Step by Step Tutorial: Fried Zucchini Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy when frying? ›

Salting your zucchini is the most important step in preventing it from getting soggy. Additionally, make sure your pan is properly preheated before frying the breaded zucchini. Adding the zucchini to a cold pan will make it come out oily and soft rather than crisp and golden.

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.

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.

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.

Once the zucchini is caramelizing, you'll continue to cook it until it's until tender all the way through—a paring knife or a fork should slip in without much resistance—but not yet mushy.

Breading Vegetables For Frying

Wet and wet doesn't work; dry and dry doesn't work. First, pat the veggies dry as much as possible to get your breading to stick to your zucchini (eggplant, green tomatoes). Then dredge them in some seasoned flour (cornstarch or rice flour to make a crispier end product).

There's no need to peel zucchini. In fact, the skin is a big source of zucchini nutrition (the deep green color is a dead giveaway) so you definitely want to leave the skin on. How to cut zucchini: after giving the zucchini squash a good rinse under cold water, slice off the stem and discard it.

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.

Why is my sauteed zucchini mushy? ›

Mushy veggies are also often the result of overcooking. When the interior is loaded with moisture, you have to cook it for much longer to evaporate all of the water and avoid the interior having the unappealing, spongy, raw texture that eggplant and zucchini are notorious for.

How to Sweat Zucchini. Lay your zucchini slices over a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt. Allow the zucchini to rest for about 10 minutes. The salt will draw out the excess water and you'll see beads of moisture on the surface.

Heat oven to 175 F (or heat a toaster oven to 150 F). If your appliances have the ability, you can even go as low as 120 F. My oven only goes to 175 F, so that's what I used. The higher the temperature, the more it cooks vs dries out the zucchini, but if you don't have a dehydrator, this is the next best method.

Arrange the zucchini on dehydrator trays, utilizing a mesh liner to prevent the zucchini from falling through the holes as it shrinks. Dehydrate at 125ºF (52ºC) for 6-12 hours until the zucchini is dry and brittle—it should break, not bend (see note 2).