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Baked Parmesan Zucchini Spears

Put all of that summer squash to good use by making these oven Baked Parmesan Zucchini Spears! Tender zucchini spears coated in herbed oil and topped with cheese, this easy, healthy side dish is ready in just 20 minutes!

Next, try our Savory Cheddar Zucchini Muffins!

a plate of baked zucchini fries with cheese.

Anyone else in FULL summer mode with more zucchinis than you know what to do with? SAME. And I LOVE it. Especially since it means that we’re making all the zucchini dishes. Including our latest zucchini recipe, these oven Baked Zucchini Parmesan Spears!

We love this recipe because not only is it a great way to use those garden-fresh zucchinis in a flavorful, healthy way, but it’s ready in just 20 minutes!

Ingredients Needed

zucchini, herbs, salt, parmesan cheese, oil, pepper on counter.
  • Zucchinis – Garden fresh are best for this oven baked zucchini! You can use whatever size you pull out of your garden, see my notes below on how to prepare based on size.
  • Parmesan Cheese – Is there anything better than zucchini and Parmesan together? You could also use another hard cheese like asiago or romano.
  • Olive Oil – Extra Virgin is best for this!
  • Herbs – Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Paprika
  • Salt and Pepper

What size Zucchini to use?

two zucchinis side by side, one regular and one large.

While it’s generally best to harvest your garden-fresh zucchinis when they’re about 6 – 8 inches long if you’re like me, sometimes you don’t get to them until they’re way past that point, and for this parmesan zucchini recipe, that’s totally ok!

one sliced zucchini in spears and one extra large zucchini half in spears.

6 – 8 Inches Long: For this sized zucchini, you can get about 12 spears, that are 3 1/2 – 4 inches, after you cut the top and end off, then cut it into quarters, and slice those quarters into 3 spears.

9 + Inches Long: For the big guys, you’ll just want to cut your zucchini into thirds (or even quarters if they’re real big), then half and them, and cut those into 4-5 spears. These spears will still be pretty big, mostly in height from the seeds, so then you can slice off some of the seeds.

Keep those skins on! You don’t want to peel the zucchini for these – those skins will help keep the spear’s shape when they bake.

Easy to Make

zucchini spears on a baking sheet next to bowl of herbs, cheese, and oil.

Step 1: Add your sliced spears to an aluminum-lined tray in a single layer.

Step 2: Mix your spices.

a bowl of oil and herbs next to zucchini spears.

Step 3: Add oil to your spices and mix.

a brush putting oil and herbs on zucchini spears.

Step 4: Brush the zucchini spears with oil and spice mixture.

TIP: While you could drizzle the oil on the spears and then sprinkle with spices, I prefer to mix the oil with the spices and then use a brush to spread it on the spears. I find that this ensures better spice distribution.

zucchini spears on aluminon foil with a hand sprinkling cheese on them.

Step 5: Top spears with Parmesan cheese.

raw zucchini spears topped with Parmesan on baking trays and then a tray of them baked.

Step 6: Bake!

baked zucchini spears on aluminon foil.

And done! These Parmesan zucchini spears are tender and so flavorful!

a hand grabbing a zucchini spear from a plate of baked zucchini spears.

We love to add a little extra Parmesan cheese, for good measure. Baked Parmesan Zucchini Spears, an easy, gluten-free side that’s ready in 20 minutes and the perfect use for all of those fresh garden zucchinis!

Our Other Zucchini Favorites

Enjoy those fresh zucchini, friends! Especially those baseball-sized zucchinis. While our Zucchini “Apple” Bars are really best for those big boys, this recipe works for them, too!

Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

If you want to see more, be sure to sign up for my 5 Easy Ways to Start Cooking From Scratch!

a plate of baked zucchini fries with cheese.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Spears

An easy 20 minute Parmesan zucchini side dish!
4.98 from 41 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 4 spears servings
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 – 3 lbs fresh zucchini
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese fresh grated, split 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper fresh ground
  • 3/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminom foil.
  • Slice zucchini into 3 1/2 – 4 inch spears and line them on baking sheet in a single layer.
  • In a small bowl, add salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and pepper into a bowl and mix. Add olive oils and mix until a loose paste is formed.
  • Use pastry brush to spread oil mixture on zucchini spears. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
  • Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Turn oven up to broil and cook fro another 3 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve.

Video

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”OCh9Ths8″ upload-date=”2024-05-06T22:50:31.000Z” name=”Baked Parmesan Zucchini Spears.mp4″ description=”Put all of that summer squash to good use by making these oven Baked Parmesan Zucchini Spears! Tender zucchini spears coated in herbed oil and topped with cheese, this easy, healthy side dish is ready in just 20 minutes!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]

Notes

No pastry brush:  No problem!  Just mix spices in a bowl, but don’t add oil.  Drizzle oil on spears and sprinkle seasoning on spears. 
Substitutions
Fresh Herbs: To use fresh instead of dried, substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh for 1 teaspoon of fresh. 
Parmesan Cheese: You could also use Asiago or Romano.
Zucchini Spears: 
For 6 – 8 Inches Long: For this sized zucchini, you can get about 12 spears, that are 3 1/2 – 4 inches, after you cut the top and end off, then cut it into quarters, and slice those quarters into 3 spears.
For 9 + Inches Long: For the big guys, you’ll just want to cut your zucchini into thirds (or even quarters if they’re real big), then half and them, and cut those into 4-5 spears. These spears will still be pretty big, mostly in height from the seeds, so then you can slice off some of the seeds.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 1mg
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18 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was honestly better than any fries – loved the soft, creamy zucchini flesh when it cooked!!! The cheese and seasoning just made it perfect

  2. 5 stars
    These baked parmesan zucchini spears are amazing ! This was such an easy and flavorful recipe . I will never cook zucchini another way.

  3. 5 stars
    Love this yummy and unique recipe of Zucchini. Looks cheesy and flavorful and a perfect snack too.

  4. 5 stars
    Zucchini is one of my favorite side dishes to make and this one did not disappoint! It came out perfect and was great with grilled chicken.

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is so simple but so delicious. It’s a great side dish for almost everything, too. Thanks for sharing!

  6. 5 stars
    This is one of my favorite side dishes! They really easy to make, and the Parmesan adds the best flavor. Delicious recipe!

4.98 from 41 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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