July 23, 2023

Keto Zucchini Slices Topped With Parmesan & Bacon Crumbles

June 3, 2021

Introduction

If there’s one thing that’s seemingly impossible to feed to children (and some adults, too), it’s vegetables. Unless you cleverly hide them in other delicious food, they’re likely to stay on the plate. It’s a shame, too, since vegetables are known to be full of healthy nutrients.

Well, let’s change that. Let’s make a recipe that will make non-veggie believers fall in love with the awesomeness of vegetables. And no, we’re not going to make a veggie salad. That’s too ordinary and boring. Instead, we’ll be making crispy veggie slices loaded with ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. But that’s not all–we’ll be topping it off with bacon too!

Yes, you read that right. In this recipe, we’ll be making yummy keto zucchini slices loaded with all of those goodies! Who says healthy food can’t taste good? And oh, did I mention that it’s low-carb? Because it is!

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30 minutes

6 servings

Ingredients

3 Medium Zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices
½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
½ tsp Garlic powder
2 Tbsp Zero carb ranch seasoning
¼ cup Bacon pieces, crumbled
Nutritional Information
66 Calories
3.5g Total Fat
2.5g Net Carbs
5g Protein

Directions

1
Gather Your Ingredients
- Medium Zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices: make sure to pat your zucchini slices dry with a paper towel or clean dishcloth to remove any extra moisture. This will help ensure that your zucchini slices come out crispy and crunchy rather than soggy. Use fresh zucchini for the best results. Avoid zucchinis that are soft, mushy, or have visible signs of damage.
- Parmesan Cheese, grated: brings a savory and cheesy punch to our keto zucchini slices. Using freshly-grated parmesan cheese is ideal, but you can use packed or bottled shredded cheese, such as this one, for convenience.
- Garlic powder: adds a pleasant garlicky taste and aroma to our keto zucchini slices, enhancing its overall taste profile. You can use fresh garlic if you want, but if you prefer garlic powder you can too.
- Ranch seasoning: this blend of herbs and spices gives a ton of flavor to the keto zucchini slices. Make sure to use a keto-friendly brand such as Hidden Valley(their ranch seasoning amounts to 0g net carbs!).
- Bacon pieces, cooked and crumbled: adding bacon to the recipe elevates it to a whole new level. The unique taste and crunchy texture of bacon make the keto zucchini slices a more satisfying dish to eat. McCormick Bac'n Pieces Bacon Chips is a great choice for keto recipes as each serving (7g) only amounts to 2g of total carbs.
2
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is to ensure optimal cooking conditions for our keto zucchini slices.
3
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it with oil or cooking spray.
Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper will prevent the zucchini slices from sticking, making them easier to remove later.
4
Spread your sliced zucchini over the prepared baking sheet.
Arrange them in a way that no slices overlap each other. Leave some space between each slice to allow for proper air circulation. This is to ensure that each slice is baked evenly while in the oven.
5
Bake the zucchini slices in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Remove the zucchini slices from the oven once done baking.
6
Sprinkle ranch seasoning over each pre-baked zucchini slice.
Make sure that each zucchini slice is sprinkled with a sufficient amount of ranch seasoning.
7
Sprinkle garlic powder over the zucchini slices.
Same with the ranch dressing, make sure that each slice is sprinkled with a sufficient amount of garlic powder.
8
Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the zucchini slices.
Sprinkle a generous amount of parmesan cheese over each slice. You want each slice loaded with the savory punch of grated parmesan cheese.
9
Top each zucchini slice with cooked, crumbled bacon
The unique and delicious taste of bacon will complement the flavors of the other ingredients, making the zucchini slices a more enjoyable dish to eat.
10
Place the loaded zucchini slices once again in the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the zucchini slices are tender and the parmesan coating is golden and crispy. Place the slices under the broiler for several minutes before serving for a crispier finish. 
Just take a look at that beauty. I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't stop at just one slice. Or two. Or three. Maybe even four. They taste just as great as they look. Trust me when I say that you're going to love zucchini after you try this recipe.

Notes

Tools

  • Baking sheet or baking dish: you'll be placing your sliced zucchini here for baking.
  • Parchment paper or cooking spray: line your baking sheet or dish with parchment paper to prevent the zucchini slices from sticking. Alternatively, you may grease it with cooking spray.
  • Measuring cups and spoons: these are useful for accurately proportioning your ingredients.
  • Knife and cutting board: you'll be needing this to cut your zucchini into ¼ inch slices. Use a sharp knife and a stable cutting board to make the slicing process easier and safer.
  • (Optional) Cheese grater: if you choose to grate your own cheese, you'll be needing this.
  • (Optional) Mandolin Slicer: this nifty tool from Amazon makes slicing fruits and veggies super fast and simple. More importantly, it also creates perfectly consistent slices, ensuring that everything comes out the same way every time. Using this is the easiest way to slice zucchini.

Preparation

  • If you plan to use whole parmesan cheese, grate it before making the recipe.
  • Feel free to adjust the amount of seasonings (garlic powder and ranch seasoning) you add according to your preference. Increase the quantity if you want the flavors to be stronger, or decrease it if you want them to be milder.
  • You'll know that your keto zucchini slices are done when they turn golden brown and become crispy.
  • There's plenty of room for customization! If you want to spice things up, add crushed red pepper flakes or your favorite Cajun Seasoning in addition to, or in place of, the ranch seasoning. Or, perhaps, you prefer Trader Joe’s insanely popular Everything But the Bagel seasoning. You can add even more kinds of cheese, such as cheddar cheese and feta cheese. Just be mindful of the carb count so that your loaded zucchini slices remain keto-friendly.
  • If you prefer a lighter version of this keto zucchini slice recipe, you can omit the seasonings, parmesan, and bacon altogether. Replace them with olive oil, salt, and pepper instead. Mix together the zucchini slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper before lining them on a prepared baking sheet. Bake until the slices turn golden brown and become crispy.

Storage

  • Once these yummy slices of goodness have been baked, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days (woo hoo for three days worth of snacks!)! Then, when you’re ready to heat them back up, pop them in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes or until warmed.

Serving Suggestions

  • Let your cooked keto zucchini slices cool down first before consuming. They're scorching hot when just out of the oven, which can burn your mouth if consumed immediately.
  • Pair your delicious keto zucchini slices with a keto-friendly dip! This low-carb jalapeño cilantro dip packs some heat and spice. Or sour cream will do if you prefer it to be simple. Can't get enough of cheese? Then go for a cheese dip! Feel free to experiment with what dip or sauce your can pair with your delicious keto zucchini slice. Just remember to keep it keto!
  • Garnish your keto zucchini slices with chopped fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or chives. They will add color and extra freshness to the dish.
  • Squeezing some fresh lemon juice over the zucchini slices will add a bit of sourness that complements the savory flavors.
  • While the keto zucchini slices can be eaten as a snack, they also work well as an appetizer or side dish.

Recommended Products

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amazon.com
Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Adjustable Stainless Steel Food Vegetable Potato Onion Slicer French Fry Cutter, Slicer Julienne with Cut-Resistant Gloves

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen zucchini slices for this recipe?

Yes, you can. While fresh zucchini is strongly recommended, you can use frozen zucchini slices if they’re your only option. Make sure to pat them dry with paper towels after washing them to remove any extra moisture.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Sure! This recipe only uses one dairy ingredient, which is parmesan cheese. You can replace it with a dairy-free cheese alternative, such as nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan, or you can omit it if you don’t mind losing the cheese flavor.

You can also make the dish vegan-friendly by omitting the bacon or replacing it with a plant-based alternative, such as vegan bacon.

Can I use zucchini substitutes?

Absolutely! What’s better than having many keto zucchini recipes? Having more vegetable-based keto recipes! This recipe works with other low-carb vegetables such as yellow squash, eggplant slices, or cucumber. Do note that the cooking time may vary depending on the vegetable used.

Can I bread the keto zucchini slices with almond flour?

Yes, you can bread the zucchini slices with almond flour. Aside from the almond flour, you’d need to add 1-2 eggs to the recipe so that the coating adheres to the sliced zucchini. Beat them in a small to medium bowl.

Rather than simply sprinkling the seasonings (garlic powder, ranch seasoning, and parmesan cheese) on top of the slices, you can incorporate them into the breading. In a shallow bowl, combine the almond flour and seasonings until they become homogenous. This will be your coating.

Dip each slice into the beaten eggs, then coat with the almond flour coating. Arrange the coated slices on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer, leaving some space between each slice. Sprinkle the cooked crumbled bacon on top of each slice.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the slices have turned tender and the almond flour coating is golden and crispy.

Enjoy your breaded keto zucchini slices!

Are zucchinis even allowed on the keto diet?

Absolutely! Zucchinis are very low in carbs mainly due to their high water content, making up about 95% of their composition. Although the exact carbohydrate breakdown may vary slightly depending on the zucchini’s ripeness, it generally contains approximately 3 grams of net carbs per 100 grams serving. The remaining portion is filled with vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. If you’re interested, we have a comprehensive article on this topic, along with our favorite keto-friendly zucchini recipes.

Wrap-Up

Who would’ve thought that the humble zucchini could taste so good? These keto zucchini slices are so addicting, it’s unreal! And I don’t even feel bad about it because they are so healthy!

Zucchini, in my mind, was a soggy, slimy vegetable that belonged nowhere near my plate, but these loaded zucchini parmesan slices are nothing like that at all. They’re so crispy and packed with tons of flavor! This delicious recipe surely will make anyone love veggies! Even the kiddos!

What makes it even better is that these delicious veggie slices only amount to 2.5g of net carbs per serving. They’re very easy to fit into a keto diet.

So the next time you want to make yourself a healthy yummy snack, look no further. So the next time you want to make yourself a healthy yummy snack, look no further as this keto zucchini recipe is calling to be made by you!