Zucchini Spears with Parmesan Cheese

This is my quick, go-to side dish 2-3 times a week. We both love it.

My mom made it a lot for us while growing up too, probably because of how easy it is and cheese makes everything taste great (especially for kids!).

I also find that sometimes I focus on the main dish, and forget about buying anything for a side dish. However, I always have a zucchini in the refrigerator. Every time I'm at the store, I pick one up automatically, knowing that I'd be making spears sometime during the week. And voila, I'm saved. A side dish is ready in 10 minutes (2 minutes to prep, 8 to broil). These also go with almost everything - italian, mexican, fish, etc.


Next time you're at the market, spy the zucchini's and pick one up for spears this week.

Zucchini Spears
from my mom

1 medium zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan (use more or less, as desired)
Salt and Pepper, to taste


Preheat broiler on high, and place a rack in the upper 1/2 of your oven. (If you place the rack on the top level, the spears with brown faster but not cook as much and be a bit crunchy. If you place it one level below the top, the cheese will brown while also mostly cooking the zucchini. We prefer the latter best, but it's up to you!).

Wash, then cut the ends off zucchini. Cut in half crosswise, then slice each half vertically into quarters, creating spears. You should end up with 8 spears.

Place zucchini in a baking dish, skin side down (I cover my pie plate with foil because the excess parmesan makes a mess).

Drizzle zucchini with olive oil, be sure to smear the olive oil around on the zucchini and coat the exposed spears as much as possible. Sprinkle zucchini with pepper (salt as well, if desired), then sprinkle spears evenly with grated parmesan.

Place in oven, under broiler, for 5-8 minutes, until browned. (We like ours extra crispy, so I sometimes leave them in for 10 minutes.)

More quick zucchini recipes to love:
- Roasted Zucchini Spears with Garlic, from Simply Recipes
- Zucchini and Tomato Gratin, from Pinch My Salt
- Zucchini with Toasted Almonds, from Smitten Kitchen

Guten appetit!