dish or snack! Melty cheese, garlic, and a touch of balsamic vinegar make these zucchini rounds irresistible.

Have plenty of summer zucchini to use up still? You’re in luck. This recipe couldn’t be much simpler.

The balsamic vinegar sweetens up as you bake these garlic parmesan zucchini chips, so they’re not sour. A little tangy, but the flavors go so well together. It’s just a quick coating of vinegar anyway, just enough to give these delicious morsels an extra little pop of flavor.

I kept sneaking these and nearly ruined my steak dinner that night. Such is the life of a food blogger.

If you were wondering, these baked parmesan zucchini chips aren’t crispy. At 1/4″ thick and with only about 15 minutes baking time, they don’t have a chance to crisp up. I was considering using a mandoline to slice them even thinner and experimenting with making them more literally into chips or crisps, but I really liked the way they turned out.

I snacked on them, but they would definitely work well as a side dish to any kind of meat or fish.

Tips on how to make baked parmesan zucchini rounds:

• Use freshly grated parmesan cheese.
• The cheese won’t stick very well to the zucchini, so don’t bother trying to coat both sides. I simply coated the top of each piece one by one (you can use your hands or a small spoon), and it didn’t take long at all.
• Watch the oven closely as the cooking time increases. Burning the cheese would be a shame!
• Slice the zucchini as evenly as possible so the slices cook at the same rate.

I hope you’ll give this baked zucchini recipe a try!

Questions? Talk to me in the comments below.

5 from 3 votes

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Baked Balsamic Parmesan Zucchini

This baked parmesan zucchini recipe is a delicious side dish or snack! Melty cheese, garlic, and a touch of balsamic vinegar make these zucchini rounds irresistible.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword baked parmesan zucchini, parmesan zucchini chips, zucchini rounds

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini sliced into 1/4" rounds
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Move the rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat non-stick mat.

2. Cut your zucchini into rounds. Toss them with the balsamic vinegar in a medium bowl.

3. Let the zucchini sit in the vinegar bowl while you grate the cheese into another bowl. Add the garlic powder and salt & pepper to the cheese bowl and toss. 

4. The parmesan won't stick to the zucchini very well, so I simply took each piece of zucchini one by one and basically scooped it in the cheese then carefully arranged it on the baking sheet. You could also use a small spoon to do this step.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Watch carefully so they don't burn, especially towards the end. Cook time will vary depending on how thick the zucchini pieces are and how hot your oven is. 

Recipe Notes

• These zucchini rounds aren't supposed to be crispy. They have a nice, firm (but soft when you bite into them) texture; perfect for a vegetable side dish.