Extra Crispy Fried Zucchini Sticks

Take crispy fried zucchini to a whole new level by using a surprising ingredient for the coating that guarantees an extra crispy texture!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

5-8 TBSP olive oil or neutral oil how much you need depends on the size of your frying pan
1 small jar store-bought marinara sauce for a dipping sauce

Slice each zucchini in half down the center, then cut each half horizontally (length-wise). Proceed to slice each quarter into about 1-inch sticks.

To grind the cereal, you can do this by hand by crushing 2 cups of cereal in a bowl, or you can use a mini or full size food processor to coarsely grind either the Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies cereal. Generic brands work perfectly too.
Set up a breading station. Place the 2 cups of all-purpose flour on one plate and the coarse ground cereal (Corn flakes or Rice Krispies) on another. In a bowl, whisk the 2-3 beaten eggs. The amount of eggs you need will depend on the size of the zucchinis. Start with two and add one more if needed.
Season each component generously with salt and pepper. Additionally, add the shredded ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and 2 tsp dried oregano to the cereal, mixing them in well.

Start by dipping a zucchini stick into the seasoned flour, then into the egg mixture, and finally into the cereal mixture. Ensure both sides of the zucchini are fully coated in flour, eggs, and cereal. Press the zucchini sticks into the cereal mixture to get a substantial coating.

Heat the Oil: Heat a large skillet over medium heat with olive oil or neutral oil. Maintain medium heat to prevent the oil from burning and the coating from browning too quickly.
Test the Oil: To check if the oil is ready for frying, add a small amount of flour or cereal. When it gently simmers, the oil is ready for frying.
Fry the Zucchini: Fry a few zucchini sticks at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan. The zucchini should sizzle but not splatter excessively. Turn the sticks occasionally until both sides are golden brown. Place the cooked pieces on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
If the oil gets full of black specks from the coating burning, you may need to use a strainer to strain them out. If it's too tricky to remove most of the black pieces, simply discard the oil and wipe out the pan. Then and add enough oil back to the pan to coat the bottom.
If you are making these for a larger gathering, you can use two frying pans at the same time to speed up the frying process.
Serve immediately with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.
Keep Them Warm: Add them to a paper-towel lined plate to remove excess oil. If not serving immediately, you can transfer the fried zucchini sticks to an oven-safe sheet pan with the oven set to "warm." This will keep them warm for about 15 minutes without sacrificing their crispiness. If you keep them warm much longer, they won't be crispy.

Additions and Variations

To achieve an even crispier texture, refrigerate the coated zucchini sticks for 20-30 minutes before frying.
Experiment with different seasonings in the cereal mixture, such as garlic powder or paprika, to customize the flavor profile.

You can certainly prep all the dry ingredients and place them in plates or on bowls, and season them. Don't add the parmesan until right before dredging so the dredge can stay out at room temperature for as long as needed. Cover the plates and bowls and place the beaten eggs in the fridge. You can prep the dredge ingredients 1-2 days in advance.
You can dredge the zucchini sticks up to 30 minutes before frying and place them in the fridge to help the dredge set.
You can fry them and keep them warm in the oven for about 15 minutes, but not longer as they will lose their crispiness.