Description
Southern-style squash emerges as a crispy, golden delight that celebrates Southern culinary traditions. Garden-fresh vegetables meet a perfectly seasoned cornmeal coating, creating a simple yet irresistible side dish you’ll crave at summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound (454 grams) yellow squash
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) buttermilk
- 1 large egg
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) flour
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Cooking Ingredient:
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
- Prepare yellow squash by slicing into uniform rounds approximately 1/4 inch thick, using a mandolin for consistent results.
- Create seasoned coating by combining flour, cornmeal, seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk buttermilk with egg and a tablespoon of flour in a separate shallow bowl to create a wet mixture for dredging.
- Dip each squash slice into buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then thoroughly coat with seasoned flour mixture, ensuring complete coverage.
- Heat vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet to 350°F, maintaining a depth of about 1/2 inch for optimal frying.
- Gently place coated squash slices into hot oil, avoiding overcrowding, and fry until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer fried squash to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil, then move to a wire rack to maintain crispiness.
- Continue frying remaining squash slices in batches, adjusting heat as needed to maintain consistent oil temperature.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy, enjoying the golden, crunchy exterior and tender squash interior.
Notes
- Use a mandolin for precise, uniform squash slices to ensure even cooking and consistent texture.
- Pat squash dry before coating to help the breading adhere better and create a crispier crust.
- Maintain oil temperature around 350F for perfect golden-brown exterior without greasy results.
- For gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free cornmeal blend.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to dry mixture for subtle heat and extra flavor dimension.
- Let coated squash rest briefly before frying to help breading set and prevent falling off during cooking.
- Use fresh, firm yellow squash for best taste and crunchiest texture in the final dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 37mg