Herb Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan (2024)

This simple oven-roasted zucchini recipe is the perfect healthy side dish. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese at the end of cooking creates a flavorful, golden crust on each slice.

Sauteed, steamed, baked, or even spiralized into zoodles, zucchini is extremely versatile. However, roasting adds interesting layers of flavors with very little effort. Plus, it’s low in calories and carbs, making it a nutritious ingredient for those looking to up their vegetable intake.

I use a combination of Italian ingredients to create a savory and herbaceous taste. Most, if not all, can already be found in your pantry. Toss the zucchini with olive oil and dried seasonings, and in minutes, the slices are tender. But to take it to the next level, I add a cheesy crust. This recipe is a side dish that steals the spotlight at dinnertime!

Cut the squash

The dark green fleshed squash is high in moisture content, upwards of 90%! That means it will shrink down considerably when cooked. Therefore, I make them into at least ½-inch thick slices. Cutting on a bias or angle creates larger pieces. This helps keep their shape after roasting and not turn into shriveled up pieces of mush. It can also be quartered into spears, just keep an eye on cook time.

Use bold seasonings

To enhance the delicate flavor of the squash, I look to my pantry. Olive oil not only prevents the zucchini slices from sticking to the pan but also helps to draw out the fat-soluble flavor molecules in herbs and spices. Concentrated dried Italian seasonings and garlic powder quickly infuse into the vegetable. To add a hint of lingering spiciness, I use a small amount of red chili flakes.

Roasting delivers tasty vegetables- fast!

Turning up the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) creates a hot environment, perfect for quickly tenderizing and building flavor. To kickstart the process, I preheat an oiled sheet pan before adding the vegetables. It’s similar to heating a pan on the stovetop, which promotes browning.

This process evenly cooks the squash, simultaneously on the bottom and top. The oven tends to heat the exposed surface first, so I spread the zucchini in a single layer, giving each piece space to roast properly. It only takes about 5 to 7 minutes to cook the zucchini at this temperature. You can stop here, but I like to add some extra flavor with Parmesan.

Cheese creates a flavorful crust

Sprinkling a dry-aged cheese like Parmesan on top of the vegetables creates a beautiful crust. Under the broiler, the high heat makes the cheese bubble, which drives off moisture and turns the color a golden brown.

It only takes a few minutes, so keep an eye on the progress. Otherwise, it could burn! Add some chopped parsley right before serving to add freshness to the dish.

Serve this with

• Chicken Piccata
• Meatloaf
• Pan-Seared Salmon

See Also

Million Dollar Spaghetti SquashKeto Onion Rings - Extra Crispy!Guilt-Free Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters Recipe (+Video) 🥒Low Carb Keto Crunchwrap Supreme - Keto taco bell copycat