I’m gonna tell you right now, the secret to making my Crispy Fried Zucchini exceptional is the addition of fresh lemon zest. If you do nothing else, buy a fresh lemon to zest on top before serving and I promise, these will be the most delicious fried zucchini you’ve ever had!
Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s chat fried zucchini. These little cuties are coated in a flour and Pecorino Romano dredge, shallow fried until golden brown, and then lovingly topped with fresh lemon zest, more grated cheese, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. They’re best enjoyed in my homemade marinara sauce which cooks in just 20 minutes. In fact, you can make the zucchini while the sauce is simmering!
For more zucchini recipes, give these Pan Fried Zucchini Fritters or my light and fresh Raw Zucchini Salad a try next. Or, if you can easily get your hands on zucchini flowers, these Fried Squash Blossoms With Ricotta are my all-time favorite! Check out more of my easy summer recipes for additional inspiration!
What You’ll Need
To make the marinara, you’ll need two cans of DeLallo San Marzano Style Crushed Tomatoes. Using a high-quality canned tomato makes all the difference in the flavor of the sauce! You’ll also need an onion, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, fresh oregano, and a couple teaspoons of sugar.
The zucchini rounds are dredged in: all-purpose flour, grated Pecorino Romano, onion powder (or onion salt), kosher salt, and a little black pepper. You can use Parmigiano Reggiano if that’s what you have!
Ingredient Substitutions
You can of course use yellow summer squash and achieve the same delicious results! If you’re wanting to use another vegetable, such as sweet potatoes, yams, or even eggplant, the cook time will likely be just a minute or two longer.
Other sauces to try for serving: homemade aioli, remoulade, or my cilantro lime crema!
To make gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs.
How To Make Fried Zucchini
- First, let’s make homemade marinara! Sauté onion in a little oil, then after a few minutes add chopped garlic. Stir in 2 cans of DeLallo San Marzano Style Crushed Tomatoes, season with kosher salt, then add fresh herbs like basil and oregano. Simmer for 20 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning, stirring in a little sugar, if desired.
- While the sauce cooks, make the zucchini. Slice the zucchini into rounds that are about ¼-½-inch thick. Dredge them first in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then once again in the flour and cheese. Full ratios are in the recipe card below.
- Fry the zucchini. Heat enough neutral oil in a large skillet to come up about ½-inch. Set it over medium-high heat until it reaches about 375F. Working in batches, carefully lower a few of the zucchini into the hot oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Immediately transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Finish, then serve! Transfer the fried zucchini to a serving bowl, then sprinkle with fresh lemon zest, grated Pecorino Romano, and whole or thinly sliced basil leaves. Enjoy immediately with marinara sauce!
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Double dredge the zucchini! This means coating in flour, egg mixture, then flour again and will yield the crispest results!
- Make sure the oil is hot enough! If not, the zucchini will end up greasy and won’t get crispy.
- Drain on paper towels! As soon as they come out of the oil, drain to remove excess grease.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt! Do this as soon as they’re draining on the paper towel. You want to season them while hot for the salt to adhere.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
You’ll definitely want to eat fried zucchini the same day you make it, but you can bread them a couple hours in advance before frying. I’d suggest arranging them on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet to avoid them sticking to sticking. You can do this 2-3 hours before cooking.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in an oven preheated to 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes until crispy again, then enjoy with cold or warmed up marinara sauce.
Fried zucchini is best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze them if necessary. Arrange the fried zucchini slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, then freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
I can’t recommend making your own marinara sauce enough! It’s quick, easy, and tastes better than anything you’ll find in a store. I always keep a few big cans of DeLallo’s San Marzano Style Crushed Tomatoes on hand for sauces. You can easily use canned whole peeled tomatoes instead and crush by hand if you like.
Other sauces for dipping: aioli, garlic Greek yogurt sauce, or my creamy remoulade sauce!
If enjoying this as part of a larger summer spread, I’d suggest the following:
- Grilled meats or poultry, like this Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, Crispy Grilled Chicken Wings, or a simple grilled steak.
- A light pasta salad: either my Pearl Couscous with Feta, Kale Pasta Caesar Salad, or this Greek Orzo Salad, both are always hits!
- A salad or additional vegetable side dish. Try my No-Cook Broccoli Salad, Panzanella Salad (this is basically a salad made with bread), or Grilled Asparagus.
Perfectly crisp, cheesy, and I just love the bright lemon flavor shining through! This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy fresh zucchini, which always seems to be in abundance during the summer.
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Crispy Fried Zucchini with Homemade Marinara
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Marinara
- 2 (28oz) cans DeLallo San Marzano Style Crushed Tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced, about 1½-2 cups
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, whole
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves finely chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1-2 tsp granulated sugar, optional
For the Fried Zucchini
- 2-3 large zucchini, cut into rounds about ¼-½-inch thick (not paper thin!)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk, any kind
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1 tsp onion salt
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 cups neutral oil or enough to come up about ½-inch in a skillet
- For serving: fresh lemon zest, grated Pecorino Romano, flaky sea salt, and fresh basil
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large non-reactive pot. Add diced onion, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic, then cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the tomatoes. Add 2 (28oz) cans DeLallo San Marzano Style Crushed Tomatoes. When the sauce begins to simmer, add ¼ cup basil leaves (whole or chopped) and chopped oregano leaves. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt then simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. For a slightly sweet marinara sauce, stir in 1-2 teaspoons of sugar.
- While the sauce is simmering, make the zucchini. Setup 2 bowls for dredging. In the first, whisk together 1 large egg and ¼ cup milk. In the second, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano, 1 tsp onion salt, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Next, dredge the zucchini rounds first in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then back to the flour mixture. Be sure to coat thoroughly on all sides during all steps. Transfer to a wire rack, then repeat with remaining zucchini.
- Fry the zucchini. Heat until neutral oil in a large skillet to come up about ½-inch. Set it over medium-high heat until it reaches about 375F. Working in batches, carefully lower a few of the zucchini into the hot oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Immediately transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Finish, then serve! Transfer the fried zucchini to a serving bowl, then sprinkle with fresh lemon zest, grated Pecorino Romano, and whole or thinly sliced basil leaves. Enjoy immediately with marinara sauce!
Notes
- Nutrition facts are an estimate based on using 1 cup of oil to fry. There will be a lot of leftover marinara sauce, but this can be stored and kept in a refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Make-ahead: You can bread the zucchini a couple hours in advance before frying. Arrange them on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet to avoid them sticking. You can do this 2-3 hours before cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in an oven preheated to 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes until crispy again, then enjoy with cold or warmed up marinara sauce.
- Fried zucchini is best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze them if necessary. Arrange the fried zucchini slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, then freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes.
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