This easy-fried zucchini recipe transforms ordinary zucchini into a crispy and flavorful dish. Serve as an appetizer or a tasty side dish with a bowl of warm marinara or homemade avocado ranch dressing.
What’s In This Post
Crispy Fried Zucchini
If you have a summer garden, chances are pretty good that you have some zucchini, and if you don’t, zucchini is readily available at your local grocery store all year. This is one of our favorite zucchini recipes. You can make these up to a few hours in advance and reheat them right in the air fryer or oven, and they will still be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. We like to serve them with marinara, but you can also serve with Honey Mustard Sauce or Southern Comeback Sauce.
They reheat incredibly well and are always a favorite with family and friends. I love to serve them for family night with Lemon Pepper Wings, Baked Shrimp Toast, and French Onion Dip.
Fried Zucchini Ingredients
- Zucchini: look for medium-sized, unblemished, firm zucchini
- Flour: all-purpose
- Eggs: large ones
- Breadcrumbs: Italian and Panko
- Parmesan cheese: freshly grated
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil: vegetable or canola
- Sauce: marinara or homemade ranch
How to make Fried Zucchini
Start by cutting your zucchini into sticks or rounds. Either way, they should be about 1/2 inch thick. Now, set up three bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one mixed with Italian breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
Dredge the zucchini sticks or slices in the flour, dip them in the eggs, and in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat until you have coated all the zucchini.
Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a Dutch oven or heavy skillet like a cast iron skillet. Now working in batches, fry the zucchini on each side for a few minutes or until golden brown. Then, remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain excess grease. Serve with warm marinara sauce or ranch dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Leave the skin on and cut the sticks or rounds for zucchini bites about 1/3-1/2 inch thick for optimum frying.
- I like to make my own breadcrumbs using croutons. They provide such terrific flavor with a lot fewer preservatives. I grind them up in my mini food processor.
- To avoid the dreaded breading fingers, use one hand for the wet ingredients and the other for the dry ingredients! Voila, no more constant hand washing.
- Try cooking in the air fryer for a lighter version with less fat and calories.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese as it is flavor-packed and helps make this recipe so delectable.
How to cook fried zucchini in an air fryer
Bread the zucchini per the instructions and spray the pieces lightly with cooking spray. Then, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Arrange in a single layer and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until crispy. Every air fryer cooks differently, so check on them several times.
How to bake these zucchini sticks
Bread the zucchini per the instructions and spray the pieces lightly with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the breaded zucchini in a single layer with some space between them. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Storage and Reheat
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be reheated in an air fryer in a single layer at 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes or in the oven at 375 degrees for 5-6 minutes.
More Zucchini Recipe
Fried Zucchini Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium to large zucchini
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Marinara optional
Instructions
- Set up 3 bowls. One with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one mixed with Italian breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Dip each stick in the flour, then in the eggs, and then in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat 1/2 inch oil in a Dutch oven heavy or heavy skillet. Working in batches, fry the zucchini for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain any excess grease. Serve with warm marinara sauce.
Notes
- Leave the skin on and cut the sticks or rounds for zucchini bites about 1/3-1/2 inch thick for optimum frying.
- I like to make my own breadcrumbs using croutons. They provide such terrific flavor with a lot fewer preservatives. I grind them up in my mini food processor.
- To avoid the dreaded breading fingers, use one hand for the wet ingredients and the other hand for the dry ingredients! Voila, no more constant hand washing.
- For a lighter version with less fat and calories, try cooking in the air fryer.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese as it is flavor-packed and really helps make this recipe so delectable.
Nutrition
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Sandy
Absolutely delicious. They are nice and crispy. They are pretty easy to make. My husband loved them and so did I. I grew zucchini and I still have a lot left. I will try your other recipe, too. Thank you so very much.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Sandy!
Kennerly
We love zucchini and this was a fun new way to fix it. I served it with some sriracha mayonnaise and the kids and I loved them. Great texture and crunch!
Marilyn
I’ve had zucchini fries a couple times, but I’ve never tried making them. We have a new air fryer and I’d love to give this a try, especially in the summer when we have so much zucchini!
Rosalinda K
I did dip in marinara but I think they also taste good on their own. Crispy and flavorful! My daughter and I loved them!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Rosalinda! So glad that you and your daughter liked them!
Jupiter K
I love ths fried zucchini. Great recipe. It turned out crispy and tasty. This is my new favorite way to eat zucchini.
ReeAnn
Usually it’s the texture of zucchini that I’m not a fan of, but these were fabulous. It must have been the crispy coating or the seasoning in the crispy coating. Either way I loved them and I will make them again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, ReeAnn! I am glad that they worked out for you!
Lillian Holt
I love how crispy and flavorful these turned out, and serving them with marinara sauce was like the perfect pairing. Can’t wait to make them again, perhaps for a spring fling!
Beth Pierce
Sounds like fun!
Melanie Eastham
Zucchini fries are tasty and easy to make. I must try these in the air fryer.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Melanie! Enjoy!
Tilly Costello
I love breaded vegetables. This fried zucchini is so delicious and a great snack as well! I served it with a variety of dipping sauce…marinara, your comeback sauce, and ranch dressing. We loved it!
Sienna Thomas
This crispy fried zucchini recipe is a must-try for anyone with an abundance of summer zucchini or just looking for a delicious snack! It is so crispy and tasty. Great for movie nights and game days. We love it with marinara!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you like it, Sienna!
Lila Meeds
These are great as a snack or an appetizer. They are so easy to grow in the garden but I have had never had them fried in breadcrumbs before like this. We really enjoyed eating them this way. Thanks for a great new zucchini idea!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Lila!
Lisa Marie
I made these in the air fryer per your instructions and they were amazing. I hate all that frying mess in my kitchen I served them with your comeback sauce to give them a little kick.
Beth Pierce
Great idea, Lisa Marie!
Mabel Anthony
Delicious! Zucchini nut here! So crispy and tasty. I must check out your other zucchini recipes.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Mabel! Enjoy!
Laura Andrews
YUM! I love zucchini and this was a fun way to cook them, my kids even helped bread them. I can’t wait to plant in the spring.
Beth Pierce
Me either. I always plant fresh herbs!