Hasselback zucchini is an impressive side dish to add to your next meal. They're made with thin sliced zucchini that's fanned out like an accordion, brushed in marinade, and stuffed with two types of cheese.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender roasted zucchini are brushed with a tangy marinade, then stuffed and topped with two types of cheese.
Serves: 4 or more. Each zucchini can be halved to serve up to 8 people.
Similar to: Broiled Zucchini
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need 4 medium zucchini for this recipe. Larger zucchini can be tough and small zucchini can be difficult to stuff with cheese without breaking.
- Cheeses - I chose gruyere and parmesan today, but the gruyere could be substituted with other melty cheeses like cheddar, monterey jack, or gouda. Parmesan should be freshly grated for best flavor, do not use pre-grated cheese from a green canister.
How to make hasselback zucchini
- Allow zucchini to lay flat naturally (this prevents rolling on the sheet pan), place a chopstick on either side, and slice through about ¾ of the zucchini until you hit the chopsticks, leaving the bottom intact.
- Mix the marinade and brush over each zucchini.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then add cheese.
- Bake for another 10 minutes.
Tips and tricks
Use guides - Use a pair of chopsticks or thin wooden spoons on either side of your zucchini to prevent slicing all the way through. We're leaving the bottom of the zucchini intact to create an accordion effect.
Did your zucchini break anyway? - This can happen while slicing or stuffing with cheese. It's ok! Slide your zucchini back together and bake as is.
Thin slice the cheese - Thinner pieces of cheese are easier to stuff and less likely to break the zucchini.
Don't have time? - Hasselback zucchini takes a bit of extra prep time for a more impressive presentation. If you don't have the time for this recipe, try my Broiled Zucchini instead!
Frequently asked questions
You may have sliced too closely to the bottom or stuffed the cheese too far down into the gaps. If this happens, press the zucchini back together and bake as is.
Zucchini turns out soggy from overcooking. As written, medium zucchini should maintain a firm texture after roasting. If you're using very small zucchini, you may want to reduce the cooking time. There's no need to cook zucchini for a long time - this only creates a softer, soggier texture the longer it cooks.
📖 Recipe
Hasselback Zucchini
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces (113 g) gruyere cheese, thin sliced into squares
- 1 ounce (28 g) fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉. Lightly grease a sheet pan (or line with parchment paper) and set aside.
- Allow zucchini to lay flat naturally on the countertop, then slice off about ¼ inch at each end to remove stems. Place a chopstick (or thin wooden spoon) on either side. Slice zucchini across the top into ¼" sections, slicing until you hit the chopsticks, leaving the bottom of the zucchini intact.
- Place sliced zucchini onto prepared sheet pan.
- In a small bowl, add olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine, then brush liberally over each zucchini.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and add gruyere cheese into every other space of the zucchini. Top with parmesan cheese.
- Bake for another 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked to your liking (add more time if you'd like softer zucchini).
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Cooked zucchini does not freeze and thaw well and gets very water, so I don't recommend freezing this recipe.
- Cheese: Cheese is optional and can be omitted if desired. Gruyere can be substituted with your favorite melty cheese like cheddar, gouda, or monterey jack.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!