Description
Deliciously crispy baked zucchini sticks served with a creamy and flavorful sweet onion dip, perfect as a healthy appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Onion Dip
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium sweet onion (about 1/2 pound), peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons (28g) cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (43g) honey
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 cup (227g) mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
Zucchini Sticks
- 3 medium zucchini (567g to 680g), unpeeled, cut into 3″-long sticks
- 1 tablespoon table salt
- 1 cup (50g) coarse, dry bread crumbs (e.g., panko)
- Scant 1/2 cup (50g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon King Arthur Pizza Seasoning or dried Italian herbs
- Olive oil spray
- 1/2 cup (113g) egg substitute, or 2 large eggs, or 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Caramelize Onions: Melt butter in a medium frying pan over moderate heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally until they soften and caramelize, about 10 to 15 minutes. Use lower heat to avoid burning.
- Add Vinegar: Once onions are medium brown, remove from heat and stir in the cider vinegar.
- Blend Dip: Transfer onion mixture to a food processor. Add honey and mustard, process until smooth.
- Mix Dip: Stir in mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prepare Zucchini: Place zucchini sticks in a colander over a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let drain for 1 hour or longer. Rinse and pat dry thoroughly.
- Make Crumb Mixture: Combine panko, Parmesan cheese, and pizza seasoning in a shallow bowl, set aside.
- Preheat Oven: Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil.
- Coat Zucchini: Dip zucchini sticks in beaten eggs or substitute, then roll in the crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake Zucchini: Bake for 12 minutes, flip sticks over, then bake an additional 8 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve: Serve zucchini sticks immediately with the chilled sweet onion dip.
Notes
- For best crispiness, make sure to dry the zucchini sticks thoroughly after salting and rinsing.
- You can use regular eggs, egg whites, or egg substitute based on preference or dietary needs.
- Adjust seasoning in the dip according to your taste.
- The dip can be prepared a day ahead to enhance the flavors.
- Use panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
- Serve immediately after baking to retain crisp texture.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: baked zucchini sticks, crispy zucchini, sweet onion dip, healthy appetizer, vegetarian snack, baked vegetable sticks, homemade dip
