Fried Zucchini

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Fried zucchini is an all-time favorite! Tasty veggies are sliced and double breaded in a flavorful coating that includes herbs, spices and parmesan. They’re deep fried until golden and crisp. Enjoy as an appetizer, snack or side. Serve with buttermilk ranch dressing.

📌 Pin Fried Zucchini

This pan fried zucchini recipe is a nostalgic snack bar staple. It was served at bowling alleys, arcades, skating rinks, and the state fair. Today it’s a popular game day food enjoyed with corn dogs, hot dogs or cheeseburger sliders.

🛒 Ingredients

Fried zucchini batter is easy to assemble with a few basic pantry items. Here’s what you’ll need for this easy restaurant recipe.

• Medium Zucchini: The star of this recipe.
• Large Eggs: Helps adhere the bread crumb coating to the sliced zucchini.
• All-Purpose Flour: For coating the zucchini.
• Seasoned Bread Crumbs: For the delicious crumb coating.
• Kosher Sea Salt: Adds flavor so the coating is not bland.
• Black Pepper: Adds an earthy, rustic taste with a bit of heat.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: Adds a delicious cheesy flavor.
• Corn Oil: A neutral tasting oil with a high smoke point (of about 450°F). It’s ideal for cooking fried zucchini until crisp without burning the veggies or coating.
• Fresh Parsley: For garnishing. It provides color and freshness.
• Lemon Wedges: For serving. They provide a bright citrus taste.
• Dipping Sauce: Ranch Dressing is a favorite pairing with deep fried zucchini.

DIY seasoned bread crumbs: If you don’t have seasoned bread crumbs in the pantry, combine: 2 cups dry plain bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

📖 Fried Zucchini Recipe

🥒 Bread the Zucchini

Recipe Prep: Rinse the zucchini. Pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

1. Slice off the stem ends and discard. Cut zucchini crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices, or lengthwise into 3-inch sticks for zucchini fries.
2. Prep the coating: Pull out 3 shallow bowls. Add flour to the first bowl. Whisk eggs in the second bowl. In the third bowl, mix together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and spices.
3. On your workspace, set up an assembly line of ingredients: sliced zucchini, bowl of flour, bowl of whisked eggs, bowl of seasoned bread crumbs, and prepared baking tray.
4. Coat a slice of zucchini in flour. Dip it in egg. Dredge it in breadcrumb mixture. Lay coated pieces on prepared baking tray. Put the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes or refrigerate 1 hour. This step is a MUST for the breading to stick and not fall off during frying!

🥘 Pan Fry the Zucchini

Recipe Prep: Preheat oven to 200°F. Pull out a USA Pan baking tray with metal rack. Line the tray with paper towels. Place the oven-proof wire rack over the tray. This is the draining station for freshly-fried zucchini.

1. Add 1/2 inch oil to a heavy skillet. Heat the pan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add a pinch of flour to the pan. If the flour sizzles, the oil is ready for frying.
2. Add a few pieces of zucchini to the pan. We want to prevent overcrowding. There should be enough room for the pieces to freely float about in the oil as they cook.
3. When bottoms are golden and crisp, flip the pieces over. Total cooking time is 1 to 2 minutes. When working with a new batch, adjust the heat up or down as needed. The oil should gently bubble without smoking or burning the fried zucchini. We want a crispy coating without the pieces absorbing oil and becoming greasy. If using a food thermometer, keep the temp between 350°F and 375°F.
4. Transfer cooked pieces to the wire rack over the prepared baking tray. The oil will drain down. Do not use paper towels to directly blot off excess oil from the pieces, or the breading will stick to it.
5. Arrange fried zucchini on a platter. Garnish with a sprinkling of salt, parmesan cheese and freshly-chopped parsley. Serve with juicy lemon wedges and ranch dressing.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• How to make homemade breadcrumbs: Cube up a few slices of sandwich bread. Reduce them to crumbs in a food processor. Spread crumbs in an even layer on a baking tray. Bake 7 to 10 minutes at 300ºF until lightly brown and dry.
• If you don’t have bread crumbs on hand, use cornmeal instead. Many restaurants prefer cornmeal. But the texture of the fried zucchini will be different. Instead of soft, the coating will be crunchy, a little sweet, and mealy.
• It’s important to keep the cooking oil clean when frying zucchini. Between batches, use a metal skimmer or strainer to remove the pieces.
• How to keep fried zucchini warm: Remove paper towels from baking tray with rack. Put tray with metal rack in the preheated oven. It’ll keep this appetizer warm until serving.
• How to make baked zucchini fries: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Slice zucchini lengthwise into 3-inch sticks. Coat with breading, per this recipe. Arrange zucchini fries in a single layer on the baking tray. Spritz zucchini with cooking spray. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
• How to make air fryer zucchini fries: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Slice zucchini lengthwise into 3-inch sticks. Coat with breading, per this recipe. Arrange zucchini in a single layer. Cook the zucchini fries for 8 minutes, or until crisp and golden blonde.
• Best dipping sauces for fried zucchini: Ranch dressing, zesty tartar sauce, marinara sauce, or honey mustard dipping sauce.

🧑🏼‍🍳 Recipe FAQ

These are the most commonly-asked questions for making the BEST fried zucchini, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.

🍽 More Game Day Food

Add these delicious game day food ideas to your recipe arsenal. Like fried zucchini, these popular favorites are ideal for snacking and feeding a crowd.

• State Fair Corn Dogs
• Texas Roadhouse Chili
• Crunchwrap Supreme
• Mini Pigs in a Blanket
• Chicken Taquitos
• Sonoran Hot Dog
• Carne Asada Fries

Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Friends and family say this is the best deep fried zucchini recipe. The crisp delicious coating, and the crisp fresh veggies made this appetizer a winner. They claim it’s better than the fried zucchini served at bowling alleys, sports bars, Carl’s Jr., and the state fair.

If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.

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Fried Zucchini 👉🏻 Join the Convo

What do you think about this delicious recipe for deep fried zucchini? What dipping sauce will you pair it with? Will you serve it as an appetizer or side? Share your thoughts below!