Take advantage of summer produce with this quick and simple Southern fried squash. All you need is 5 ingredients, 20 minutes, and either yellow summer squash or zucchini (or both!). Gluten-free and egg-free optional!
Rinse and dry the summer squash (or zucchini) and cut it into slices around ¼-inch thick. You can use a sharp knife, though a mandoline or food processor slicing disk will provide the most consistent results.You can slice it anywhere between 1/4-1/8-inch. The thinner you slice the pieces, the more chip-like they'll be.
Sprinkle the slices with salt and leave them spread across a wire rack or drain in a colander over the sink.
Meanwhile, prepare the breading station. You'll need three small plates or bowls. In the first, whisk the egg and milk. In the second, add the cornmeal and pepper. Finally, in the third, add the flour.
After 25-30 minutes of draining, use clean paper towels to pat the squash pieces dry. There's no need to rinse them.
Step 2: Dredge the Slices
Dip each slice first into the flour, shaking away any excess.
Dip them in the egg mixture and finally into the cornmeal.
Meanwhile, prepare the oil. You can either use a deep-fat fryer or a deep, large skillet. Add about ½-inch of oil and heat over medium heat.
Step 3: Fry the Squash
Before adding any food to the pan, make sure the oil is hot. If you don't have an oil thermometer/digital laser thermometer, use a wooden skewer or wooden spoon to dip into the oil. When the oil is ready, bubbles should form around the wood immediately and float up to the surface of the oil.
Once the oil is hot, carefully transfer some of the breaded squash slices to the oil with a wide slotted spoon and allow them to cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp.It's important not to add too many to the pan at once, or it will affect the oil temperature and cooking. I recommend adding enough for a single layer, with no overlapping and some space to spare.
Remove the fried squash from the oil and transfer it to a couple of layers of kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Repeat with all the remaining squash, then enjoy immediately or place them on a cooling rack until you're ready to serve.
Storage Instructions
To keep warm: If you're making a large batch of fried squash and just want to keep them warm until serving, I recommend placing them on a baking sheet in the oven at 250ºF/120ºC.Store: As with most deep-fried foods, this fried yellow squash is best enjoyed immediately from the fryer for the crispiest, best results. However, if you have any leftovers, allow them to cool entirely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.Reheat: After storing, the fried summer squash will be very soft. The best way to bring back some of the crispiness is to reheat them under a broiler or in an air fryer/ oven for several minutes at 375Fº/190ºC until warmed through.
Notes
How To Avoid Soggy Fried Squash?
Don't skip the salting stage: This will draw out excess liquid from the squash to keep it crisp.
Ensure the oil is hot enough: You need oil between 350-375ºF/176-190ºC for deep frying. Either use an oil thermometer or the wooden skewer method above.
Don't overcrowd the pan: This goes hand in hand with the above, as it can cause the temperature to drop and lead to soggy breaded zucchini/squash.
Slice the pieces evenly: If some are thinner or thicker than others, they'll fry at different rates, and you'll end up with some overdone and some underdone pieces.
Optional Recipe Variations and Add-ins:
Egg-free: Use just milk with no egg for vegan fried squash.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour. Cornmeal is naturally gluten-free.
Breadcrumbs: Instead of cornmeal, use panko breadcrumbs or Italian breadcrumbs.
Heat: Add a small amount of hot sauce/chili sauce to the milk mixture. Or add some chili powder or red pepper flakes to the cornmeal mixture. Cajun seasoning would also work well.
Parmesan: Mix some freshly grated parmesan into the cornmeal coating. For a vegan version, use some nutritional yeast instead.
Spices: Season the flour with onion powder, garlic powder, and/or smoked paprika.
Herbs: Add Italian seasoning or other dried herbs like oregano or thyme to the cornmeal coating.
Air Fryer MethodI recommend spraying the pieces with a little oil and air frying them at 375ºF/190ºC for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.Check the blog post for more tips and answers to top FAQs!