I tried this crispy Parmesan zucchini rings recipe from Instagram and it was so good it’s now my go-to healthy snack

I just can’t get enough of these

Crisped rings of zucchini, a dip in a small blue and lemon wedges on a blue plate on a wooden table
(Image credit: Future / Maddy Biddulph)

My youngest daughter is a real vegetable dodger so I’m always looking for tasty veggie recipes that she’ll like so I can finally convince her to eat some.

Like me, she loves anything crispy and salty so when I saw this Parmesan zucchini rings recipe on Instagram by Stella Drivas, I had to try it out.

Known on social platforms as Hungry Happens, Drivas is a recipe developer whose website shares her simple Greek-inspired recipes.

And these crispy Parmesan zucchini rings from her forthcoming cookbook that I found on her Instagram page did not disappoint. Here’s why I’m making them on repeat.

It’s a great way to use up surplus zucchini

Zucchinis in the fridge can often get forgotten about and they can be a little bland if you don’t marinade them for hours. But with this fast and easy recipe, you just need a little oil, seasoning and some fresh grated parmesan, and you are ready to bake or air fry!

I used BBQ seasoning and some minced garlic alongside the cheese and olive oil. I don’t own an apple corer so I just cut the core out of the sliced zucchini, which didn’t take long.

The zucchini rings took about 15 minutes to crisp up to perfection, and they were so good I must admit I ate the whole plate!

There’s no food waste as you use the whole zucchini

You make a dip out of the middle bits of the zucchini you removed with the apple corer (or knife in my case) and this was super delicious.

I sauteed it for 3-5 minutes with more fresh minced garlic and the BBQ seasoning. Then I blended it in a food processor with some grated Parmesan and a little olive oil.

It’s a low-calorie and low-carb crisp alternative

If, like me, you are prone to grabbing a bag of chips when you’re hungry, these crispy rings will satisfy that craving, and at 83 calories and 7g of carbs per serving, they’re a low-calorie and low-carb alternative.

You could even make them ahead of time as they would taste just as good cold.

It’s family-friendly (if you can resist eating them all yourself)

Both my daughters loved this healthy snack and they asked me to make them again so they can have them in their school lunch boxes.

They’d make a great addition to a picnic, or even as a healthy alternative to chips when you’re having a party or family gathering.

You can experiment with different seasonings so they don’t get too samey, and even make them a bit spicy if you like.

Preorder the Hungry Happens cookbook

Maddy Biddulph

Maddy Biddulph is a freelance journalist specializing in fitness, health and wellbeing content. With 26 years in consumer media, she has worked as a writer and editor for some of the bestselling newspapers, magazines and websites in the US and UK. 


She is also a qualified L3 personal trainer and weight loss advisor, and helps women over 40 navigate menopause by improving their physical and mental strength. At Maddy Biddulph Personal Training, she runs one-to-one and small group training for menopausal women who want to get fit to ease symptoms and feel like themselves again.

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