Deep Fried Summer Squash

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/5/22
Fried summer squash on a plate

The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
416 Calories
23g Fat
44g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 416
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 381mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 17mg 83%
Calcium 130mg 10%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 687mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This deep-fried summer squash is easy to fix and tastes great. The squash is sliced, battered with egg and flour, and deep-fried to golden brown perfection.

This is an excellent snack or side dish. Serve it with a marinara sauce or ranch-style dressing for dipping.

Season the deep-fried squash with salt and pepper or use seasoned salt or Creole seasoning blend.

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil, or amount needed for frying

  • 4 large eggs, beaten

  • 3/4 cup milk

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 7 medium summer squash, thinly sliced, about 1/4 inch thick

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat about 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan to 360 F. Or use an electric deep fryer.

  3. Combine eggs, milk, and salt in a bowl and whisk to blend.

  4. Put the flour in a wide, shallow bowl or plate.

  5. Dip squash in the egg batter and then dredge the slices in flour until well coated.

  6. Fry in batches in deep hot fat, about 360 F, until golden brown.

  7. Drain on paper towels.

  8. Season the fried squash slices with salt and pepper or a Creole or seasoned salt blend.

Recipe Variation

Use a seasoned salt or Creole blend in place of the salt and pepper.

Tips

  • Cut food as uniformly as possible so pieces will cook evenly. If too thick, the inside might still be raw when the outside is done.
  • If oil reaches its smoking point and you continue heating, it could ignite. If this happens, turn off the heat or unplug the unit and immediately put a metal lid over the pot to smother the flames. Always keep a metal lid nearby just in case, and never use water on a grease fire!
  • Use metal utensils; plastic will melt.
  • Use a small wire basket or slotted metal spoon to lower food into the fryer and to lift it out.
  • Keep batches small enough so the food does not touch. Small batches also ensure that the oil temperature comes back up to temperature more quickly. After removing a batch of food, wait for the oil to come back to temperature before adding more food.
  • Drain the fried food on paper towels or on a rack immediately after removing from the hot oil.
  • To keep food hot while cooking subsequent batches, line a baking sheet with paper towels and preheat the oven to 200 F. Transfer the fried food to the lined baking sheet in the oven.
  • Keep oil used for frying fish separated from oil used for other foods.
  • Filter cooled used cooking oil and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Do you need to peel summer squash?

Although you should always wash yellow or zucchini squash thoroughly before cutting, it is not necessary to peel summer squash before using.