Home » Side Dishes » How to Roast Zucchini Slices

How to Roast Zucchini Slices

Learn how to roast zucchini slices for the ultimate easy side dish that pleases picky eaters and vegetable lovers alike. Easy to adjust with lots of different flavors, make affordable and neutral-flavored zucchini in to something new!

Jump to Recipe

How to avoid soggy roasted zucchini slices

Vegetables have lots of water in them and it’s easy to make something soggy and watery instead of golden and flavorful. To combat this, you can simply slice your zucchini and blot the pieces with a paper towel on both sides.

Some people like to sprinkle their slices with salt and let the zucchini sit for 10 minutes then blot away any liquid that rises to the surface.

I find that neither of those are really necessary if you roast your zucchini with enough space between it and you use a pan with a low edge so the steam can escape easily and isn’t trapped inside the pan.

Using a cookie sheet is much better than pulling out a baking dish with high sides or a deep roasting pan.

Steps for roasting zucchini

Slice as many zucchini as you need in to 1/2″ thick slices. I estimate portions based on my family. We usually eat about 1/2 of a small zucchini each so I cook 2 or 3. You can roast as many as you need as long as they have room on the pan.

a zucchini on a cutting board with a knife cutting a slice

Prepare a dry surface for your zucchini slices. I cover my cookie sheet in parchment paper so that it’s non stick and easy to clean up. Lay the slices in an even layer on the sheet with about 1/2-1″ of space between them so air can circulate.

If you layer them too closely they will steam and not get golden brown.

a cookie sheet with parchment paper and slices of zucchini

Next drizzle over a bit of high-heat oil. I use avocado but many people choose olive oil, but most will smoke at roasting temperatures. You can use vegetable oil if that’s your choice but we quit using it long ago because of its inflammatory properties.

oil being drizzled over sliced zucchini

Finally sprinkle over sea salt and pepper. Just a little on each slice and you can toss them if needed to make sure everything is coated evenly.

You could also do these steps in a bowl if you would prefer, but that’s one more dish to wash!

Kosher salt will also work here just remember the grains are larger and you may need a bit more than when using a fine salt.

salt being sprinkled over zucchini on a cookie sheet
black pepper being ground over zucchini slices

Then just place the pan on the middle oven rack for 12-15 minutes and roast until your zucchini slices are tender. You can turn them over halfway through cooking if you’d like to. I don’t.

a plate of roasted zucchini slices

What to serve with roasted zucchini

Because zucchini is so neutral, it goes with just about any protein from fish to beef. It does need to be served warm so plan accordingly and make it just before you’re ready to serve.

Some recipes you might like to try include:

Ideas to bump up the flavor on your roasted zucchini slices

The sky is really the limit here! Add any herbs, spices or cheese before roasting. Avoid adding fresh garlic or fresh herbs–they burn at high heat when you’re roasting and opt for dried or powdered forms. Some of my favorites are:

  • A dusting of parmesan cheese (use a good one, not the powdered stuff)
  • Sprinkle the zucchini with red pepper flakes for a little heat
  • Add a little garlic or onion powder
  • Sprinkle on a half teaspoon of Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning. It’s one of my favorites!
a plate of roasted zucchini slices on a plate with a fork

How to Roast Zucchini Slices

Roasted zucchini slices are a simple and versatile dinner side dish you can dress up or down.
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Rachel Ballard

Ingredients
  

  • 3 zucchini medium size
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil vegetable oil is fine
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Line a shallow rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400.
  • Slice the ends off the zucchini and slice into 1/2" thick slices.
  • Lay in a single layer on the parchment paper with at least 1/2" space between each slice. If you need to use a second baking sheet, do that so everything has enough space.
  • Drizzle over the oil and use your hands or a pastry brush to spread it around. The zucchini doesn't need a solid coating of oil on each slice.
  • Sprinkle over the salt and pepper. You can toss the zucchini if needed to evenly spread the salt and pepper but it's optional.
  • Bake on the center oven rack 12-15 minutes. You can turn the slices over halfway through cooking if you'd like to but it's not required. Usually your zucchini slices will get golden on the bottoms much faster than the tops will.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 593mgPotassium: 387mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 295IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Tag us on Instagram @feastandfarm and hashtag it #feastandfarm
Course Side Dish

Similar Posts

4 Comments

  1. Can these zucchini slices be successfully cooked in an Air Fryer ….. the kind with baking trays not the basket type?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About the Author

Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.