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Fried Zucchini
Breaded in a flavorful parmesan coating, fried zucchini are easy to make at home. Serve them with ranch dressing or warm marinara sauce.
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Fried zucchini slices are an irresistible snack that is easy to make at home. Breaded in a flavorful parmesan coating, this crispy fried zucchini recipe is a delicious way to use this tasty garden veggie.
MORE RECIPES: Fried Pickles | Fried Corn on the Cob | Crispy Fried Potatoes
Golden brown fried zucchini are crispy on the outside and amazingly tender on the inside. These fried zucchini slices are so addictive that you’ll be sneaking them at every opportunity.
A delicious side dish or great appetizer, crispy fried zucchini are delicious served with ranch dressing or warm marinara sauce. Serve them alongside other tasty appetizers like cucumber bites or sweet pepper pizza bites for your next party or get-together.
Scrumptiously good fried zucchini is always a favorite with family and friends. The crispy breadcrumb and parmesan coating and the savory flavor of the zucchini make these zucchini slices a mouth-watering snack.
Fried Zucchini Ingredients
- Zucchini - medium zucchini
- Milk - whole milk
- Eggs - large eggs
- Flour - all-purpose flour
- Bread crumbs - plain panko bread crumbs
- Bread crumbs - plain bread crumbs
- Cheese - grated parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning - dried Italian seasoning
- Salt - kosher salt
- Pepper - fresh cracked black pepper
- Oil - vegetable oil
If you want to add a kick to your zucchini, add a dash of cayenne pepper to your spice mix. You can also substitute 2 teaspoons of a creole or cajun seasoning blend instead of the other spices in your breadcrumb mixture.
When coating the zucchini in the flour mixture, you can flour several pieces at once in small batches. Be sure to add a small dusting in between the layers to help with the moisture.
A candy/oil thermometer will help gauge when your oil is ready to fry. Use paper towels to remove any excess moisture from the zucchini rounds before coating them, so they don’t become soggy.
How to Make Fried Zucchini
FIRST STEP: Slice the zucchini tops and bottoms off. Slice into ¼-inch pieces. You can either slice on the bias or straight across.
SECOND STEP: Using a large shallow bowl, add the milk and eggs. Whisk until completely incorporated and uniform in color (pale yellow).
THIRD STEP: Place one cup of flour into a gallon Ziploc bag. Working in small batches, place the sliced zucchini into the bag. Shake to coat the slices with flour, then remove with a slotted spoon making sure to knock off any excess flour.
FOURTH STEP: Add the flour-coated zucchini into the egg mixture, and toss to coat completely.
FIFTH STEP: Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper to a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Shake to combine the dry ingredients. Set it aside.
SIXTH STEP: Add the oil to a 10-inch skillet over high heat and heat to 325°F. A candy/oil thermometer will help with gauging when your oil is ready to fry.
SEVENTH STEP: While the oil is heating, remove the zucchini from the egg mixture using a slotted spoon and add to the Ziploc with the dry coating mixture. Shake to coat and make sure the pieces are separated, so all sides get coated. It is best to do this in batches. You can dust the bottom of a baking dish with the dry coating to help with keeping the coated zucchini dry.
EIGHTH STEP: Once the oil reaches temperature, carefully add a small batch to the oil. Lower the heat if the oil temperature goes above 345-350°F. Cook for 1-1½ minutes, flip and continue cooking the other side for 1 to 1½ minutes until golden. Remove the zucchini from the oil to a baking dish lined with a paper towel. Repeat until all the zucchini is cooked. Eat immediately.
What kind of oil is best for deep frying?
Only fry with oils that have a high smoking point. The smoking point is the temperature it takes for the oil to start to break down and smoke. Once it smokes, it’s not good for frying. Good oils to use are peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, or vegetable oil. On the other hand, olive oil is not a good oil to fry in.
Can I make this easy fried zucchini in an air fryer?
Yes, you can also make these in an air fryer! Heat your air fryer to 390°F. Prepare your zucchini according to the recipe instructions. Place a single layer of zucchini rounds in the air fryer. Cook for 5-8 minutes, flipping once, until crispy. Consult your specific model’s manual to confirm the temperature and cooking times.
Can I use this recipe to fry things other than zucchini?
Yes! You can substitute 1 zucchini for yellow squash in this crispy parmesan fried zucchini recipe.
How to Store Fried Zucchini
IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of these zucchini fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
IN THE FREEZER: We do not recommend freezing this breaded zucchini recipe. The leftovers will become soggy once thawed.
Fried Zucchini
Breaded in a flavorful parmesan coating, fried zucchini are easy to make at home. Serve them with ranch dressing or warm marinara sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, washed and dried
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
- Slice the zucchini tops and bottoms off. Slice into ¼-inch pieces. You can either slice on the bias or straight across.
- Using a large shallow bowl, add the milk and eggs. Whisk until completely incorporated and uniform in color (pale yellow).
- Place one cup of flour into a gallon Ziploc bag. Working in small batches, place the sliced zucchini into the bag. Shake to coat the slices with flour, then remove with a slotted spoon making sure to knock off any excess flour.
- Add the flour-coated zucchini into the egg mixture, and toss to coat completely.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper to a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Shake to combine the dry ingredients. Set it aside.
- Add the oil to a 10-inch skillet over high heat and heat to 325°F. A candy/oil thermometer will help with gauging when your oil is ready to fry.
- While the oil is heating, remove the zucchini from the egg mixture using a slotted spoon and add to the Ziploc with the dry coating mixture. Shake to coat and make sure the pieces are separated, so all sides get coated. It is best to do this in batches. You can dust the bottom of a baking dish with the dry coating to help with keeping the coated zucchini dry.
- Once the oil reaches temperature, carefully add a small batch to the oil. Lower the heat if the oil temperature goes above 345-350°F. Cook for 1-1½ minutes, flip and continue cooking the other side for 1 to 1½ minutes until golden. Remove the zucchini from the oil to a baking dish lined with a paper towel. Repeat until all the zucchini is cooked. Eat immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 1405mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 484IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 6mg
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