Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (2024)

Our Keto Fried Zucchini is a gluten free, grain free recipe that might just be my favorite way to eat zucchini! This crispy coated zucchini is perfect dipped in ranch and so good that I have to fight my kids for these!

Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (1)

If you’ve been around here for long, you know that I’ve eaten low carb off and on for years now. I love the way it makes me feel and I’ve lost quite a bit of weight doing it as well!

When I’m focusing on carbs, I try to eat healthy – lots of protein, plenty of veggies, and some healthy fats. Egg roll in a bowl is one of our go to meals!

But I inevitably end up craving fried food, because let’s be honest – fried food is delicious. 😉

These crispy fried zucchini chips are the ultimate low carb treat! So easy to make, the whole family loves them, and they make a great snack or side dish!

We like to dip our fried zucchini in this keto ranch dressing. Seriously the best ranch ever!

Table of Contents

Ingredient Notes:

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Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (2)

Coconut Flour- We’ve tested this recipe with both coconut flour and almond flour. Both work well, but coconut flour seems to get a bit crispier.

Parmesan – Use the powdery kind in a green can. It adds flavor to the breading!

Zucchini – You can use zucchini or yellow squash in this recipe! They’ll both fry up just about the same.

Oil – We like to use avocado oil for frying. It has a high smoke point and is healthier than most vegetable oils. It is more on the expensive side though, so feel free to use what you have on hand.

What Readers are Saying!

“My husband is the one doing Keto, so I made these for him. They were quick and easy, and he said they were restaurant quality!” – Jodi G.

How to Make Fried Zucchini:

Prepare: Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick rounds and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let them sit on a paper towel lined sheet pan to draw out the moisture for 30 minutes and then wipe off any excess liquid and salt with a paper towel.

Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (3)

Helpful Tip!

Getting Fried Zucchini Crisp:

There is a lot of moisture in zucchini, so salting it and letting that liquid sweat out is a great way to help make for a crispier finished product.

This step is optional, but if you have the time, it’s worth it!

Low Carb Breading: Dip the zucchini rounds into an egg wash and then into the breading.

The low carb breading is just a simple mix coconut flour and Parmesan cheese.

Dip the zucchini one by one into the egg mix and then dredge them in the low carb breading until they are all fully coated.

Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (4)

Fry: Add the zucchini in a single layer to a shallow pan with an inch or two of hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. For best results, your oil should be 375 degrees.

Let these fry for about 1 minute per side, just to get them golden brown.

Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (5)

Drain: Remove the zucchini to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Let the grease drain off for a bit while you fry up the rest of the zucchini.

Substitutions:

Zucchini: Can’t find zucchini? Use yellow crookneck squash instead! We can’t tell a difference!

Breading: Not worried about the carbs and don’t want to purchase coconut flour? Use equal parts all purpose flour and panko bread crumbs.

Seasoning: We keep this recipe simple and dip it in ranch dressing for flavor, but if you’d like more flavor on the zucchini, season the breading with garlic and onion powder.

Dip: Ranch is our go to, but honey mustard is another favorite, if you don’t mind the carbs.

Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (6)

FAQs:

Can you use this low carb “breading” in other recipes?

We’ve only used this breading for zucchini, but it should work well on other things such as fish or onion rings.

Can I store the fried zucchini?

Like most fried foods, these are best eaten immediately after cooking. If you do have leftovers, store them in the fridge and reheat them in an air fryer for maximum crispiness.

Should you salt zucchini before frying?

Adding salt to the zucchini before frying it allows the zucchini to release some of it’s moisture, so that it fries up a bit more crispy. This step is optional, but recommended.

MORE LOW CARB RECIPES!

Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (7)
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Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (8)

Recipe

Keto Fried Zucchini

This fried zucchini recipe is such a tasty way to get in those veggies! We love fried zucchini dipped in ranch dressing and it’s a great low carb treat.

3.37 from 61 votes

Print Pin Save

Prep10 minutes minutes

Cook10 minutes minutes

Total20 minutes minutes

Serves 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 medium zucchini or yellow squash
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
  • avocado oil for frying
  • Ranch dressing for serving

Instructions

  • Wash and slice the zucchini into thin rounds, about 1/4 inch thick.

  • Lay zucchini on a paper towel lined sheet pan and sprinkle with salt. Let set for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Pat dry, removing as much liquid and salt as possible.

  • Heat a 1/4-1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat to 375 degrees.

  • Beat together the egg and water in a shallow bowl.

  • Stir together the coconut flour and Parmesan in a second shallow bowl.

  • Coat the zucchini in the egg and then dredge in the coconut mixture to coat.

  • Add a single layer of zucchini to the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining zucchini.

  • Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.

  • Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

Tips & Notes:

Salting and letting the zucchini sit to draw out moisture is optional if you’re in a hurry, but it does make for a crispier crust on the zucchini.

You can add seasonings to the breading, such as onion powder and garlic powder, if desired. We dip ours in ranch dressing when eating and find the zucchini doesn’t need additional seasoning as the Parmesan also adds flavor.

We have not tested this in the air fryer, but if I were testing I would start at 390 degrees for 6-8 minutes and see how it goes.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 87kcal (4%)| Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)| Protein: 6g (12%)| Fat: 4g (6%)| Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g| Monounsaturated Fat: 1g| Trans Fat: 1g| Cholesterol: 66mg (22%)| Sodium: 1272mg (55%)| Potassium: 284mg (8%)| Fiber: 3g (13%)| Sugar: 3g (3%)| Vitamin A: 322IU (6%)| Vitamin C: 18mg (22%)| Calcium: 72mg (7%)| Iron: 1mg (6%)

Author: Karly Campbell

Course:Appetizer

Cuisine:American

Keyword:easy appetizer recipes, game day recipes, low carb recipes

Did You Make This?Tag Us On Instagram

This recipe was originally published in September 2015. It was updated with new photos in January 2022. Original photo below.

Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (9)
Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to fry zucchini so it's not soggy? ›

Yes, you should always salt your zucchini before frying — especially if you're aiming to achieve a crispy texture. Salting your zucchini helps remove the excess moisture stuck in the zucchini that would otherwise make frying a challenge.

How do you keep breading from falling off zucchini? ›

Transfer the breaded zucchini onto a baking sheet or large plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. This will allow the breadcrumbs to really stick to the zucchini.

Why is my fried zucchini mushy? ›

Zucchini is made of over 90% water. When cooked, it gets soft and slowly releases that water into whatever dish you're cooking. If zucchini is overcooked, it will have a mushy, soft texture.

Why do you soak zucchini before cooking? ›

The main problem that confronts the cook when preparing zucchini is its wateriness. Zucchini is 95 percent water (among vegetables, only lettuce contains more water) and will become soupy if it is just thrown into a hot pan.

Why is my fried zucchini bitter? ›

What causes this bitterness? All cucurbits produce chemicals called cucurbitacins, which cause the vegetables to taste bitter and served as a defense against plant-eating wildlife.

How do you keep zucchini crisp when cooking? ›

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

How to prevent breading from falling off when frying? ›

Place the breaded chicken on a cooling rack (or a platter) and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This cooling time will help the layers of breading ingredients solidify and adhere better after the chicken cooks. Once you start cooking the chicken, be patient and don't flip it over too early.

How do you get breading to stick to vegetables? ›

Shake excess buttermilk off of a handful of veggies, and coat lightly with breading, then coat with egg wash, letting excess drain off, and return to breading, turning and pressing to help it adhere. Transfer veggies to the tray as they are coated, and repeat with remaining veggies.

Do you rinse the salt off zucchini before cooking? ›

Definitely not. You only need a little salt — half a teaspoon of kosher salt for one medium zucchini, say — to start pulling the water out. Use more, and the zucchini will simply taste like zucchini-flavored salt. If you try to rinse out the extra salt, you risk adding back in the water you just tried to get rid of.

How long to soak zucchini in salt water? ›

Next, you cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and submerge them in this solution for 45 minutes to an hour (you might need to use a plate or something similar to weigh them down and keep them submerged in the solution). After they've soaked, transfer them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry.

Why does my zucchini taste weird? ›

If your raw zucchini tastes bitter (test by licking an otherwise fresh-looking slice of zucchini), it has likely gone bad.

Why does my zucchini taste rubbery? ›

How to Tell If Zucchini Has Gone Bad. Bad zucchini will feel rubbery or slimy to the touch. It may also have an off-putting smell and dark or fuzzy moldy spots. The interior of bad zucchini may be off-white to brownish with stringy, mushy flesh and large, hard seeds.

How to make zucchini crispy reddit? ›

Cut a zucchini into 3-ish inch slices with a diameter similar to a crinkle-cut french fry. Lightly oiled them with cooking spray. Put them in at 400 degrees over 15 minutes, then put them in for another 5 because not all of them were browning, nor crisping.

Why is my zucchini so slimy when I cook it? ›

This, the outlet asserts, is due to zucchini's high water content: If it cooks too slowly, it will release its moisture before it sears, becoming soggy and sodden. Over high heat, on the other hand, zucchini becomes caramelized on the outside but retains a meaty, firm texture within.

Why is my zucchini squishy? ›

Mold - Maybe the most obvious sign that fresh produce has gone bad. If you see mold on your zucchini, it's time to toss it out. Soft spots - When inspecting whole zucchini, if you find any soft spots that easily indent or feel squishy, this is a sign that it has begun to rot inside.

Why is my zucchini so slimy when I cut it? ›

Things You Should Know. If you see mold, black spots, browning, yellowing, shriveling, or wrinkling on the skin of your zucchini, it has likely gone bad. A soft, mushy, or slimy texture also indicates spoilage.

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