How to Make Fried Yellow Squash

For a beautiful contrasting color, fry zucchini slices along with your yellow squash.

Yellow squash is an ideal vegetable for frying because it is fast-cooking and has a high moisture content. Flour and bread crumbs stick to it easily, producing a crunchy exterior while leaving the interior tender and moist. Squirt fresh lemon juice or hot sauce on your fried squash, or serve it with ranch dressing or Dijon mustard. If necessary, keep your squash warm by placing it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Warm in a 200-degree F oven for no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

Things You'll Need

• 4 medium yellow squash
• Paper towels
• 3 shallow bowls
• 3 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups plain bread crumbs
• Wax paper
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• Large pan
• Spatula
• Plate

Instructions

1. Wash the squash and cut them into thick circles, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Pat the squash with paper towels to ensure they are completely dry.

2. Beat the eggs in one of the shallow bowls and season them with salt and pepper. Then put the flour and the bread crumbs in the other two bowls.

3. Set up an assembly line for the dredging process. Moving from left to right, set out your squash, your flour, your eggs and your bread crumbs. Place a sheet of wax paper at the end of the assembly line.

4. Take one slice of squash. Dip both sides of the squash in the flour, the egg and the bread crumbs, and then place it on the sheet of wax paper. Continue dredging the squash until you have coated all of the slices. If you run out of room on your sheet of wax paper, place another sheet on top of the first and stack the squash in layers.

5. Refrigerate the breaded squash for at least 10 minutes.

6. Pour the olive oil into a large pan and place it on the stove. Heat the oil on medium-high heat until a pinch of flour sizzles when added to the oil.

7. Place several squash slices in the pan. Cook them for about two minutes on each side. Remove the fried squash from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Continue cooking the squash in batches. Serve the fried squash immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Reduce some of the fat, cholesterol and calories of this recipe by using egg whites in place of whole eggs.

• For added flavor, season your bread crumbs with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

• Avoid burns from oil spatters by standing back from the stove as the squash cooks. Take care not to move your arms over the pan as you flip the squash.

References

• "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"; Mark Bittman; 2007
• "The Substitute Yourself Skinny Cookbook: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor With Hundreds of Simple Substitutions"; Susan Irby; 2010