Southern Fried Squash

This Southern fried squash is made with thin slices of yellow squash coated in flour, buttermilk and egg, then a seasoned cornmeal breading before being deep fried at 350°F until golden. The outside develops crispy bits while the squash stays tender in the center.

Keeping the slices between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick is important so the squash cooks through before the breading gets too dark. For even more crunch, I mix a little of the breading into the wet-coated squash first to create small clumps that fry into extra-crispy pieces around the coating.

How to Make Southern Fried Squash

1. Slice the squash. Clean the yellow squash and slice it between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. A slicer is useful for keeping the pieces even, and about 1/8 inch works especially well.
2. Coat with flour. Toss the sliced squash with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until lightly coated.
3. Add the wet mixture. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg, pour it over the floured squash, and toss until all of the slices are coated.
4. Make the breading. In a separate bowl, combine the yellow cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
5. Create the crispy bits. For extra crunch, add about 1/4 of the breading mixture to the bowl of wet-coated squash and gently toss. This creates small clumps that will stick to the squash and fry into extra-crispy pieces.
6. Bread the squash. Coat each slice in the cornmeal mixture, then place it on parchment paper or another nonstick surface while you finish the remaining squash.
7. Heat the oil. Add enough vegetable oil to fully submerge the squash and heat it to 350°F.
8. Fry in batches. Add the squash one piece at a time without overcrowding the pan. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Let the oil recover between batches. Bring the oil back to 350°F before adding the next batch.
10. Drain and serve. Transfer the fried squash to paper towels or a wire rack to drain, then serve warm.

Pan Fried vs. Deep Fried Squash

I prefer to deep fry squash because it gives me better control over the cooking temperature and lets the slices cook evenly without flipping them. That also means less handling once the squash is breaded, so there’s less opportunity to disturb the coating while it cooks. At 350°F, the squash stays completely submerged and takes about 3 minutes to turn golden while the center becomes tender.

Pan frying uses a shallower layer of oil, so the squash has to cook one side at a time and be flipped. For this recipe, keeping the slices submerged gives me more consistent results from batch to batch.

How Long to Fry Squash

At 350°F, these thin slices of yellow squash take about 3 minutes to fry until golden brown and tender in the center.

There’s no need to flip them because the squash is completely submerged in the oil. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches, since adding too much squash at once can drop the temperature and increase the cook time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What to Serve with Southern Fried Squash

• Hamburger Steak and Gravy – A classic Southern-style main dish that pairs well with crispy fried vegetables.
• Baked Turkey Wings – Tender, savory turkey wings make a hearty dinner alongside fried squash.
• Meatloaf Recipe with Oatmeal – A comforting homestyle main that works well with simple Southern sides.
• Oven Baked BBQ Pork Chops – Sticky, caramelized pork chops give you a sweet and savory contrast to the crispy squash.

More Southern Side Dish Recipes

• Southern Fried Okra – Fresh okra coated in seasoned cornmeal breading and fried until golden and crisp.
• Smothered Green Beans – Tender green beans cooked with plenty of savory Southern flavor.
• Smothered Cabbage – Soft, flavorful cabbage cooked down into an easy Southern side dish.
• Southern Baked Mac and Cheese – Rich, cheesy baked macaroni with a creamy center and golden top.
• Honey Cornbread – Soft cornbread with a touch of sweetness that works well alongside savory Southern dinners.