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Whether its the peak of zucchini season or the dead of winter these Zucchini Fries with vodka sauce are a hit with friends and family alike.The crispy crunch of golden fried zucchini fries dipped in creamy homemade vodka sauce, what could be better.
If we told you that fried foods can be healthy and still taste fresh and delicious, you wouldn’t believe us… right? If you don’t, then we’d bet our last Las Vegas chip that you’ve never tried zucchini fries before. What are zucchini fries? Our recipe takes tender slices of zucchini, hand dredged in tangy garlic and parmesan crumbs and deep-fried them to crispy perfection.
These yummy fries are both creamy and crunchy at the same time, plus they count towards your daily serving of veggies! Tasty, carb-free and full of fiber… what’s not to like?
And that’s not all! Be sure to dip these babies into this creamy vodka sauce. Herby and fragrant with a sublime chilli kick, this sauce is simple to make and perfectly complements the crunchy mouthfeel of these divine zucchini fries.
Once you’ve polished off the fries, if you want to drink the vodka sauce straight from the dish, we won’t tell anyone.
If you have friends coming over, these fries are perfect as a snack or an appetizer. Serve them with a few refreshing chilled beverages, or your favorite Brew, and you’re all set for the night.
Fries and ketchup just got fancy, people.
Zucchini (also known as a courgette) is a summer squash. It’s got an extremely mild, fresh flavour and because it goes with everything it can be cooked a variety of different ways, whether grilled, roasted, sautéed or fried – you can even bake it into a cake or use it as a substitute for pasta. It’s the swiss-army knife of vegetables!
Low in calories and full of fiber as well as vitamins A, B and C, zucchini are super healthy, so you can eat these tasty fries without the guilt.
Although zucchini are available all year round, they come into season in the summer, between May and August, depending on where you live.
Zucchini thrive in warm soil and air, and one plant can produce up to a staggering ten pounds of fruit in one season! That means you can make a lot of zucchini fries!
When buying zucchini from the store or market, always go for smaller ones as they are much more tender and flavoursome. Large ones tend to taste watery and bland, which is not what you want when making fries.Avoid wrinkled zucchini or ones covered in scratches and cuts; this is a sign that they are past their prime and won’t taste as good.
The best way to store zucchini is to store them in your fridge in a plastic or paper bag. They’ll keep for up to two weeks, although the skin may shrivel up a bit.Store your zucchini whole until you’re ready to use them. Cutting them in advance will cause them to go stringy.
You can also freeze zucchini and they will keep for about three months. Slice them horizontally, boil them for two minutes and blanch them in ice water to help them keep their texture and colour. When you’re ready to make your fries just take them out of the freezer, let them defrost, pat away the excess liquid and you’re ready to go!
You may look at this recipe and go, “Hang on a moment, vodka sauce?! Wow, that sounds unusual!”.
However, is it really not that weird? We use alcohol in cooking all the time to add extra flavor, from a splash of vermouth in a mushroom risotto or a glug of red wine in a spaghetti Bolognese.
Tomatoes and vodka are a classic flavor combination. They work really well together as the peppery vodka perfectly complements the sweetness of the tomato. Vodka also works to bring the heavy cream, parmesan and marinara in this sauce together, creating a heavenly flavor combination as well as a smooth and silky texture to dip your fries into.
And before you ask, the alcohol in the vodka is burned away when you simmer the sauce, so you can’t get drunk off shots of vodka sauce. Believe us; we’ve tried.
Not all of us have the luxury of a deep fat fryer at home, but this shouldn’t stop you from being able to create delicious deep-fried treats. We recommend using a Dutch oven to create these zucchini fries.
You may be used to searing meats and shallow frying in a Dutch oven, but you may be wondering how you can use one for deep frying. A Dutch oven is excellent for deep frying, as the deep walls will prevent potentially dangerous hot oil splashes, and the cast iron will help retain the heat for longer, meaning that you can fry in batches.
Heat your oil to temperature slowly and have a damp towel on hand in case of fire. Although these zucchini fries are incredibly delicious, we wouldn’t want you to burn your house down for them.
We’d recommend using about three inches of oil and frying your fries in batches. As tempting as it may be to throw all of your fries in at the same time to save time, this means that they won’t be as crispy, and nobody wants a soggy piece of zucchini as a snack.
You’ll want your oil to be at the right temperature before you start frying, otherwise your zucchini fries will absorb the oil and end up greasy and soggy. A great way to tell that your oil is ready to go is by throwing a small cube of bread into your Dutch oven. If it crisps up, you’re ready to start cooking!
You can use a variety of different utensils to take your fries out of the hot oil, from a strainer to a tong or slotted spoon. Of course, if you don’t have a Dutch oven or you want these zucchini fries to be healthier you can oven bake them instead, but come on, where is the fun in that?!
