The Southern Way To Make Squash Is A Crispy Delight That Melts In Your Mouth

Southerners know that everything tastes better when it's fried. We know it's not the healthiest way to cook, but we'll just leave that alone for now. Whether it's fried chicken, chicken fried steak, fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, or fried shrimp, the south knows what's up when it comes to fried food.

So it's no surprise that southern cooks have found ways to drop summer vegetables into some frying oil and turn them into slices of crispy fried goodness. We've already mentioned fried green tomatoes (cooking them in bacon fat is a next-level move), but the south knows all about fried green beans, okra, peppers, eggplant, and every other vegetable under the sun. The fried veggie that made us perk up when we heard about it is fried squash.

Squash, and its zucchini cousin, can tend to be a little slimy and soft when not cooked correctly. So it only makes sense to take that potential problem out of the mix and simply deep fry them. The trick, according to two foodie influencers on Facebook and TikTok, is to use cornmeal primarily with a light mix of flour or corn starch, depending on the recipe. The result is a crispy, delicious, thin slice of fried squash.

One technique used by Cookin' with Babe on Facebook is to slice the squash into moderately thin rectangles, then mix together cornmeal, flour, and a variety of seasonings. Dip the squash into a mixture of whisked eggs and buttermilk, then into the cornmeal mix, and finally into oil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook until crisp and brown. The other technique from @livingdownsouth on TikTok skips the egg binder, uses the cornmeal and corn starch mixture with seasonings, and deep fries in the same way. Both methods look to turn out delicious looking, crispy summer squash.

If you're going to take the time to make some fried summer squash, it seems like a no-brainer to pair it along with another southern staple. This summery side goes well with grilled or smoked chicken or barbecue classics like shredded pork, a rack of ribs, or sliced brisket. If you're all in with fried food, you can't beat this squash with fried chicken, shrimp, or catfish. That said, even though it's a vegetable, this versatile side dish can be quite filling, so pace yourself if you're eating it alongside a larger protein.

So thanks to the south, we now have another fun and appetizing way to eat vegetables. It really is true that everything tastes better when it's fried.