Crispy Italian Zucchini Hoagies
with Balsamic Arugula Salad
- Milk
- Wheat
- Eggs
- Soy
Crispy tempura-fried zucchini slices are tucked into a toasted baguette and topped with marinara and basil paste for a crave-worthy Italian-style hoagie. On the side, a bright salad of peppery arugula and juicy tomatoes tossed in tangy balsamic dressing balances the richness for a satisfying, meatless meal.
Ingredients
2 ounce
Arugula
1 unit
Zucchini
1 tablespoon
Italian Seasoning
2 tablespoon
Nutritional Yeast
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
82 g
Tempura Batter Mix
(Contains: Milk, Wheat, Eggs)
1.5 ounce
Creamy Balsamic Dressing
(Contains: Eggs)
1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
2 unit
Demi-Baguette
(Contains: Soy, Wheat)
2.5 ounce
Marinara Sauce
1 ounce
Basil Paste
Not included in your delivery
1.5 tablespoon (tbsp)
Cooking Oil
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Wash and dry produce.
Trim and halve zucchini crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick planks. Halve tomatoes lengthwise.
Lightly salt zucchini and let rest 2-3 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk together tempura batter mix, Italian Seasoning, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, ½ cup water (1 cup for 4 servings), a pinch of salt, and pepper. TIP: If mixture seems too thick, add more water 1 tsp at a time until it reaches a pancake-batter-like consistency.
Add zucchini and toss to coat.
Heat a ⅓-inch layer of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, add coated zucchini in a single layer. (TIP: Don’t overcrowd the pan! You may need to work in batches.) Cook until zucchini is golden brown and crisp, 2-3 minutes per side.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt to taste.
Halve and toast baguettes.
In a second large bowl, toss arugula and tomatoes with as much dressing as you like.
Spread basil paste on bottom halves of baguettes. Evenly top with fried zucchini and marinara. Close to form sandwiches.
Divide sandwiches and salad between plates. Serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many enjoyed the tasty Italian flavors, though some found it bland and suggested adding mozzarella for extra depth 🧀.
- Ease of prep: Frying zucchini was tricky for some; consider air frying for easier cooking and less oil.
- Suggestions: Try adding fresh mozzarella to boost protein and flavor. Cut zucchini into smaller pieces or rounds for better texture.
- Texture: Some found the sandwich soggy; toast bread well and pat zucchini dry to maintain crispiness.
- Sides: The balsamic arugula salad was a hit for most, complementing the rich sandwich nicely 🥗.
Reviews from our home cooks
I absolutely loved this dish! Perfection all around. I am still salivating over how wonderful this was. The bread was tender even after toasting. The marinara and pesto were perfect with the most delicious fried zucchini. Fabulous sandwich! The arugula and tomato salad were the perfect complement. I am not a super fan of arugula but I have to say that I don't think any other green would be a better choice for an accompaniment to the sandwich. Did I already say I loved it? Kudos to the creative chef on this one! Another favorite!
Good, but needs an egg wash and flour routine to make the batter stick better. Barely any batter was left on zucchini after getting it into the oil. Would also prefer anything besides arugula as the salad base.
My daughter loved this one too! The zucchini didn't actually fry up well with the coating and turned mushy but the flavor profile was good! Needed parm or a slice of mozzarella though to complete the flavor profile
Surprisingly good! I love anything zucchini and this was a hit. I added breadcrumbs though and it made it even better
So good. Quick recipe that was flavorful and delicious. Love the color of the salad. Fresh ingredients
The coating was great, very tasty and easy to fry up.
Sandwich was Really good. Wish it had French fries instead of the salad
Very good! It time consuming but my 5 yr old actual ate an entire sandwich so that was great!
This was tasty but definitely needed some cheese. I added fresh mozzarella slices to each sandwich to increase the protein.
Small portion. Laughable size of pesto. Didn't even cover enough for one sandwich let alone two. Needs more marina sauce and bigger zucchini. Took longer than 20min. Def not a 20min meal.
