Baked zucchini chips are popular for good reason. They’re delicious and crunchy like potato chips, but contain a fraction of the carbs, fat, and sodium. They also pack almost a day’s worth of vitamins A and C, a ton of potassium, and an entire batch has just over 100 calories and 7 net carbs. Take that, spuds. Like their starchy companions, zucchini chips can be seasoned any way you like. Experimentation is encouraged. We went with Coriander Cumin Zucchini Chips because our obsession with coriander is intervention worthy, but you do you. Hit us up with your success stories.
Tip: Use parchment paper for this recipe. We love reusable Silpat mats, but not for these chips. Parchment is the key to crispy chips with less oil.
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Coriander Cumin Zucchini Chips
Baked Coriander Cumin Zucchini Chips
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 Serving 1x
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini (about 12 ounces), very thinly sliced (preferably with a mandolin)
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/8 tsp salt, divided
- 1/8 tsp ground coriander
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- Generous pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place a layer of paper towels or clean cotton kitchen towels on your working surface.
- Slice the zucchini uniformly with a mandolin and transfer to the towels in a slightly overlapping single layer. Leave no space between rows. Sprinkle the salt over the slices taking care not to salt beyond the slices – we want all the salt on top. Let rest to sweat 10 minutes.
- While sweating the zucchini, line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, and ground black pepper.
- After 10 minutes, there will be quite a bit of standing water on the zucchini slices. Press and blot with a single layer of paper towels or another clean cotton kitchen towel. If using cotton, flip the towel and use the clean side to repeat. If using paper towels, use a fresh layer. We want to remove both the liquid and the majority of the salt.
- Set the oven racks to the top two positions and preheat the oven to 235 degrees F. Lightly brush each of the parchment sheets in the baking pans with about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil each. All you need is a very thin layer to promote crisping, no need to put oil on top.
- Blot the zucchini one last time (if necessary) and transfer to a single layer on the baking sheets. Spacing can be tight but not overlapping and will vary depending on the size of your zucchini. The slices will shrink to about half their size but overlapping pieces will steam and stick together instead of crisping up.
- Sprinkle with the seasoning mixture and bake for one hour. After an hour, rotate the sheets between the racks, turning the pans front to back to promote even baking. Return to oven and bake another 30 minutes.
- Check the slices again after a total baking time of 1 hour and 30 minutes. Note which slices are beginning to turn golden on the bottom. Some may even be ready to remove. Check again every 10-15 minutes for the remaining half hour. Dark brown slices can have a burnt taste. You’re looking for golden brown and rigid. Careful – they can turn quickly in the last 20 minutes or so.
- As soon as a chip is ready, transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This will be a staggered process with a few stragglers remaining at the end. You may have to test a couple of chips as you go to determine when they are adequately crisped, and they will continue to crisp as they cool. Your unwavering commitment to quality is duly noted. Enjoy cooled chips by the handful or savor them individually as you pity the fools who are still eating greasy potato chips from a bag.
Notes
Cooled chips can be stored in a zip top bag with air removed but are best when eaten fresh.
Nutrition Estimate Per Serving (1 BATCH) – Calories: 106, Fat: 5.9g, Saturated Fat: 3.6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3.1g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 160mg, Potassium: 1146g, Carbohydrates: 11.6g total/7.2g net, Fiber: 4.4g, Sugar: 7.4g, Protein: 5g, Vitamin A: 96%, Vitamin C: 94%, Calcium: 6%, Iron: 9% (based on 2,000 calorie diet).
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 120
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Diet: Vegan
