Herbed Zucchini Crisps
Zucchini rounds coated in seasoned almond flour and nutritional yeast, flecked with oregano, and baked until the edges turn golden and firm.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These are a warm, savory snack for anyone who wants something crunchy and hand-held without reaching for a bag of chips. Zucchini rounds get a golden, cheesy-tasting coat and go straight into the oven, so there is no frying and no standing over a pan. They suit a casual afternoon nibble, a side to set beside a bowl of soup, or a plate to put out when people are milling around the kitchen.
Salt them, blot them, and only then coat them. Zucchini is mostly water, and if that water stays in, the rounds steam and go limp under their coating. Salting the surface pulls the moisture to the top, and a firm blot takes it away, so the almond-flour crust can actually dry out and crisp in the heat. The nutritional yeast is the other quiet workhorse: it brings a savory, faintly cheesy depth that makes the coating taste richer than its short ingredient list suggests, while the oregano lifts it with a woodsy, herbal note.
A crisp, well-browned exterior against the tender zucchini inside. The almond flour and egg add protein and staying power, the olive oil brings a dose of good fat that helps the herbs and savory flavors bloom, and the zucchini itself keeps the whole thing light and full of fiber. It is the kind of snack that feels like an indulgence but leaves you steady rather than heavy.
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. The high heat and parchment are what drive the coating to crisp instead of stick.
- Slice and salt the zucchini: Slice the zucchini into rounds about a quarter inch thick, aiming for even thickness so they bake at the same rate. Lay the rounds in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, sprinkle lightly with a little of the salt, and let them sit 10 minutes. The salt draws out surface moisture, which is what lets them crisp rather than steam.
- Blot the rounds dry: Press a dry towel firmly over the rounds and blot both sides to pull off the beaded-up water. Any moisture left behind makes the coating slide off and go soggy, so take a moment here.
- Set up the dredge: Beat the egg in a shallow bowl until the yolk and white are fully combined. In a second shallow bowl, stir together the almond flour, nutritional yeast, oregano, and the remaining salt until evenly blended.
- Coat each round: Dip a zucchini round in the beaten egg, let the excess drip off, then press it into the almond-flour mixture so both sides are fully covered. Set each coated round on the parchment in a single layer without crowding, so the hot air can reach every edge.
- Brush with oil and bake: Brush or drizzle the tops of the rounds with the olive oil, which helps them brown and turn golden. Bake 15 minutes, then flip each round with a thin spatula and bake another 8 to 10 minutes, until the coating is golden and the edges look firm and set.
- Rest and serve: Let the crisps rest on the pan 5 minutes. They firm up as they cool slightly, moving from soft-hot to crisp-tender, so this short wait matters. Serve warm.
Variations
- Garlic and herb style: Stir a little garlic powder into the almond-flour coating for a deeper, roasted-garlic savoriness that plays well with the nutritional yeast.
- Spiced and smoky: Add smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne to the coating for warmth and a gentle heat that cuts through the richness of the olive oil.
- Lemon-herb: Grate a little lemon zest into the coating and finish the baked crisps with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a brighter, more aromatic bite.
- Italian herb blend: Swap some of the oregano for dried basil and thyme to round out the herbal profile with a softer, sweeter edge.
- Extra-savory crunch: Press a little extra nutritional yeast onto the tops before baking for a more pronounced cheesy, umami crust.
Storage & Leftovers
Keep leftover crisps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. They will soften as they sit because the zucchini keeps releasing a little moisture, so expect them to be more tender than crisp straight from the fridge.
To bring back the crunch, reheat them in a 375°F (190°C) oven or a toaster oven on a small tray for 5 to 8 minutes until hot and re-crisped. Skip the microwave, which steams them and leaves the coating limp.
To get ahead, you can slice, salt, and blot the zucchini earlier in the day and keep the dry rounds covered in the refrigerator, and you can stir together the almond-flour coating and store it separately. Dip, coat, and bake just before serving, since the crisps are at their best fresh from the oven.
Notes & Tips
- Pick firm, slim zucchini: Choose smaller, firmer zucchini with taut skin. Large ones hold more water and have soft, seedy centers that steam under the coating and refuse to crisp.
- Do not skip the blot: The single biggest factor in a crisp result is how dry the rounds are before coating. Blot until the towel comes away with only a little dampness, not beads of water.
- Keep the slices even: Rounds cut to the same thickness bake at the same rate. Thick ones stay soft while thin ones over-brown, so slow down and aim for consistency.
- Give them room: Leave space between rounds on the pan. Crowded crisps trap steam between them and turn soft, while spaced ones let hot air reach every edge.
- Judge doneness by the edges: They are ready when the coating is golden and the edges look firm and set rather than pale. The centers stay tender, so use the edges as your cue.
- Serve them fresh with a dip: These are best within a few minutes of resting. A cool dip alongside makes a nice contrast to the warm, crunchy coating.
Nutrition & Mindful Eating
- Almond flour, egg and nutritional yeast make a coating that behaves like a proper crust, and the zucchini underneath supplies the moisture and the sweetness. Each part needs the other, which is exactly why they are together on the same tray.
- Zucchini is mostly water, which is why salting the slices first and blotting them matters. Draw that moisture out and the coating can actually set, and what you are left with is a slice that tastes sweeter and more concentrated than it did raw.
- Almond flour toasts to a deep nutty gold and gives the coating its sandy, crumbly texture, and it brings vitamin E and a bit of plant protein into a layer that would otherwise be there only for the crunch.
- Nutritional yeast is what makes these taste savory and faintly cheesy, and the dried oregano bakes into something rounder and more herbal than it smells in the jar. Between them they carry the flavor of the whole snack.
- The egg is the reason any of it sticks. Beaten and used as a thin layer, it grabs the almond flour on one side and the zucchini on the other, then sets in the oven so the crust holds together when you pick a round up.
- As you eat, take one straight from the tray while it still crackles and notice how fast the crisp outside gives way to the soft center, and let that pause be the pace of the whole plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my crisps turn out soggy instead of crunchy?
Almost always it comes down to trapped moisture. Make sure you salt the rounds, let them sit the full 10 minutes, and blot them firmly dry before coating. Also give the rounds space on the pan so steam can escape, and let them rest a few minutes after baking to finish setting.
Can I make these in an air fryer?
Yes. Arrange the coated rounds in a single layer in the basket without crowding, brush the tops with the olive oil, and cook at around 375°F (190°C), flipping partway, until golden and firm at the edges. Work in batches so the air can circulate.
The coating keeps falling off. What am I doing wrong?
Two things help. First, dry the zucchini thoroughly, because a wet surface makes the egg and coating slide right off. Second, let the excess egg drip off before pressing the round into the almond-flour mixture, and press firmly so the coating actually adheres to both sides.
What can I serve these with?
They are good on their own as a warm snack, but a cool, creamy dip makes a nice contrast to the crisp coating. They also work as a side next to a bowl of soup or alongside a simple salad.