Crispy Zucchini Schnitzel with Garlic Dill Yogurt

Crispy zucchini schnitzel solves a stubborn problem: a raw vegetable plank cooks slower than a breadcrumb crust browns. This recipe cuts zucchini into planks, scores them so heat and salt reach the middle, then coats them in flour, egg with parmesan, and panko. A short fry on one side and a covered finish on the other cook the inside through while the crust stays crisp. A garlic and dill yogurt goes alongside. The recipe serves 4, makes 8 planks and takes 45 minutes. It uses ordinary supermarket zucchini, so it suits an October dinner when the garden is long over.

Why this works

• A 12 mm plank of raw zucchini needs about 8 minutes of heat, while a panko crust burns in 6.
• Scoring shortens the path heat has to travel, and the cuts let the salt reach the middle.
• The lid turns the second side into a steam finish, so the inside softens without more browning.
• Flour goes on first because it gives the egg something to hold.

What to know about the ingredients

Choose 3 medium zucchini that are straight and even, since even planks cook at the same pace. You cut each one lengthwise into planks about 12 mm (1/2 inch) thick and keep 8 of them. The rounded outer slices are not wasted. Use them in a soup pot.

Panko gives the lightest crust because the crumbs are coarse and dry. Plain breadcrumbs work, but the crust will be denser. Salt matters at two points, once on the planks and once in the egg, so do not skip either. The parmesan goes into the egg, not the crumbs, so it seasons the coating and browns with it.

For the sauce, plain yogurt, grated garlic and chopped fresh dill are all you need. Grate the garlic so it disperses through the yogurt instead of hitting you in one bite. If fresh dill is hard to find in October, a little extra lemon at the table does a similar job.

Crispy Zucchini Schnitzel

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Scored planks and a covered pan, so the inside cooks through while the crust stays where it is.

Prep25 min

Cook20 min

Total45 min

Serves4

Scale1x2x3x

Ingredients

• zucchini, cut lengthwise into 8 planks — 3 medium (600 g)
• eggs — 2 large (100 g)
• parmesan, grated — ⅔ cup (50 g)
• panko breadcrumbs — 1½ cups (90 g)
• all-purpose flour — ⅓ cup (40 g)
• olive oil, for frying — ¼ cup (60 ml)
• plain yogurt — ⅔ cup (150 g)
• garlic, grated — 2 cloves (6 g)
• fresh dill, chopped — 2 tablespoons (5 g)
• salt — 1 teaspoon (5 g)
• black pepper — ½ teaspoon (1 g)

Instructions

1. Cut each zucchini lengthwise into planks about 12 mm (1/2 inch) thick. You want 8 planks from 3 medium zucchini; the rounded outer slices go to the soup pot.
2. Score each plank: lay it flat and cut across it every 6 mm (1/4 inch), going about two thirds of the way down and never through. The plank stays in one piece and opens like a fan.
3. Salt the planks on both sides with 3 g (1/2 teaspoon) of the salt and stand them in a colander 10 minutes. Pat them dry with paper towel. The scoring is what lets the salt reach the middle instead of sitting on the skin.
4. Beat the eggs with the parmesan, the remaining 2 g (1/2 teaspoon) of salt, and the pepper in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in a second bowl and the panko in a third.
5. Coat each plank in flour first, then in the egg and cheese mixture, then press it into the panko on both sides. The flour is what gives the egg something to hold.
6. Heat 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of the olive oil in a 12 inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat until a panko crumb sizzles on contact. Lay in 4 planks and cook 3 minutes, until the underside is deep gold.
7. Flip the planks, turn the heat to low, and put a lid on the pan. Cook 5 minutes covered. The trapped steam finishes the inside of a raw vegetable that would otherwise still be crunchy under a burnt crust.
8. Move to a rack and repeat with the rest of the oil and planks. Stir the yogurt, grated garlic, and dill together and serve alongside.

Nutrition per serving

404Calories

16 gProtein

31 gCarbs

24 gFat

Estimated per serving from standard nutrition reference values; will vary with brands and substitutions.

Tips for getting it right

1. Cut the planks at an even thickness. A thin plank overcooks and a thick one stays crunchy in the center.
2. Score in one direction only and stop about two thirds of the way down. The plank should stay in one piece and open like a fan.
3. Pat the salted planks dry after their 10 minutes in the colander. Wet planks shed their crust.
4. Keep one hand for the dry bowls and the other for the egg, so the crumbs do not clump on your fingers. Press the panko on firmly on both sides.
5. Heat the oil until a panko crumb sizzles on contact. Lay in 4 planks and cook 3 minutes, until the underside is deep gold.
6. Listen as well as look. A steady sizzle means the heat is right, and a hard crackle means the pan is too hot.
7. Flip, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Move to a rack, not a plate, so the crust does not steam.

How to store, freeze and make ahead

Bread the planks up to 4 hours ahead and keep them on a rack in the fridge, uncovered. Fry them at the last minute. The recipe does not give a fridge or freezer time for cooked schnitzel, so plan to cook only what you will eat. The yogurt sauce can be stirred together while the planks cook, and it is easy to double the garlic and dill to taste. This is a fresh-cooked dish, and the crust is at its best within minutes of leaving the pan, which is why the make-ahead step stops at the breading.

What to serve with it

Serve it hot, with the garlic yogurt and a lemon wedge, the way a schnitzel is served. A simple salad or a side of Crispy Zucchini Fritters would make a full table. For a lighter pairing, put a plate of Parmesan Roasted Rounds beside it.

Variations

• Use plain breadcrumbs in place of panko for a denser crust.
• Add extra lemon at the table for a sharper bite.
• Stir a little extra dill into the yogurt, or leave the dill out if you prefer a plain garlic sauce.
• If you would rather skip the frying pan, try Baked Zucchini Fries for a different take on a crumb coating.

Find more zucchini recipes for every season in the guide to Zucchini Recipes and Small-Batch Preserving.