Southern Fried Squash

Fried squash slices draining on a paper towel.

4.89 from 9 votes

Southern Fried Squash is a summer delicacy. Fresh yellow squash and zucchini are dredged in buttermilk, breaded with flour and cornmeal, and fried until they are golden brown and crispy. It is such a delicious way to cook summer squash and is the perfect summer side dish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Servings:

Calories: 488kcal

Author: Kari

Equipment

a deep fryer
a large skillet
a slotted spoon

Ingredients

3 medium yellow squash or zucchini
½ cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning If you don't have Tony's, use ½ a teaspoon each of salt & pepper, plus a pinch each of garlic powder, cayenne, & onion powder.
2 cups frying oil I use peanut oil or vegetable oil.

Instructions

Slice up your squash into ¼ - 1/2 inch slices. Try to slice all of the pieces evenly so that they cook in the same amount of time. Bigger slices will be a little crunchier. (There is no need to peel the squash, just clean them.)
3 medium yellow squash or zucchini
In a small shallow bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg.
½ cup buttermilk, 1 egg
In a second shallow bowl, combine the dry ingredients - flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and Tony's Creole Seasoning.
1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup cornmeal, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
Begin heating oil - either use a large deep skillet on the stove with about half an inch of oil or get your deep fryer heated up. (If you can adjust the temperature, heat it to 360°F, about medium-high heat.)
2 cups frying oil
Dredge the squash circles in the buttermilk & egg mixture, then in the cornmeal mixture, making sure that they are completely coated.
Place them in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet while you get them all done. Letting the squash sit for a bit while the oil is heating up will help the breading stick to the squash.
When the oil is hot, fry the squash in small batches until golden brown. (If using a skillet on the stove, the squash will need to be flipped to ensure even cooking on both sides.)
If using a deep fryer, shake the fryer basket to prevent the squash from sticking to each other.
Drain off excess oil using paper towels on a wire rack or cookie sheet and allow to cool a little, then serve right away.
Serve fried squash with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

If the squash has a really skinny neck, you can also make long strips (like those pickle hamburger slices) - just make sure they are all the same thickness. If your squash seems to have a lot of extra moisture, you can lay it out on paper towels while preparing the breading mixture. Pat dry to remove excess water.

🍳 How to Reheat Fried Squash

For best results, reheat fried squash in the air fryer, toaster oven, or air fryer. I like to spread leftover squash in a single layer in an air fryer basket, then bake until crispy again - at 350-375°F for about 5 minutes.

You can also use leftover fried squash to make squash casserole - like you would make eggplant parmesan - topped with parmesan cheese; it is so delicious!

Nutrition Facts are calculated assuming about ¼ of the frying oil will get absorbed.

Nutrition