Lemon Pepper Parmesan Zucchini (Print Version)

Roasted zucchini with lemon pepper seasoning and melted Parmesan cheese, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 medium zucchinis, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

→ Dairy

02 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Oils & Seasonings

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
05 - 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
06 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
07 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

→ Garnish (optional)

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the zucchini slices with olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cracked black pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange the seasoned zucchini slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring none overlap for even roasting.
04 - Sprinkle the freshly grated Parmesan cheese evenly over each zucchini round.
05 - Roast in the oven for 18–20 minutes until the zucchini is golden and tender and the Parmesan is melted and lightly crisped.
06 - Remove from the oven, transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This is the side dish that converts people who think they do not like zucchini, because the cheese gets golden and slightly crisp while the centers stay tender and sweet.
  • It takes almost no effort, uses one baking sheet, and somehow looks like you tried much harder than you did.
02 -
  • Do not skip patting the zucchini slices dry with a kitchen towel before tossing them with oil, because excess moisture is the enemy of roasted texture and will leave you with soggy results.
  • Broiling for the final one to two minutes changes everything, creating a crackly cheese crust that makes people think you spent far more time on this than ten minutes of prep.
03 -
  • Let the baking sheet preheat in the oven for a few minutes before adding the zucchini, because hitting the slices with immediate bottom heat jump starts caramelization and gives you a better crust.
  • The secret is restraint with the salt and generosity with the cheese, since Parmesan does most of the heavy lifting for flavor in this dish.

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