21 Panko-Crusted Recipes That Will Make You Want to Eat Your Veggies (2024)

It's easy and delicious to eat your vegetables with these healthy side dishes. These vegetable recipes use panko breadcrumbs to create a crispy and crunchy bite. Recipes like Panko-Crusted Asparagus Spears and Crispy Parmesan Mushroom Fries with Ranch Sauce are flavorful and make eating the recommended daily servings of vegetables effortless.

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Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries

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This healthy recipe combines two bar food favorites--fried zucchini and curly fries--into one tempting package. Serve these baked zucchini fries with a simple dipping sauce made with ranch dressing and marinara sauce for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish for burgers, chicken or pizza. No matter what you serve them with, they're a fun way to eat more vegetables for kids and adults alike.

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Panko-Crusted Asparagus Spears

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Warm from the oven, these crunchy asparagus spears make a tasty side dish or co*cktail nibble. Before being coated in panko breadcrumbs they are rolled in a flavorful sesame-miso sauce that doubles as a simple dipping sauce.

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Crunchy Cauliflower Bites with Curry-Lime Aioli

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Reminiscent of chicken nuggets, this cauliflower is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies. Want to get another veg on your child's plate? This easy vegetable dish also works with broccoli and can be served as an appetizer, side or vegetarian main course. You can also swap in a dairy-free mayonnaise to make these easy cauliflower bites vegan.

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Baked Garlic-Lemon Summer Squash Curly Fries

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Curly fries get a makeover by using summer squash in place of potatoes. Summer squash "noodles" are tossed in a panko mixture spiked with lemon, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese and baked until crispy. If you can't find summer squash noodles, make your own using a spiralizer or vegetable peeler.

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Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan

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Grilled zucchini is one of the great food joys of summer. In this easy recipe, the crunchy, bright breadcrumbs offset the sweet, soft zucchini in the most delightful way. Serve this healthy side with grilled chicken, fish or shrimp or as part of a vegetarian summer meal. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you have a bumper crop of zucchini.

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Parmesan-Crusted Brussels Sprouts

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Look for small Brussels sprouts for this quick and easy vegetarian recipe, which provide bite-size nibbles for your guests. If you can only find large sprouts, cut them in half for more manageable bites.

Asparagus Casserole

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Blanching the asparagus before assembling this casserole helps to maintain its vibrant green color. Feel free to skip that step if you're crunched for time, but the vegetables will be more army green.

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Crispy Parmesan Mushroom Fries with Ranch Sauce

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If you're looking for a new way to enjoy portobello mushrooms, look no further. These meaty mushrooms are sliced, then coated in crispy breadcrumb topping. Hot out of the oven, they're served with a creamy ranch sauce. They're a perfect lower-carb alternative to regular french fries!

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Air-Fryer Zucchini Chips

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These crispy air-fryer zucchini chips are delicious paired with the creamy dill dipping sauce--or any sauce you have on hand. And the best part? The air fryer delivers a crispy crunch without having to pile on the oil like traditional fryers do.

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Baked Vegetable Tempura

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The wide variety of veggies in this tempura recipe provides vitamins, minerals, and health-promoting plant compounds. The mustard in the dipping sauce contains curcumin, a compound that makes mustard yellow and exhibits anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

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Panko & Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus with Garlic-Mayo Dipping Sauce

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This cheesy and crispy asparagus dish is the perfect accompaniment to any meal.

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Panko-&-Parmesan-Crusted Mushrooms

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Serve these rich and tender mushrooms filled with panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese alone as an appetizer or alongside anything from pork to fish. To ensure even cooking, look for mushrooms that are similar in size.

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Pan-Fried Zucchini Chips

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Fresh zucchini slices are battered in crispy panko and pan-fried until golden brown and crunchy. You can eat them with a fork, but popping these zucchini chips by the slice is perfectly acceptable. Serve with a dollop of creamy dressing for a simple summer vegetable side.

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Crispy Asparagus with Creamy Tarragon Sauce

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These crispy asparagus sticks are a fantastic side dish, but are also a great hand-held appetizer. They're served with a creamy lemon-tarragon dipping sauce. Consider passing them around at your next party!

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Parmesan Panko Leeks with Herbed Mushroom Cream Sauce

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The mild, oniony taste of leeks is enhanced by an Italian-seasoned mushroom sauce and a crunchy Parmesan and panko breadcrumb topping in this easy side dish recipe.

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Stuffed Mini Peppers

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This fun side-dish is easy to make and wonderfully compliments any main dish.

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Baked Spiralized Butternut Squash Fries

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Sweet spiralized butternut squash is encased in a salty, extra-crunchy exterior for a serving of slightly sweet curly fries. You can pair these baked butternut squash shoestring fries with any protein of your choice, but we're partial to grilled fish or chicken. Look for pre-spiralized squash in the refrigerated produce section.

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Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus

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In this garlic-Parmesan-crusted asparagus recipe, we combine Parmesan cheese, whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs and walnuts for a crispy topping that's baked over asparagus. Roasting the asparagus spears in a hot oven keeps them tender-crisp in this quick side dish!

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Everything-Bagel Zucchini Fries

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The breading for these zucchini curly fries takes on the flavor of a classic everything bagel while the tangy, creamy sauce finishes off this fun appetizer that's perfect for a party or brunch. Store-bought everything seasoning can be loaded with salt, so it's best to make your own at home. Look for fresh and crisp-looking zucchini noodles in the produce section or make your own using a spiralizer. Soggy ones (or even the frozen variety) won't crisp up well.

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Oven-Fried Green Tomatillos

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This easy fried tomatillo recipe is a healthier twist on the crispy Southern favorite--fried green tomatoes. These oven-fried tomatillos make a tangy, dunkable appetizer or a decadent topping for a burger.

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Crunchy Zucchini and Tomato

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Zucchini and tomato slices are sprinkled with a tasty panko bread crumb mixture, and then broiled until crisp. This side dish is quick to make and pairs well with any protein.