It’s summertime and that means zucchini season! Zucchini is one of my absolute favorite vegetables, for two reasons. One: it’s so delicious, obviously! And two: because it is so easy and versatile. Sauteed zucchini, roasted zucchini, grilled zucchini, raw zucchini noodles, the possibilities are endless! This month, I’ve been experimenting with zucchini baked at a low temperature and discovered the perfect combination of flavors to compliment the tender sweetness of baby zucchini. Enter, Lemon Pepper Zucchini Crisps. Simple, delicious, addictive, and healthy; these crispy chips are the perfect snack or summertime appetizer.
This recipe for Lemon Pepper Zucchini Crisps has only has three ingredients: zucchini, avocado oil (or oil of your choice), plus the new Organic Lemon Pepper by Redmond Real Salt. If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, you know that I am obsessed with everything that Redmond makes. From their pink salt (the only ancient pink salt in the U.S.!) to their Earthpaste natural toothpaste (been using it for years!), I know that their products will have ingredients I can trust. When they came out with these new organic pepper grinders, I was so excited to try them and grind them over EVERYTHING. And that’s basically what I’ve done! Since the Lemon Pepper grinder contains both real salt and pepper, plus organic lemon peel and six carefully-selected spices, it’s truly a one-stop shop for bold flavor. Unlike so other spice blends these days, they add no sugar, no additives, and no fillers. Just straight-up fresh, organic ingredients. They also make an Organic Garlic Pepper grinder which is amazing on almost anything.
These Lemon Pepper Zucchini Crisps do take some time in the oven, but the prep is SO quick and fool-proof. And they are seriously worth the wait. It is important that the slices be the same thickness so they cook in the same amount of time; if you don’t have a mandolin slicer, just use a knife carefully and do your best to keep the slices uniform. I definitely recommend investing in a mandolin though; it makes prep for recipes like this so much faster. I like doing long strips with baby zucchini, but if I only have a medium or large zucchini, I’ll slice them in rounds for a more chip-like shape.
You can definitely double (or triple) this recipe if you have enough baking pans since I promise they will go fast once they come out of the oven. My boyfriend and I ate this batch within like five minutes. Just be careful not to crowd the pans; in order for the zucchini to come out crispy, the pieces should not be touching. You don’t want soggy zucchini after waiting two hours for them to cook, right? #nightmare
Once you have them all spaced out on the trays, just a brush of oil and a sprinkle of spices and into the oven they go. Again, if you don’t have a pastry brush, don’t fret, your fingertips will work just fine. Or if you are weird like me, use a painting brush you found laying around the house (don’t worry it was never used for paint!). If you decide to purchase a brush, just keep an eye out for what materials are used (many brushes are made with animal hairs that are not ethically sourced).
I hope you enjoy this simple, delicious recipe!
As always, let me know if you try this recipe by tagging me @hashtagvegan and using #hashtagvegan on Instagram so I can see your creations!
For the animals,
Ingredients
- 3-4 baby zucchini, or 1 large
- 1-2 Tbs avocado oil
- 1-2 tsp Real Salt Organic Lemon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
- Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to cut zucchini in 1/8" thick slices. (For large zucchini, I prefer slicing round; for baby zucchini, I prefer slicing lengthwise.)
- Place your zucchini slices on a paper towel or clean cloth. Take a second towel and lay it on top, pressing gently to remove any excess moisture from the zucchini.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and gently transfer the zucchini slices over, making sure that the pieces in a single layer and not touching.
- Lightly brush the top of the zucchini slices with avocado oil; flip the slices and brush the other side.
- Grind the Real Salt Organic Lemon Pepper evenly over the tray, being careful not to "over-season" any of the slices.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake for approximately one hour.
- Remove the tray from the oven and carefully flip the slices over. Again, grind the Real Salt Organic Lemon Pepper evenly over the tray.
- Place back in the oven and bake for another hour, checking every 20 minutes or so and removing any slices that are golden brown.
- Once all slices are golden brown, remove from the oven and let cool. Enjoy!
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