Best Fried Zucchini Recipe Side Dishes Noshing With the Nolands (2024)

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Enjoy some delicious crispy goodness with this Best Fried Zucchini Recipe! The zucchini is quickly sliced into fries, coated in a simple panko or bread crumbs, and then fried to a golden brown. Sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and served with marinara sauce it is the ultimate summer treat when zucchini is in season.

We all love to indulge once in a while with some golden deep-fried food like these Best Crispy Fried Pickles and these Stuffed Meatballs! This is what Fridays or game nights are for! You may also like Soft Pretzels with Cheese Sauce or Pepperoni Pizza Dip for other game day winners!!

Hi there, it’s Melanie fromBon Appét’Eat. It’s been a lot of fun to be part of the Noshing with the Nolands team. I do have some goodness like this to share on the blog too! Check my Portobello Mushroom fries, you will not regret it. And I absolutely love zucchini and so do my kids with these Zucchini Roll Ups, 4-ingredient zucchini fritters, or Delicious Stuffed zucchini.

Best Fried Zucchini Recipe Side Dishes Noshing With the Nolands (1)

Fried zucchini is easy to prepare with very few ingredients and you can adapt and vary the flavor endlessly. Make this yummy fried vegetable to enjoy as an appetizer or side dish.

Table of Contents

Helpful Items for This Recipe

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Wok for frying

Stainless steel spider for frying

Bamboo Cutting Board

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How To Make Fried Zucchini

The steps to making the best crispy fried zucchini recipe are really simple. If you have kids, they can help until it is time to deep fry the veggies, let’s leave that for the adults.

Zucchinis

Try to choose the same zucchinis for uniformity and cooking time. Wash them well and cut the ends off.

How to Cut Zucchini Fries?

Slice the zucchini in half and then cut in 2 length-wise and then in fry shape. It yields 12 fries with each vegetable. Alternatively, you can make slices like coins using the thickness of a quarter of an inch or even make thin chip treats.

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The Preparation

Place all the zucchini sticks on a plate and add some salt to it. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare 3 shallow plates: one for the flour, one for the beaten eggs, and one for the panko.

Your next move will be to pat dry your zucchinis as the salt released some moisture. Then, roll in the flour, shake the excess. Place your zucchini stick in the beaten eggs, make sure it is evenly covered in the egg. Lastly, coat the zucchini with panko.

How To Fry Zucchini? How Long To Fry Zucchini?

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In a pot, wok, or frying pan, pour some vegetable oil and bring it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit on medium heat. Delicately, to avoid any splash, place the coated zucchini in the oil away from you and deep fry for 2-3 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Sprinkle with sea salt or Parmesan and enjoy when hot!

Cooking Tips for Fried Zucchini

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Do you peel zucchini?

No need to peel the zucchini for this recipe in fact, the skin is thin enough to enjoy.

How do you keep fried zucchini from getting soggy?

There are 2 important tricks to avoid sogginess. The first one is to do the very first step of the recipe listed above: putting salt on the zucchinis and letting them sit for 10 minutes. The other one is to enjoy the fried zucchinis right away, they may release some moisture while cooling down. It will still be delicious but less crispy.

How do you get breading to stick to vegetables?

Again, tackling the moisture is key here, make sure to tap dry the zucchinis with paper towel before rolling them in flour.

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Help, I don’t have a thermometer!

No worries, wait a few minutes to allow the oil to warm up and throw some panko crumbs (choose some ‘wet’ ones in the shallow plate), if you see the oil cooking it right away, it is ready. If the crumbs just float, wait for a little and try again. Or buy yourself the best thermometer around for every use in the kitchen. *affiliate link.

Can I bake my zucchini fries?

Absolutely! Spread them on a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil on each stick or use a cooking spray – for some crispiness! I would recommend to set the oven to 425F, nice and hot, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Can I cook my fried zucchini in the air fryer?

Yes, make sure to spread them as a single layer. You will need to make a few batches.

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Variations To The Recipe

Vegetable: Any other veggie from the squash family would work for this recipe.

Shape: You can choose between zucchini slices or sticks.

Breading: You can substitute panko for bread crumbs. You can add flavour to it: Italian seasonings, garlic powder, or parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle: My sprinkle of choice is sea salt, but Parmesan would be great on these tasty fried zucchinis. Also, feel free to add some fresh or dried herbs like thyme or rosemary.

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What Goes Well With Fried Zucchini?

Marinara sauce: You can make your own or use a store bought one. This is a combo made in heaven! You can even choose cold or warm marinara, both very tasty ways to eat it.

Dip and sauce: A great Mexican dip would be a nice pairing and if you wish to stick to vegetarian food, this spinach and artichoke dip would work well too. Ultimately, my choice would be towards this buttermilk ranch dressing, a nice drizzle on the platter would be quite a success!

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Best Fried Zucchini Recipe

Yield: 36 zucchini fries

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Fried Zucchiniis a delicious treat to enjoy all of that summer zucchini from your yard or the farmer's market. Our Best Fried Zucchini Recipe has the zucchini sliced into sticks and then fried up in a light panko batter for extra crispiness!

Ingredients

  • 3 zucchinis
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup panko or bread crumbs
  • 3 cups vegetable oil
  • Sea salt
  • Dipping sauce of your choice, marinara, buttermilk ranch, etc.

Instructions

    1. Wash the zucchinis and cut the ends off.
    2. Slice the zucchini in half and then cut in 2 length-wise and then in fry shape. I made 12 fries with each.
    3. Place all the zucchini sticks on a plate and add the salt to it. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
    4. In the meantime, prepare 3 shallow plates: one for the flour, one for the eggs, beaten, and one for the panko.
    5. Pat dry your zucchinis as the salt released some moisture.
    6. In a pot, pour your oil and turn the stove on medium-high.
    7. One by one, roll the stick in the flour, shake the excess. Place your stick in the beaten eggs. Then, coat the zucchini with panko.
    8. Using a thermometer, check that the temperature has reached 350F.
    9. Gently place the coated zucchini in the oil and deep fry for 2-3 minutes or until it is golden brown.
    10. Sprinkle with sea salt or parmesan, enjoy!
    11. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 36Serving Size: 6 pieces
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 195Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 178mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

Best Fried Zucchini Recipe Side Dishes Noshing With the Nolands (2024)

FAQs

What compliments zucchini? ›

Top zucchini food pairs. By Matt Preston
  • Perfect match #1: eggplant and capsicum. ...
  • Perfect match #2: egg. ...
  • Perfect match #3: seafood. ...
  • Perfect match #4: basil. ...
  • Perfect match #5: bacon. ...
  • Perfect match #6: oil. ...
  • Anchovy antics. ...
  • Kitchen tip.

How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy when frying? ›

Yes, you should always salt your zucchini before frying — especially if you're aiming to achieve a crispy texture. Salting your zucchini helps remove the excess moisture stuck in the zucchini that would otherwise make frying a challenge.

What goes good next to zucchini? ›

What goes well with zucchini?
  • Root and tuber vegetables such as beet, carrots and celery.
  • Onions, leeks and spring onions.
  • Lettuce.
  • corn.
  • Flowers such as camomile, sunflowers, borage and marigolds.
  • Beans.
  • Tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.
  • Herbs such as basil, parsley and oregano.
Apr 28, 2023

Why do you soak zucchini before cooking? ›

The main problem that confronts the cook when preparing zucchini is its wateriness. Zucchini is 95 percent water (among vegetables, only lettuce contains more water) and will become soupy if it is just thrown into a hot pan.

How can I enhance the flavor of zucchini? ›

You can season the oil before you add the zucchini with garlic, shallots, spices, or red pepper flakes, it's totally up to you. Once the oil, butter, or combination thereof is heated, add all of the zucchini.

What are zucchini best companions? ›

"Companion plants such as marigolds, nasturtiums, and radishes can help improve zucchini growth, flavor, and pest resistance by attracting beneficial insects and repelling harmful pests," says Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app.

What season is best for zucchini? ›

We recommend planting zucchini and summer squash from late May to early July, depending on the season's temperatures and rainfall. It's a warm season crop, so it needs warm air, warm soil, and no chance of frost.

Why is my fried zucchini bitter? ›

When exposed to environmental stress, poor soil pH, or poor soil nutrition, zucchinis trigger the production of cucurbitacin, a natural phytonutrient that helps the plant overcome stress but consequently results in the unwanted bitter taste.

Why is my breading not sticking to my zucchini? ›

Refrigerate the breaded zucchini for at least 15 minutes and up to 3 hours—it's just enough time to help the breading stick. Use a neutral oil for frying: Vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil are great for frying, but my hands-down favorite is olive oil—it's always handy and I like the taste.

How to fry zucchini so it doesn't get mushy? ›

How To Pan Fry Zucchini So It's Not Soggy
  1. Choose small to medium firm and unblemished zucchini.
  2. The smaller the zucchini, the fewer seeds. ...
  3. Slice zucchini into thicker coins, ⅓" to ½" minimally.
  4. Choose a pan or skillet with lower sides if you have one. ...
  5. Don't cover the pan.
  6. Don't overcrowd the pan.

How do you keep zucchini crisp when cooking? ›

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

Does salt draw water out of zucchini? ›

By sprinkling the cut vegetable with salt and letting it stand in a colander over the sink, water will drip out, leaving behind a firmer vegetable. The zucchini can then be more easily sauteed or roasted to bring out its natural sugars and, hence, flavor.

Is fried zucchini healthier than french fries? ›

These Zucchini Fries are a great way to use up those extra vegetables. Plus, they're delicious, easy to make and a much healthier alternative to those greasy french fries.

What likes to eat zucchini? ›

Squash bugs, squash vine borers, cucumber beetles and other pests can attack zucchini. Check out our pest guides below to find out how to identify common zucchini pests... Click on a pest to be taken to a page full of useful information about how to identify it and prevent problems.

What is a good side dish for fritters? ›

Fritters can be a great main course or a side dish. Great for breakfast with a fried egg and hot sauce. Or a pair it with a poached egg and hollandaise. Fritters work equally well for dinner with a great side salad, some chicken soup or baked fish.

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