I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini! It’s my favorite way to eat these veggies. It’s also incredibly easy to make. I dredge the squash in cornmeal making sure both sides are coated well and then fry in butter until both sides are crisp browned and tender. I drain the squash on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper and it’s ready to serve.

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Are you trying to find inventive ways to get your kids to eat squash? Here’s one of them. This recipe is absolutely delicious. I can eat a bowlful of it in one sitting! No kidding. It’s also great reheated in the microwave for leftovers, too. I sprinkle a lot of salt and pepper on mine, and then practically inhale this stuff. 🙂

Rolling sliced squash or eggplant in cornmeal and frying in butter until completely done creates a wonderful, almost sweet-tasting vegetable. Add a little salt and pepper and it’s a wonderful side dish. It is also a good base for Eggplant Parmesan or Zucchini Parmesan.

People who don’t normally eat any of these three types of vegetables usually love them prepared this way. If you are vegan you can substitute olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil for the butter.

I have tried cutting down the butter (and therefore the calories) but it just doesn’t work as well. I’ve tried making it by just spraying cooking spray in the skillets. That really doesn’t work. I’ve used special pans where you’re not supposed to have to add oil. That also doesn’t work.

The squash and eggplant need the moisture from the butter/oil in order to turn out right and not be dried out. I’ve tried baking it with parmesan cheese in my Parmesan Baked Yellow Squash but that’s totally different in texture and taste. I suppose all that butter is what helps give the squash such a superior taste.

While Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini is gluten free it can’t be considered healthy because of all the butter/fat that is used to cook it in. It is delicious however. You can also check out my Fried Zucchini recipe where I’ve singled out zucchini and just made that with this basic recipe.

I got this recipe from a neighbor who I also went to church with in Florida. She invited us over for dinner one night and she served steaks with heaps of grilled onions and fried zucchini or yellow squash and some kind of rich dessert. I can’t remember the dessert. But these veggies were so simple and wonderful tasting, that I began adding them to our regular dinner menus.

When I initially posted this recipe in June 2012, I had only begun my blog a couple of days before hand. I had served this for company, but really didn’t have time to take good pictures at any stage of the process. Plus, I was using an iPhone 3 to take pictures and it really didn’t do the job very well. However, that’s all I had to work with.

I recently remade this recipe (January 2015) making all three kinds of the squash. I believe this is a better presentation of what this delicious side dish looks like. I’ve made it a LOT over the years. Usually I only make one kind of squash and serve it with any main dish entree I’m making. But for the purpose of this post, I went ahead and made all three. Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini is a wonderful side dish that I drool over every time I make it. I hope you enjoy it too.

I have to admit Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini is one of my favorite ways to eat these three veggies! 

Here’s a plate of Fried Yellow Squash and Zucchini. This is a succulent and amazing way to serve it.

If you’ve never tried squash this way, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients.

Unless you order online or live in Massachusetts you probably won’t be able to find this amazing stone ground

Wash zucchini. Slice off ends. Place cornmeal in a small bowl. Slice zucchini and then dredge each side very well in the cornmeal.

Heat your skillet to a medium heat and melt a tablespoon or so of butter. Swirl the butter around in the pan so it’s completely coated. Add zucchini slices, cover with lid, and fry about 5 minutes or until the bottoms are well browned.

Using a fork, turn zucchini pieces over. Dab small dabs of butter around the edge and in between some of the zucchinis so there’s enough moisture for the zucchini to brown. The zucchini on the left are not done enough so they will be turned over a few more times until completely done. Cover and continue to cook the zucchini in batches with additional butter until all the zucchini is cooked through.

As each batch of zucchini comes out of the skillet, place it on paper towel-lined plates to absorb some of the extra butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Continue layering zucchini and sprinkle each layer with more salt and pepper until finished. This is an excellent way to use up those big whopper zucchinis from the garden that have gotten too big. Once they get to a certain size they start getting tough, but they work great in this recipe. 

Repeat this process with the yellow squash.

Fry the yellow squash. Add more butter if the pan seems dry. (Cover with lid).

Turn yellow squash over with a fork. Add more butter and recover with lid. The squash on the right will have to be cooked a little longer. They are not cooking as quickly as the squash on the left side.

Once squash is cooked, place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle each layer with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until all the yellow squash is cooked.

Now repeat the process again with eggplant. Peel the eggplant, if desired (the skin is bitter). Dredge eggplant slices in cornmeal.

Fry in butter until the bottoms are well browned. (Cover with lid).

Turn eggplant over and dab with more butter as needed. Cover with lid.  I use a lot of butter. If you look closely you can see little dabs of butter between the eggplant slices.

When done, drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until all the eggplant slices are cooked.

Serve Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini with whatever main dish you desire.

Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini are all so delectable. 

Yellow squash is on the left, Eggplant is in the middle, and zucchini is on the right.

Fried squash is also terrific for tailgating parties!

Here’s the recipe.

FRIED EGGPLANT, YELLOW SQUASH OR ZUCCHINI

(Recipe adapted from Lorrel Newton, when we attended First Baptist Church Indian Rocks, Largo, FL)

Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini

Teresa Ambra

Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini is such a tasty and delicious way to serve squash and eggplant. This 3-ingredient recipe is quick, easy and gluten free. If you've never enjoyed squash, this fantastic recipe will change your mind! Wonderful side dish for any main dish entree.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Side Dish, Veggie

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 121 kcal

Equipment

• 1 griddle or electric skillet with lid or regular skillet with lid
• 1 small bowl
• 1 plastic spatula
• 1 fork
• 1 paper towel-lined plate
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 medium zucchini yellow squash or eggplants
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Longfellow's Wayside Inn corn meal or regular corn meal or your favorite stone-ground cornmeal
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. Salt and pepper as desired

Instructions

 

• Heat about 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet.
• Place cornmeal in a small bowl.
• Wash veggies.
• Peel eggplant, if desired.
• It is okay to leave a little water on it because it makes the cornmeal adhere to the squash or eggplant better.
• Dredge squash or eggplant slices in cornmeal to cover completely on one side.
• Turn slices over and coat other side with cornmeal.
• Place squash or eggplant in skillet.
• Cover with lid.
• Cook about 5-10 minutes until the bottoms are light-to-medium brown.
• Turn squash or eggplant slices over with a fork.
• Dab with another tablespoon or two of butter so that the butter melts evenly over the entire surface of the skillet.
• Replace lid cover.
• Cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
• Remove to medium-sized paper towel-lined platter to drain.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat another tablespoon of butter in skillet and repeat the process until all the squash is cooked.
• Season each cooked layer of squash or eggplant with salt and pepper, as desired.

Notes

NOTE: You can usually fit one sliced zucchini, yellow squash or eggplant in a 12-inch skillet, so you will need to sauté 3 batches of zucchini, each with two tablespoons of butter, until all the veggies are used.

 

NOTE: One tablespoon of butter is needed for each side of squash or eggplant.

 

NOTE: Use coconut oil , avocado oil or olive oil for frying, if vegan. Watch the temperature so the oil doesn't smoke.

 

NOTE: Peel eggplant before frying, if desired.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 381IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg

Keyword eggplant, gluten free, side dish, yellow squash, zucchini

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

[b]Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini[/b]

Recipe Type: Veggie

Cuisine: American

Author: Teresa Ambra adapted from Lorrel Newton, when we attended First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks, Largo, FL

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 6

Tasty and delicious way to serve eggplant, yellow squash or zucchini. This recipe is quick, easy and gluten free. You can easily make this recipe vegan by using olive oil instead of butter for frying.

Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini, yellow squash or eggplants, washed, ends cut off, and sliced in 1/8” slices
• about ½ to 3/4 cup [url href=”http://www.wayside.org/” target=”_blank” title=”longfellow’s wayside inn corn meal”]Longfellow’s Wayside Inn corn meal [/url]or regular corn meal
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper, as desired

Instructions

1. Heat about 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet.
2. Place cornmeal in a small bowl.
3. Wash veggies.
4. (Peel eggplant).
5. It is okay to leave a little water on it because it makes the cornmeal adhere to the squash or eggplant better.
6. Dredge squash or eggplant slices in cornmeal to cover completely on one side.
7. Turn slices over and coat other side with cornmeal.
8. Place squash or eggplant in skillet. Cover with lid.
9. Cook about 5-10 minutes until the bottoms are light-to-medium brown.
10. Turn squash or eggplant slices over with a fork.
11. Dab with another tablespoon or two of butter so that the butter melts evenly over the entire surface of the skillet.
12. Replace lid cover. Cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
13. Remove to medium-sized paper towel-lined platter to drain.
14. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
15. Heat another tablespoon of butter in skillet and repeat the process until all the squash is cooked.
16. Season each cooked layer of squash or eggplant with salt and pepper, as desired.

Notes

You can usually fit one sliced zucchini, yellow squash or eggplant in a 10-inch skillet, so you will need to sauté 3 batches of zucchini, each with two tablespoons of butter, until all the veggies are used. [br][br]One tablespoon of butter is needed for each side of squash or eggplant.[br][br]Use coconut oil for frying if vegan. Watch the temperature so the oil doesn’t smoke.[br][br]Peel eggplant before frying.

This is a great way to get your kids to try eggplant or squash. 

If you have a lot of squash coming from your garden or from your CSA, this is a great way to cook some of it up.

We absolutely love Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini. It is so scrumptious I can eat plates of this stuff!

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Fried Zucchini

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Parmesan Baked Yellow Squash

Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini

Teresa Ambra

Fried Eggplant, Yellow Squash or Zucchini is such a tasty and delicious way to serve squash and eggplant. This 3-ingredient recipe is quick, easy and gluten free. If you’ve never enjoyed squash, this fantastic recipe will change your mind! Wonderful side dish for any main dish entree.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Side Dish, Veggie

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 121 kcal

Equipment

• 1 griddle or electric skillet with lid or regular skillet with lid
• 1 small bowl
• 1 plastic spatula
• 1 fork
• 1 paper towel-lined plate
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 medium zucchini yellow squash or eggplants
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Longfellow’s Wayside Inn corn meal or regular corn meal or your favorite stone-ground cornmeal
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. Salt and pepper as desired

Instructions

 

• Heat about 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet.
• Place cornmeal in a small bowl.
• Wash veggies.
• Peel eggplant, if desired.
• It is okay to leave a little water on it because it makes the cornmeal adhere to the squash or eggplant better.
• Dredge squash or eggplant slices in cornmeal to cover completely on one side.
• Turn slices over and coat other side with cornmeal.
• Place squash or eggplant in skillet.
• Cover with lid.
• Cook about 5-10 minutes until the bottoms are light-to-medium brown.
• Turn squash or eggplant slices over with a fork.
• Dab with another tablespoon or two of butter so that the butter melts evenly over the entire surface of the skillet.
• Replace lid cover.
• Cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
• Remove to medium-sized paper towel-lined platter to drain.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat another tablespoon of butter in skillet and repeat the process until all the squash is cooked.
• Season each cooked layer of squash or eggplant with salt and pepper, as desired.

Notes

NOTE: You can usually fit one sliced zucchini, yellow squash or eggplant in a 12-inch skillet, so you will need to sauté 3 batches of zucchini, each with two tablespoons of butter, until all the veggies are used.

 

NOTE: One tablespoon of butter is needed for each side of squash or eggplant.

 

NOTE: Use coconut oil , avocado oil or olive oil for frying, if vegan. Watch the temperature so the oil doesn’t smoke.

 

NOTE: Peel eggplant before frying, if desired.

 

^© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 381IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg

Keyword eggplant, gluten free, side dish, yellow squash, zucchini

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!