Baked Zucchini Fries with Pesto Dipping Sauce

I always enjoy trying something new at a restaurant and then trying to recreate it at home. These fries were inspired by the fried zucchini sticks at Claimjumper in Nashville. I hardly ever fry anything and think that the baked option can taste just as good or even better, and these zucchini fries were no exception. Claimjumper served theirs with a basic ranch sauce, but I wanted to change the flavor a bit so I made up a pesto-ranch sauce instead.

These turned out absolutely delicious. Crunchy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. And the pesto sauce completely took these to the next level. We had these as a side with some tuna burgers, but they would be so good as a side to a pasta or lasagna dish as well. And a marinara dipping sauce would also be fantastic. There are so many options and ways to try them - Grant even liked them! Well, at least the sauce that he stuck his hand into. :)

Ingredients:

Zucchini Fries

• 2 large or 3 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (powdered form)
• 2 eggs, beaten

Pesto Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup ranch dressing
• 3-4 Tbsp. pesto
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the beaten eggs in a shallow bowl. Mix together the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a separate shallow bowl. Dip each zucchini slice in the eggs, and then in the breading mixture. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through the cooking. Serve warm.

For the sauce, mix all ingredients together and serve immediately.