Delicious Fried Zucchini with Parmesan cheese and crispy panko crumbs. This crispy appetizer will rival your favorite restaurant's fried zucchini!
Crispy, crunchy fried zucchini is a favorite restaurant and bar appetizer. You can make this delicious appetizer at home too!
Our garden is bursting with zucchini right now and we are making fried zucchini regularly. You don't have to have garden fresh zucchini to make this though. Zucchini is available in most markets year round.
How do I make fried zucchini?
- Slice zucchini
- Set up 3 bowls for dipping; flour, egg, panko and Parmesan mixture
- Dip zucchini into flour
- Dip into egg
- Place zucchini into Panko mixture. Press mixture firmly onto zucchini slice
- Pan fry with a bit of oil
- Cook each side 2-3 minutes until golden brown
How thin do I slice the zucchini?
The thickness and the shape you cut your zucchini is all up to you. I like to do round slices, but you could also do long sticks. The thickness of your slices does matter. I like a crunchier zucchini so I cut on the thicker size, approximately ⅓ inch. My husband likes his zucchini cooked more so he does a thinner slice. No matter the thickness of the slice, the cook time remains the same, because you are browning the crust. Experiment with a few different thicknesses to determine your favorite size.
What do I serve with fried zucchini?
I like to dip my fried zucchini into ranch dressing. You could also dip into a blue cheese dressing or a marinara sauce.
Tips for making fried zucchini
- You don't need a lot of oil. Use ¼ - ⅓ cup. You just want a thin layer of oil on your pan.
- Heat oil over medium high heat. To test if oil is hot enough, drop a few pieces of panko into pan. If the oil sizzles, your pan is ready.
- Do not overcrowd pan. Cook zucchini in batches if needed
- Serve zucchini while still warm or hot!
Other zucchini recipes
If you are looking for other yummy appetizers, check out these Onion Rings, Tortilla Pinwheels and Coconut Shrimp.
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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious appetizer recipes!
Fried Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini (medium sized)
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Place flour in a bowl
- Mix panko, Parmesan, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl
- Beat eggs in a third bowl
- Slice zucchini approximately ¼" thick
- Dip zucchini slices into flour, then into the eggs and finally into the bread crumbs. Press bread crumbs firmly onto zucchini
- Place a thin layer of oil in a pan and heat over medium high
- When oil is hot, but not smoking, add breaded zucchini. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until golden.
Video
Notes
- If you like zucchini a bit softer, slice zucchini a bit thinner. Cook for the same amount of time.
- You don't need a lot of oil. Use ¼ - ⅓ cup. You just want a thin layer of oil on your pan.
- Heat oil over medium high heat. To test if oil is hot enough, drop a few pieces of panko into pan. If the oil sizzles, your pan is ready.
- Do not overcrowd pan. Cook zucchini in batches if needed
- Serve zucchini while still warm or hot!
Nutrition
Carol says
Here’s a tip for you. You’ll occasionally get a bitter zucchini that tastes awful when cooked. To detect this, cut off the stem end and lick the inner flesh. If it tastes bitter don’t cook it.
Kathy says
Well that's a new one for me! I can't say I've ever had a bitter zucchini, but I'm sure it will happen one day. Thanks for the tip. 🙂
David @ Spiced says
This looks delicious, Kathy! And it's a really fun one to use up that zucchini in the garden. This is the first year in a long time that we didn't plant zucchini (due to the new house move and all), so I'm missing the zucchini in our garden this year. That's ok, though, there's plenty of it in the store, and now I really want to make a batch of this fried zucchini. Yum!
Kathy says
Zucchini is one of those veggies that's available year round in most places. That' a good thing - more fried zucchini!
Valentina says
These look SO tasty! A plate of them would not be safe with me. I'd eat ALL of them. Love the step-by-step photos, too.
Kathy says
Thanks! 🙂
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
I know one thing is for sure, Kathy, and that is I couldn't stop at one! 🙂 Delicious! Zucchini is a favourite of mine! I do something similar oven baked, but I am such a sucker for fried food... mmm, so good!! 😀
Kathy says
One is never enough!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I could seriously make a dinner out of these Kathy. Summer zucchini is always one of my favorites. I remember as a kid, my mother went through a zucchini phase and it was zucchini everything! I still LOVE it! Pinned!
Kathy says
I wasn't a zucchini fan when I was a kid, but I am now!