These baked zucchini chips with lemon basil Greek yogurt dip are perfectly crisp and great way to sneak in an extra serving of veggies! Thinly sliced zucchini is baked at a low temperature until golden and crisp then served with a flavor-packed lemon basil Greek yogurt dip. Enjoy these zucchini chips as an appetizer, snack, or side dish anytime you find yourself with some extra zucchini.
I don’t love summer weather but I do adore summer produce, especially the humble zucchini! Its mild nutty flavor works perfectly in both sweet and savory recipes, and I almost always have a few hiding in my crisper drawer during the summer months. My favorite way to use up a few zucchini is to make these zucchini chips! The lower baking temperature allows them to crisp up without burning or going soggy. While they’re incredibly delicious on their own with simple salt and pepper, the lemon basil Greek yogurt dip makes them feel extra special and elevates this easy zucchini recipe!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
The zucchini chips are fairly straightforward, relying on simply zucchini, spray oil, salt, and pepper. I used a mix of green and yellow zucchini here but any zucchini variety works perfectly along with pretty much any other summer squash varieties. If you don’t keep spray oil on hand, you can brush on a thin layer of oil with a pastry brush but the prep time will take a bit longer.
As for the lemon basil Greek yogurt dip, the star flavors are fresh basil and lemon juice/zest. A mix of dried dill, garlic powder, and onion powder give more depth while a touch of maple syrup balances all of the flavors. I prefer using a whole milk plan Greek yogurt here for the best flavor but I’ve also made this dip with vegan coconut milk yogurt for a vegan/dairy free version that is equally delicious! If you use vegan yogurt, you’ll most likely want to increase the amount of lemon juice a bit since vegan yogurt typically isn’t quite as tangy as Greek yogurt.
Tips for Ensuring Crispy Baked Zucchini Chips
- Use a mandoline or steady hand to cut your zucchini into even 1/8-inch thick slices. This ensures they will bake and crisp up fairly evenly. I tried making thinner slices but they had a tendency to burn easily. I also tried thicker slices and they ended up taking wayyyy too long to bake!
- Flip the slices over halfway through the baking time. This helps them crisp up more evenly. During testing, I tried a batch without flipping the slices over and it led to a longer baking time and uneven baking among the chips. Some spots on the chips burned while others remained soft/underbaked.
- Allow the chips to cool fully after baking. During the cooling time, they will crisp up more! To speed this process up, you can place the baked chips on cooling racks to allow for maximum air circulation.
Baked Zucchini Chips in 4 Easy Steps
More Favorites for Zucchini Season
- Yellow Zucchini and Armenian Cucumber Carpaccio — perfect for those days when you don’t want to turn on your oven!
- Polenta with Caramelized Leeks, Zucchini, and Peas — takes advantage of the overlap of zucchini season with late spring produce like leeks and peas.
- Zucchini Spaghetti with Tarragon and Lemon — grated zucchini melts together with caramelized onion for a super comforting spaghetti dish.
Baked Zucchini Chips with Lemon Basil Greek Yogurt Dip
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These baked zucchini chips with lemon basil Greek yogurt dip are perfectly crisp and great way to sneak in an extra serving of veggies! Thinly sliced zucchini is baked at a low temperature until golden and crisp then served with a flavor-packed lemon basil Greek yogurt dip.
Ingredients
for the zucchini chips
- 3 medium zucchini
- Spray oil, such as avocado or olive oil
- sea salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
for the lemon basil greek yogurt dip:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the stem end of each zucchini then cut into 1/8-inch thick slices with a mandoline or a sharp knife and a steady hand. Blot both sides of the slices with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture, then arrange them on a lined baking sheet. The slices can be right next to each other but make sure they aren’t overlapping.
Spray the slices lightly with oil, then flip and do the same on the other side. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt & black pepper (use less than you think because the slices will shrink considerably).
Bake the chips in a 225 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove both baking sheets from the oven, flip each chip over, then place them back in the oven. Bake for an additional 1 to 1.5 hours until the chips are crisp and golden brown. Cool the chips completely before eating or storing in an airtight container. The chips will crisp up as they cool.
While the zucchini chips are baking, whisk together the Greek yogurt with the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the juice, and the garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and maple syrup. Finely chop the basil then stir it in along with a pinch of salt. Taste the dip, then add more salt, lemon juice, or maple syrup as needed.
Serve the cooled chips with the lemon basil Greek yogurt dip. Store leftover chips in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week for the best flavor. Leftover dip can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- Any summer squash can be used in place of the zucchini.
- If you don’t have spray oil, you can use a pastry brush to brush a super light coating of oil onto the zucchini slices.
- For my testing, 3 medium zucchini took up all of the space on two large baking trays (which is the most my oven can handle at a time). If you have a larger oven and more baking trays, feel free to use more zucchini!
- If you are not eating the zucchini chips as soon as they cool, make sure to move them to an airtight container. If you allow them to sit out once cool, they will slowly start to soften again and you’ll lose the crisp texture.
- Note that the zucchini will shrink considerably as they bake so you can place them right next to each other on the baking sheet, just make sure they aren’t overlapping.
- To make the Greek yogurt dip fully vegan, use your favorite plain vegan yogurt with a thicker texture. My go-to is Culina!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2-2.5 hours
- Category: appetizer
