The beer battered zucchini are a crunchy and delicious appetizer, ideal to prepare in spring when zucchini are in season and particularly tasty. This fried zucchini recipe is simple and quick, but it always surprises with the light texture and aromatic taste of the beer batter. Frying vegetables in batter is a tasty way to enhance them, and it works well with many vegetables: artichokes, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus and, of course, zucchini. To prepare a light batter for frying (and gluten-free), I usually use rice flour and very sparkling water, but in this version, I wanted to experiment with beer, achieving an even more golden, fragrant result with a more intense flavor. Beer, in fact, enriches the batter giving it a deeper aroma compared to the classic version with water. The result is crispy and light fried zucchini, perfect to serve hot as an appetizer or aperitif. Those following a gluten-free diet can easily make a gluten-free version by replacing all-purpose flour with fine rice flour and using gluten-free beer: the result will still be excellent. Beer battered zucchini is a simple yet flavorful dish, capable of bringing the freshness of spring to the table with a touch of originality. Perfect for a dinner with friends or as a delicious snack for the aperitif, they are destined to become one of your favorite recipes.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 197.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.86 (g) of which sugars 1.51 (g)
- Proteins 8.54 (g)
- Fat 4.66 (g) of which saturated 0.77 (g)of which unsaturated 3.26 (g)
- Fibers 2.65 (g)
- Sodium 105.37 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 230 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for fried zucchini with beer batter
To prepare the gluten-free batter I used fine rice flour and gluten-free light beer.
- 23 oz zucchini
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free rice flour)
- to taste light beer (about 0.4 cups)
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste peanut oil
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Pan non-stick, large and with high edges
- 1 Slotted spoon
- Paper towel
How to prepare fried zucchini with beer batter
To prepare beer battered fried zucchini, start by washing and drying the zucchini. Trim the ends, then divide them in half (1). Cut each piece lengthwise in half, then cut them into not too thin sticks (2).
Then prepare the beer batter: put the flour, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper (3) in a bowl. Start pouring the beer, which should be freshly opened and possibly cold (4).
While pouring the beer, use the hand whisk to mix it with the flour. Pour the beer gradually, until you get a smooth, homogeneous and quite fluid batter (5). The amount of beer varies considerably depending on the type of flour used, so it is advisable to adjust by eye, considering that you can always correct the fluidity of the batter by adding more flour or more beer. Dip the zucchini sticks in the batter, covering them entirely (6).
In a large non-stick pan with high edges, heat plenty of peanut oil to a temperature of about 340°F. Before frying all the zucchini, do a test by dipping one: if the batter swells instantly and forms many bubbles, the oil is hot enough. Doing the test is also useful to see if the batter is thick enough: if it comes off once drained, you can add more flour to the bowl.
With a fork, take the zucchini from the bowl one at a time, letting the batter drip slightly, and plunge them into the boiling oil (7). Let them cook for 3-4 minutes, until they are puffy and golden, then drain them with a slotted spoon and let them dry on a sheet of paper towel (8).
Serve the beer battered zucchini immediately, as an appetizer or as a snack to accompany the aperitif.
Storage
Fried zucchini are best enjoyed freshly made, as they lose their crispiness over time, like all fried foods. If you want to get ahead with the batter, you can prepare it half an hour before and store it in the refrigerator.
Tips and variations
The most suitable beers for preparing the batter are light lagers, with a not too bitter taste. It’s also good for them to be very fizzy, to ensure a puffy and light batter.
