Hawaiian-Inspired Huli Huli Zucchini Breakfast with Crispy Chickpeas and Fried Egg
Huli huli sauce isn’t just for chicken. Its combination of tamari, dark brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar makes a sweet and savory glaze that works beautifully with zucchini, especially when it is brushed on in layers and finished under the broiler.
In this Hawaiian-inspired breakfast, zucchini halves are scored, salted, seared, and roasted with huli huli sauce until the surface becomes deeply browned and caramelized.
Crispy roasted chickpeas add crunch, while a fried egg turns the zucchini and chickpeas into a satisfying savory breakfast.
Break into the egg and let the yolk run over the glazed zucchini and crispy chickpeas.
The combination of the rich yolk, sweet-savory sauce, tender zucchini, and crunchy chickpeas brings the whole plate together.
Choosing the Zucchini
Look for a firm zucchini with smooth skin and no soft spots. A good-sized zucchini works particularly well for this recipe because cutting it lengthwise provides plenty of surface area for scoring, searing, and glazing.
Summer Squash: How to Choose, Cook, and Use the Most Common Varieties
Zucchini is one of the most versatile varieties of summer squash. For more about choosing and cooking zucchini and other varieties, see my Summer Squash: How to Choose, Cook, and Use the Most Common Varieties guide.
Hawaiian-Inspired Huli Huli Zucchini Breakfast with Crispy Chickpeas and Fried Egg
Huli huli sauce isn’t just for chicken. Its sweet and savory combination of tamari, dark brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar works beautifully with zucchini.
Here, the zucchini is scored, seared, brushed with the sauce, and broiled until deeply browned and caramelized, then served with crispy roasted chickpeas and a fried egg.
Break into the soft yolk and let it mingle with the sticky glaze and crunchy chickpeas for a satisfying savory breakfast.
Recipe Details
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Breakfast
Method: Roasting, Searing and Broiling
Difficulty: Easy
Why This Recipe Works
Scoring the zucchini creates more surface area for seasoning and allows the huli huli glaze to settle into the shallow cuts.
Salting the zucchini before cooking helps draw moisture from the cut surface, which encourages better browning when it hits the hot skillet.
Potato starch gives the chickpeas a thin, crisp exterior as they roast, while a small amount of toasted sesame oil adds another layer of flavor.
The huli huli sauce is brushed onto the zucchini several times rather than all at once. Each application builds another layer of glaze, with the final trip under the broiler producing the dark, sticky caramelized surface.
Finally, the fried egg makes this a complete savory breakfast. A runny yolk creates a rich sauce of its own as it mixes with the huli huli glaze and crispy chickpeas.
Ingredients
For the Zucchini
1 large zucchini
Kosher salt, as needed
For the Crispy Chickpeas
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon potato starch
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Huli Huli Sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons tamari sauce
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
To Finish
1 tablespoon neutral oil
2 large eggs
1 green onion, thinly sliced on a bias
Instructions
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F (220°C). Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the cut sides in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut all the way through.
Sprinkle the cut sides lightly with kosher salt and let the zucchini sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the chickpeas. Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas in a bowl and pat them thoroughly dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
Add the potato starch, granulated garlic, salt, ground sesame seeds, and black pepper. Toss until the chickpeas are evenly coated. Drizzle with the olive oil and toasted sesame oil and toss again.
Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on one of the prepared sheet pans. Roast on the upper rack for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and crispy.
While the chickpeas roast, prepare the huli huli sauce. Whisk together the ketchup, tamari, dark brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, and grated garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pat the zucchini thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Place the zucchini cut-side down in the skillet and cook, without moving, for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned.
Transfer the zucchini to the second prepared sheet pan, cut-side down. Brush the skin side generously with huli huli sauce and roast on the lower rack for 5 minutes.
Flip the zucchini cut-side up and brush with more huli huli sauce. Roast for another 5 minutes.
Remove the crispy chickpeas from the oven when they are golden and crisp.
Turn the broiler to high. Brush the cut sides of the zucchini once more with huli huli sauce. Move the zucchini to the upper rack and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely, until the glaze is bubbling, deeply browned, and caramelized.
While the zucchini finishes, fry the eggs to your preferred doneness. For this dish, a soft or runny yolk works especially well.
Place one zucchini half on each plate, cut-side up. Spoon the crispy chickpeas over and around the zucchini, top each serving with a fried egg, and finish with sliced green onion.
Cook Plate Fork Tip: Don’t Skip the Crosshatch
Crosshatch scoring may look decorative, but it serves an important purpose in this recipe.
The shallow cuts increase the zucchini’s exposed surface area, helping the salt draw out moisture while creating channels for the huli huli sauce.
When the zucchini is brushed with sauce, some of that glaze settles into the scored surface rather than simply sitting on top.
Brushing the zucchini several times is important, too. The sauce contains dark brown sugar and ketchup, so each trip through the oven begins concentrating and browning those sugars.
The final brushing followed by the short blast of high heat from the broiler develops the dark, glossy finish.
The close-up photo shows exactly what you’re looking for: a lacquered surface with deeply browned areas along the crosshatch marks and edges.
Watch the zucchini closely during those final 1 to 2 minutes because a sugar-rich glaze can go from deeply browned to burned quickly.
Caramelizing Onions: A Delicious Culinary Skill
Want to learn more about the process behind browning sugars? Read my Caramelizing Onions: A Delicious Culinary Skill guide.
Storing Leftover Crispy Chickpeas
This recipe uses one zucchini half per serving, but a 15-ounce can of chickpeas will make more crispy chickpeas than you need for two plates.
After adding about 2 to 3 tablespoons of chickpeas to each serving, you may have around ½ cup left over.
Let the leftover chickpeas cool completely before storing them. Transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. They will soften somewhat during refrigeration, but they can easily be crisped again.
To reheat, spread the chickpeas on a small baking sheet and warm them in a 375°F oven for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until hot and crisp again.
An air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes also works well. Keep an eye on them because they have already been roasted and can brown quickly the second time around.
The extra crispy chickpeas are great for another breakfast, tossed into a salad, added to a grain bowl, or simply eaten as a crunchy snack.
Can I Make This Gluten-Free?
Yes. To make this meal gluten-free, use a tamari sauce that is specifically labeled gluten-free. Always check the labels of your remaining packaged ingredients as well.
You can find more ideas in my Gluten-Free Recipes & Guides collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute cornstarch for potato starch?
Yes. Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch in place of the potato starch. Both help create a crisp coating on the chickpeas, although potato starch produces an especially light, crisp exterior.
Why do I need to salt the zucchini first?
Zucchini contains a lot of water. Salting the cut surface and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes draws some of that moisture to the surface. Patting it dry before searing helps the zucchini brown rather than steam.
Do I have to use a runny fried egg?
No. Cook the eggs however you enjoy them. A runny yolk is particularly good with this dish because it flows over the zucchini and chickpeas and combines with the huli huli glaze, but a firmer fried egg works too.
Can I make the chickpeas ahead of time?
The chickpeas are at their crispiest shortly after roasting. If made ahead, store them separately from the zucchini so they don’t absorb moisture from the sauce.
Is huli huli sauce spicy?
No. This version is sweet and savory rather than spicy, with dark brown sugar, tamari, ginger, and garlic providing most of its flavor. If you enjoy some heat, a little chile can be added to your serving.
Another Delicious Way to Enjoy Chickpeas
If you enjoyed the crispy chickpeas in this breakfast, here’s another way to put a can of chickpeas to work.
My Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas with Feta, Pomegranate and Maple Tahini combines roasted chickpeas and sweet potatoes with salty feta, juicy pomegranate, and maple tahini for an entirely different way to enjoy chickpeas.
Final Thoughts
Huli huli-glazed zucchini, crispy chickpeas, and a fried egg might not be the first combination that comes to mind when you think about breakfast, and that’s exactly what makes this dish interesting.
The zucchini is tender beneath its sticky, caramelized glaze, the potato-starch-coated chickpeas bring plenty of crunch, and the fried egg turns the two into a satisfying savory meal.
Break the yolk, let it mingle with the huli huli sauce, and make sure you get a little zucchini and crispy chickpea in every bite.
Still hungry? These recent recipes are ready when you are.
More Deliciously Yummy Recipes
- Why Chopped Chicken Thighs Are Often a Better Choice Than Chicken Breast
- Hawaiian-Inspired Huli Huli Zucchini Breakfast with Crispy Chickpeas and Fried Egg
- New Mexico-Style Roasted Hatch Chile Salsa
- Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
- Summer Squash: How to Choose, Cook, and Use the Most Common Varieties
