• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cook2eatwell
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Cuban Recipes
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Cuban Recipes
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipe Index
    • Cuban Recipes
    • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Fried Zucchini

    Published: Aug 26, 2019 · Modified: Mar 8, 2021 by Elizabeth · Leave a Comment

    • Share
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Fried zucchini rounds arranged on a white plate with a small bowl of marinara sauce.

    In this fried zucchini recipe, zucchini rounds are dredged in flour, dipped in egg and coated with seasoned breadcrumbs. Then the zucchini is fried until golden and crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside.

    The fried zucchini is topped with grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley and served with warm marinara sauce for dipping. This is a fantastic side dish or appetizer that just may outshine the main dish!

    Breaded and fried zucchini rounds displayed on a white plate with a small bowl of red sauce in the background.

    This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients

    • 1 Large Zucchini, cut into ½ inch rounds (yields 12-14 pieces)
    • 1 teaspoon Salt, divided, plus a pinch for the egg and to sprinkle on the fried zucchini
    • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ¼ cup Flour (all purpose)
    • 1 Egg, beaten
    • ½ cup Breadcrumbs, plain
    • Canola Oil, for frying – enough to cover the bottom of a large skillet with ¼ inch of oil

    Garnishes

    • Grated Parmesan Cheese
    • Chopped Parsley

    Dipping Sauce

    • Marinara Sauce, warmed through

    You will also need

    • A sheet pan or platter lined with parchment paper
    • A large sheet pan lined with a cooling rack, or if you don’t have one, a plate lined with paper towels to place the zucchini after it is fried.

    How to bread zucchini

    Slice the zucchini into ½ inch rounds and place them on a paper towel until ready to use.

    To bread the zucchini we need to dredge it in flour first, then dip in the wet ingredient and  finally, coat with the breadcrumbs.

    If we skip the dredging step, the breading will separate from the zucchini and flake off. The flour and wet ingredient (egg in this case) creates a “glue” so that the breading can adhere to the food. Check out this dredging and breading post for more information.

    Set up a breading station

    • Use a baking sheet or two large plates, add the flour to one side and the breadcrumbs to the other. I use a quarter sheet pan, that way, I only have one thing to wash.

    Since the zucchini is small I have plenty of room. If I was breading a large piece of steak, like for this bistec empanizado, then I would use a larger sheet pan.

    • Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the flour and stir it in with a fork.
    • Add ½ teaspoon of salt, garlic powder, dried oregano and black pepper to the breadcrumbs and stir them in with a fork.
    • Add the egg and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl and beat well.
    Fried Zucchini Breading Station Image

    Bread the zucchini rounds

    Working with one zucchini piece at a time, coat it on both sides with the flour. Tap it gently on the pan to shake off the excess.

    A zucchini round lightly coated in flour.

    Next, dip the zucchini in the egg mixture. The egg will wash right off the zucchini, it is necessary to rub it gently so that the egg adheres to the flour. I take my thumb and rub the middle gently, that does the trick. Make sure it is evenly moist.

    A zucchini round after being dipped in egg.

    Now, place the zucchini in the breadcrumbs and press down. Turn and press down again. Do this a couple of times until the zucchini is completely coated.

    A close up picture of a zucchini round coated in breadcrumbs.

    Set it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and repeat with the remaining pieces.

    Breaded zucchini rounds arranged on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Before frying.

    Fry the zucchini

    Add enough oil to a large, non-stick skillet to cover the bottom by at least ¼ inch. How much oil to use will depend on the size of the skillet. 1 – 1½ cups should do it.

    Heat the oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the zucchini to the skillet. Use a test piece. If the oil starts bubbling around the edges, it is ready.

    Breaded zucchini frying in a large, black skillet.

    Fry the breaded zucchini for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until they reach the desired golden brown color. Keep an eye on them, if they are browning too quickly, lower the heat just a touch and flip the zucchini more often.

    Frying tips for the best fried zucchini

    • Two minutes per side was the magic number for us, but it depends on how hot the oil is, and the skillet you’re using. Use the time as a guide, but don’t fret if you need more or less.
    • Don’t overcrowd the skillet. There should be enough room so that the zucchini is not overlapping. If you have to, fry in batches.
    • If you are frying in batches, take the skillet off the heat while you remove the zucchini and get them all settled on the plate or pan.

    As soon as the zucchini rounds are out of the skillet onto the lined sheet pan or plate sprinkle them with a little bit of salt.

    Garnish the zucchini with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley and serve with warm marinara sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Fried zucchini rounds arranged on a white plate with a small bowl of marinara sauce.

    You may also like these side dish recipes:

    • Yuca Fries – Yuca Frita
    • Marinated Tomatoes
    • Garlic Dill Potatoes
    • Green Beans and Bacon
    • Baked Potato
    Breaded and fried zucchini rounds displayed on a white plate with a small bowl of red sauce in the background.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Fried Zucchini Recipe

    This fried zucchini is topped with grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley and served with warm marinara sauce for dipping. This is a fantastic side dish or appetizer that just may outshine the main dish!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time5 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: zucchini
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 151kcal
    Author: Elizabeth

    Ingredients

    • 1 Large Zucchini cut into ½ inch rounds (yields 12-14 pieces)
    • 1 teaspoon Salt divided, plus a pinch for the egg and to sprinkle on the fried zucchini
    • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ¼ cup Flour all purpose
    • 1 Egg beaten
    • ½ cup Breadcrumbs plain
    • Canola Oil for frying – enough to cover the bottom of a large skillet with ¼ inch of oil

    Garnishes

    • Grated Parmesan Cheese
    • Chopped Parsley

    Dipping Sauce

    • Marinara Sauce warmed through

    Instructions

    You will also need: A pan or platter lined with parchment paper and a large sheet pan lined with a cooling rack, or if you don’t have one, a plate lined with paper towels to place the zucchini after it is fried.

    • Slice the zucchini into ½ inch rounds and place them on a paper towel until ready to use.

    Set up a breading station

    • Use a baking sheet or two large plates. Add the flour to one side and the breadcrumbs to the other.
    • Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the flour and stir it in with a fork.
    • Add ½ teaspoon of salt, garlic powder, dried oregano and black pepper to the breadcrumbs and stir them in with a fork.
    • Add the egg and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl and beat well.

    Bread the zucchini rounds

    • Working with one zucchini piece at a time, coat it on both sides with the flour. Tap it gently on the pan to shake off the excess.
    • Dip the zucchini in the egg mixture. Rub it gently with the egg so it adheres to the flour. Make sure it is evenly moist.
    • Place the zucchini in the breadcrumbs and press down. Turn and press down again. Do this a couple of times until the zucchini is completely breaded.
    • Set it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and repeat with the remaining pieces.

    Fry the zucchini

    • Add enough oil to a large, non-stick skillet to cover the bottom by at least ¼ inch.
    • Heat the oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the zucchini to the skillet. Use a test piece. If the oil starts bubbling around the edges, it is ready.
    • Fry the breaded zucchini for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until they reach the desired golden brown color. Keep an eye on them, if they are browning too quickly, lower the heat just a touch and flip the zucchini more often.
    • As soon as the zucchini rounds are out of the skillet onto the sheet pan or plate sprinkle them with a little bit of salt.
    • Garnish the zucchini with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley and serve with marinara sauce. Serve immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    Don’t overcrowd the skillet. There should be enough room so that the zucchini is not overlapping. If you have to, fry in batches.
    If you are frying in batches, take the skillet off the heat while you remove the zucchini and get them all settled on the plate or pan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 879mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg
    The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.

    More Side Dishes

    • Chicken Macaroni Salad
    • Seasoned Rice
    • Macaroni Salad
    • Potato Egg Salad
    • Share

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    aboutus

    Hi, I’m Elizabeth! welcome to Cook2eatwell. Food is my favorite subject; I like to cook food, talk about food, write about food, and most importantly, eat food. Lucky for me, my husband Eddie feels the same way. 

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Corned Beef and Cabbage
    • Corned Beef Sliders
    • Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes
    • Mushroom Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Cook2eatwell