Our Fried Zucchini recipe is the perfect way to use up your abundance of garden zucchini or as a fresh alternative to French fries. Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and tender inside, it’s a golden snack or appetizer that everyone will enjoy.
This crowd-pleasing recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home and can be made traditionally with oil on the stove or a bit healthier (and still super crispy) in the air fryer or baked in the oven. Just serve with your favorite dipping sauce (we love marinara or a spicier arrabiata sauce!) on their own or alongside one of our favorite summer dinners!
How to Make Our Fried Zucchini Recipe
Ingredients
Process
- Preheat oil in a large pan with tall sides, to 350˚F. Cut each zucchini in half crosswise, then stand each piece up and cut each pieces into quarters (until you have 16 short spears).
- Line the zucchini spears onto a plate or other clean surface and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt. Allow zucchini spears to sit for 15 minutes (this will draw water out of the spears, allowing them to crisp up better).
- Pat zucchini down with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and transfer to a clean plate.
- In a shallow dish combine flour, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir together.
- In another shallow bowl combine eggs and 2 tablespoons water. Whisk together. In a third shallow dish, spread panko breadcrumbs. Dredge zucchini spears in the flour mixture and shake to remove excess. Then dip each spear into the egg mixture until fully coated. Finally, dredge the spears in the panko breadcrumbs until fully coated. Shake off any excess.
- Fry spears in hot oil, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes or until well browned and crisp. Transfer to a cooling rack lined baking sheet and season with salt. Repeat frying until all spears have been fried and seasoned.
Why Salt the Zucchini Spears Before Breading?
Zucchini is naturally very high in water, which is great for staying hydrated, but not so great for baking or frying. Salting zucchini before adding the breading helps to draw out some of that moisture to prevent the breading from becoming soggy. Taking this little step will help make your zucchini spears extra crispy and is well worth the few extra minutes!
Air Fryer Zucchini Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 380˚F, if needed.
- Spray fryer basket with avocado spray oil.
- Line the fryer basket with breaded zucchini spears, about 1/4 inch apart. Spray each pear generously with cooking spray.
- Air fry zucchini spears for 7 to 9 minutes or until deeply browned and crispy.
- Remove spears from the air fryer, transfer to a platter, and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Oven Baked Fried Zucchini Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Line a baking sheet with the zucchini spears, 1/4″ apart. Generously spray each spear with cooking spray.
- Bake spears for 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove zucchini spears from the oven and transfer to a platter. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Fried Zucchini Freezing Instructions
Freezing cooked zucchini usually results in a bit of a soggy mess once thawed, but you can freeze this fried zucchini before you cook it.
To freeze your zucchini spears, prepare them as directed, but instead of placing them in the fryer, put them in a single layer (not touching) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze them for 3 to 5 hours, or until fully frozen, then place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to make your frozen zucchini fries, take them out of the freezer and toss them into the prepared oil. Or if air frying or baking them, just spray lightly with a little cooking spray; no need to thaw them first. Cook them at the directed temperature, but add a few extra minutes to the cooking time so they cook through.
Gluten-Free Substitutions for Our Fried Zucchini Recipe
To make gluten-free fried zucchini, you’ll need to replace the all-purpose flour and the breadcrumbs. You can use a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour and gluten-free panko breadcrumbs if you can find them.
Other options would be to swap the panko with crushed gluten-free crackers or pork rinds and the flour with almond flour or a mixture of rice flour and potato starch.
More Dipping Sauce Options
While marinara sauce is an easy go-to sauce for these spears, we also recommend these dipping sauces:
More Delicious Zucchini Recipes You Will Love
Fried Zucchini Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium zucchini ends trimmed
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oil in a large pan with tall sides, to 350˚F.
- Cut each zucchini in half crosswise, then stand each piece up and cut each pieces into quarters (until you have 16 short spears).
- Line the zucchini spears onto a plate and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt.
- Allow zucchini spears to sit for 15 minutes (this will draw water out of the spears, allowing them to crisp up better).
- Pat zucchini down with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and transfer to a clean plate.
- In a shallow dish combine flour, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir together.
- In another shallow bowl combine eggs and 2 tablespoons water. Whisk together.
- In a third shallow dish, spread panko breadcrumbs.
- Dredge zucchini spears in the flour mixture and shake to remove excess.
- Then dip each spear into the egg mixture until fully coated.
- Finally, dredge the spears in the panko breadcrumbs until fully coated. Shake off any excess.
- Fry spears in hot oil, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes or until well browned and crisp.
- Transfer to a cooling rack lined baking sheet and season with salt.
- Repeat frying until all spears have been fried and seasoned.
- Transfer spears to a serving platter and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
NOTES
- Preheat air fryer to 380˚F, if needed.
- Spray fryer basket with avocado spray oil.
- Line the fryer basket with breaded zucchini spears, about 1/4 inch apart. Spray each pear generously with cooking spray.
- Air fry zucchini spears for 7 to 9 minutes or until deeply browned and crispy.
- Remove spears from the air fryer, transfer to a platter, and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Line a baking sheet with the zucchini spears, 1/4″ apart. Generously spray each spear with cooking spray.
- Bake spears for 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove zucchini spears from the oven and transfer to a platter. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
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