Fried Zucchini goes by many names; zucchini crisps, chips, or bites. Whatever you like to call them, one thing is certain – they are irresistibly good. You can never stop at just one, especially when you serve them with that irresistible zucchini dipping sauce (which is also super easy). Watch the video tutorial below and you’ll be craving them.
When zucchini season rolls in, we always have a surplus of zucchini from my Mom’s garden so we find creative ways to use them. Some of our favorites include Zucchini Fritters and Zucchini Casserole, but this Zucchini Crisps recipe is our kids’ favorite.
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Fried Zucchini Recipe
It’s a winner! These fried zucchini chips have a perfectly crunchy outside that seals in all of the fantastic natural juiciness of zucchini. It even stays crunchy after it cools to room temp.
You’ll love serving these zucchini crisps with the (ridiculously easy to make) garlic aioli. It’s the same sauce we use for Chicken Patties and Shrimp Cakes. You will want to dip all of your fries and Popcorn Chicken into this sauce forever.
You’ll be happy to know that this recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled, but don’t forget to multiply the garlic aioli sauce, or you will be really disappointed when it is gone.
Fried Zucchini Chips Video
Watch Natasha make the best Fried Zucchini Chips and stay tuned for the taste test to hear that irresistible crunch. I’m craving these just thinking about them.
Ingredients
The ingredients for making fried zucchini are simple. You can actually use this same process to bread a variety of vegetables and even proteins like chicken. It’s a great recipe to have in your cooking repertoire.
- Zucchini – you’ll need 1 1/2 pounds which is about 2 medium/large zucchini.
- All-purpose flour – season your flour with salt and pepper to give flavor to your zucchini bites
- Eggs – beat 2 large cold eggs until well blended for your egg dip
- Panko bread crumbs – this is my favorite bread crumb for fried zucchini because it makes them extra crispy.
- Oil – use a high heat cooking oil. My go-to is extra light olive oil.
For the Garlic Aioli Sauce
The ingredients here are so simple but it’s a winning combination for the best zucchini dip.
- Mayonnaise – the creamy base for your sauce
- Garlic – pressed or grate 1 medium/large clove
- Lemon juice – please use freshly squeezed and not a concentrate version. It makes all the difference.
- Salt and pepper – add these to taste. You don’t need much.
How to Make Fried Zucchini
Once you have your basic breading stations set up, the process moves quickly and you can bread 2 or 3 at a time if your bowls have enough space.
- Create an assembly line: In the first bowl, mix together: 1/2 cup flour with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. In the second bowl, beat two eggs with a fork. In the third bowl, add 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs.
- Dredge zucchini – coat all sides of zucchini chips in flour.
- Dip in egg wash – use a fork to transfer zucchini into beaten egg, letting excess egg drip back into the bowl
- Breading – coat zucchini in bread crumbs and set on a platter. Repeat with remaining zucchini rounds.
- Fry – heat 1/4″ of oil in a large skillet over medium. Once the oil is hot (350˚F on a thermometer, or when a bread crumb sizzles), add zucchini in a single layer and saute for 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels and repeat with remaining zucchini.
Pro Tip: To elevate the taste of fried foods, as soon as the fried zucchini come out of the oil, sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. It gives the crispy exterior the perfect little salty bite. We do the same with Easy Chicken Kiev.
To Serve
We love this fried zucchini as an appetizer or snack. Pair it with the Garlic Aioli Dip recipe or these amazing dips and sauces:
Common Questions
Yellow squash works great as a substitution since it is similar in size and flavor to green zucchini.
Fried zucchini can easily be made in the oven. Set breaded zucchini onto a rimmed baking sheet, spray both sides with cooking spray, and bake in the center of a preheated oven at 425˚F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
It’s even easier in the air fryer since you don’t have to flip the zucchini halfway. Spray breaded zucchini on both sides with cooking spray and air fry at 370˚F for 10-13 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
You can use an Italian bread crumb but we prefer the Panko Crumbs for the extra crunch.
More Summer Appetizer Recipes
These are some of our favorite summer appetizers (and we often sneak them into our rotation year-round because they are that good):
I’d love to hear about your favorite summer appetizers and how you love to use up all that summer zucchini. Maybe you’re making Fried Zucchini Crisps tonight?
Fried Zucchini Crisps with the Best Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
Fried Zucchini Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs zucchini, (2 medium/large) sliced into 1/2" thick rounds
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging, seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs, beaten, for egg wash
- 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- extra light olive oil, Use a higher smoke point oil for frying
For the Garlic Aioli Sauce:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 medium garlic clove, pressed or grated
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To Make Fried Zucchini Crisps:
- Create an assembly line: In the first bowl, mix together: 1/2 cup flour with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. In the second bowl, beat two eggs with a fork. In the third bowl, add 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs.
- Dredge one of your zucchini slices fully in the flour mixture, tapping off the excess.
- Next, use a fork to dip floured zucchini in the beaten egg mixture, turning to fully coat, and let the excess egg drip back into the bowl before transferring to breadcrumbs.
- Move the zucchini to the bread crumbs bowl and coat all sides of the zucchini with crumbs. It helps to scoop the breading on top of the zucchini pieces so they are easier to flip and coat. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remaining zucchini rounds.
- Heat a large, non-stick, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat and add about 1/4" oil (enough to generously cover the bottom). Let the oil preheat to 350˚F on a thermometer or when a bread crumb sizzles in the oil then add breaded zucchini chips in batches in a single layer and saute 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on each side. If browning too quickly, reduce the heat. Once zucchini is done frying, transfer them to a rack set over paper towels and repeat with remaining zucchini. Serve warm with aioli sauce.
To Make Garlic Aioli Dip:
- In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup mayo, 1 pressed garlic clove, 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
We first published this recipe in 2014 and it has been a classic ever since. We revamped the recipe in 2022 with a new video tutorial, photos, and new tips like how to make fried zucchini in the oven or air fryer.
Saw Sharkey eating that lemon! Haha Then when you went to cut the lemon he was gone. Can’t wait to try these. I love zucchini and squash! Love all your videos. We cook your dishes frequently.
Great catch haha! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Great catch, Sheila! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Great easy recipes! Love zucchini and summer squash.. Thank You
You’re welcome, Helen. Thank you for your comments and feedback!
I love your recipes and videos. The pop up and advertisements on you site makes me think the only thing important to you is the likes or money you make from your site. I’m guessing that was not what you had in mind when you started the site. I’m sure you would more responses if people didn’t bail out!
Hi Rob, Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback. The only way we can continue providing free recipes is by having ads on our site, so we are not able to remove those at this time. We find that most people would rather see the ads than pay to see the recipes. But we will definitely take note of your feedback and use it to improve our website.
I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you love every recipe you try.
Oh My Gosh!!!
I made these and they look just like yours:) WooHoo
This recipe is perfect, my family eats them up so fast that I can’t keep up with them, I put them on a plate and they’re gone in no time. I truly love this recipe!!!!
I Love Watching all your videos, you are Awesome!!!!
This comment made my day, Melinda! I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for your wonderful review!
Looks Yummy – My Hubby likes them but I have to make my own Red Sauce – Show shack in the Lemon mouth
I am so happy you include the nutritional information for your recipes but there is no serving size! Can this be added so we know how much? Husband recently diagnosed with pancreatitis so we have to closely watch fat content. Appreciate the info and love your work. Thank you.
Hi Sheilah! This recipe serves 6 people and the nutrition facts are per serving. I don’t have these measured out to see how many crisps would make 6 servings, and that would be dependent on how thick they are cut as well. You can measure the weight of crisps combined and divide that by 6 and that would be one serving. I hope that helps.
These zucchini bites are perfectly crunchy and delicious! I love the aioli as a dip with zucchini. This was a yummy appetizer!
So glad you enjoyed these. Thank you for the wonderful review.
Delicious! Love the crunch and the garlic aioli was to die for.
So glad to hear that. Thank you, April.
this is a game changing appetizer recipe, thank you for sharing this!
You’re welcome! I hope it was a big hit!
these are amazing… thanks so much for what you do and for being a GREAT teacher!
You’re so nice! Thank you, Herman! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Looks so delicious.I would probably use coating mix the flour and panko in separate plastic bags and add a little hot sauce to the raw scrambled eggs and beat them really well. I use peanut oil because there is less spattering when hot. I love so many of your recipes and want to thankyou for sharing them!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I hope you try and love this recipe soon!
This receipe was very good just like all your recipes. Thank you for helping me learn how to cook
You’re welcome, Ria! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes!
Hi for the Aioli sauce What kind of salt?
Kosher, sea Salt, table salt.
Thank you for your time
hi Ria, I like to use fine sea salt but table salt will also work
These are amazing, Natasha.
I made then into “fries” and fried them in my air fryer. Spritz them with oil first, then air fry 400 degrees for 12 minutes.
The sauce goes so well with them.
Definitely will make again.
Sounds awesome and that’s a great idea and something new to try next time. Thanks for sharing that with us and for your good review!
Thanks I was wondering if i could do the rounds in my air fryer!
Hi Judy, I haven’t tested that yet but I saw that someone else commented that they used an air fryer and it also turned out great!
You answered my question – Thanks so much! I’m going to try this when my zucchini is ready.
I added Parmesan to panko.(used gluten free from Amazon)
Could i prepare it all 3 hours
ahead of time and then fry in the pan.
Hi Margriet, I think they are best on the same day (within 3 to 4 hours of being made). They aren’t the same if you refrigerate them since they lose their crunchiness.
I literally had to force myself to let these cool a bit. We are burning our mouths trying to eat them they are so good! Awesome recipe!
Hi Octavia, thanks for trying out this recipe. I’m glad that you loved it!
How can we make this keto friendly? Any suggestions?
Hi Joceline, I haven’t tried making these with almond flour but I do think it’s worth experimenting with. I checked the comments and none has reported using almond flour for this either. If you experiment, let me know how it goes 🙂
Can this be done in air fryer?
I haven’t tested that yet but I saw that someone else commented that they used an air fryer and it also turned out great!
If you soak the slices in ice water for about 10 minutes before dredging, they will be extra crispy (without burning) and won’t get soggy in the middle. I also use a meat fork to turn them. Works a treat!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Suzannah!
How long can you keep the dip for please?
Hi Marisa, you can store the sauce for a couple of days, I haven’t tried it longer than that.