Fried Summer Squash with Chimichurri Sauce

The process of breading and deep frying can feel messy and cumbersome. But, it doesn't have to be. Once you've mastered the basics and figured out how to make it work in your kitchen, the process will seem easy.

The key to a light, tender, crispy breading is buttermilk. The viscosity of buttermilk grabs and binds the ideal amount of flour to each slice of summer squash giving you the perfect amount of golden, crispy breading in every bite.

Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe

• Yellow summer squash
• All purpose flour: I usually use King Arthur Unbleached Organic All-Purpose Flour
• Semolina flour: I usually use Bob's Red Mill Semolina Flour
• Salt
• Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Here are 7 great buttermilk substitutions
• Vegetable, canola, peanut, or refined coconut oil, for frying 
• Chimichurri sauce, for serving

Additions and substitutions

• Instead of summer squash: Zucchini is an obvious substitution for yellow summer squash but you can use this recipe to fry up pretty much any vegetable you like. One of our favorites is broccolini! Other great options include cauliflower, sliced bell peppers, asparagus, and green beans.
• Instead of semolina flour: This recipe works perfectly well using only all-purpose flour instead of half all-purpose and half semolina. Semolina adds texture and extra crunch to the texture of fried vegetables, which is why I prefer it. But if you don't have any, just use 2 cups of all purpose flour.
• For a classic southern style breading, add some cornmeal: Cornmeal adds flavor and texture to the breading and can be used instead of semolina flour. I prefer using medium ground or fine ground cornmeal. Coarse ground cornmeal can make the breading a little to crunchy, almost to the point of being difficult to eat.
• Instead of chimichurri: Fried summer squash is a blank canvas for dipping in any sauce your heart desires. Try it with Aleppo Pepper Oil, homemade traditional or vegan tzatziki sauce, miso butter, or any kind of sauce that sounds good to you right now.

How to make gluten-free fried summer squash

To make gluten free breading for vegetables, you have a couple of options:

• Instead of all-purpose flour and semolina flour, dredge the slices of squash in finely ground cornmeal after dunking them in buttermilk.
• Sorghum flour is another great option. Use 2 cups of sorghum instead of purpose flour and semolina, or use a combination of sorghum flour and cornmeal.
• Swap out the all-purpose flour and semolina flour for your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour mix. My favorites are King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour and Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour. Add some cornmeal for some added crunch if you like.

Additional toppings and garnishes for fried summer squash

• Immediately after frying, sprinkle some grated parmesan over the top of the fried summer squash. The heat from the squash will cause the cheese to stick to the squash and give it a delicious cheesy flavor reminiscent of eggplant parmesan.
• To add some bright citrus flavor, add some grated lemon zest to the breading or squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the squash right after frying.
• To give the fried squash a bit of extra flavor and color, sprinkle freshly fried squash with some chopped Italian parsley or any other fresh herb you like.

Step-by-step photos and instructions for perfectly fried squash

Before getting started, line a plate, platter, or baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels and set it near the stovetop. 

Add the oil to a large skillet, saucepan, or braiser and set it over high heat. Let the oil heat while you bread the squash. Heat the oil to between 350°F and 375°F (176°C and 190°C).

Slice the squash into pieces that are about ½-inch thick. Add the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt to a shallow pan or pie plate and stir to mix everything together.

Add the buttermilk to a separate shallow pan or pie plate.

Working with several pieces at a time, dunk the squash in the buttermilk, turning it to coat it completely.

Lift the pieces from the buttermilk and add them, dripping, to the flour. Turn them around in the flour until coated on all sides.

Set the breaded pieces on a plate or platter and continue with the remaining squash pieces.

When the oil registers 350°F to 375°F on a deep fry thermometer, carefully add some of the breaded squash pieces to the hot oil. Add enough to fill the pan without overcrowding the pan. The squash should not be overlapping and should have some room to move.

Use metal tongs to turn the squash once or twice while they fry. Cook until the pieces are golden brown on both sides, then transfer them to a paper towel-lined tray. This will only take a couple of minutes on each side.

Repeat with the remaining pieces of squash.

Serve the fried squash while it's still warm with chimichurri sauce for dipping, or spoon the sauce over the squash.

Trouble shooting and common problems with deep fried vegetables

It's important to fry the squash slices within 30 minutes of breading. If you wait too long the breading will get too sticky and the fried squash will not be very crispy.

Aside from that, most problems with frying vegetables are due to an incorrect oil temperature.

• If your fried squash is too oily or greasy, that usually means the temperature of the oil isn't hot enough. Frying food in oil that isn't at least 350°F (176°C) causes the food to absorb too much of the oil, giving it a greasy texture that can be very unappealing.
• Likewise if your oil gets too hot, the outside of the squash might burn before the squash has time to cook. In addition, oil that's too hot can create undesirable flavors and harmful byproducts. If your oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and allow it some time to cool down. Vegetable oil starts to smoke between 400°F and 450°F (204°C - 232°C).

What to serve with fried summer squash

Honestly, I'd take a plate full of fried summer squash and a bowl of chimichurri any day as my whole meal. Nothing else required.

But, usually I like to serve fried summer squash as an appetizer or a side dish. It goes especially well with baked, roasted, or grilled meat or seafood. Here are four of my favorites:

I also love to serve fried summer squash with these crispy fried potatoes because the chimichurri sauce is soooooo good spooned over both!

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to leave a comment and rate it!