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Fried Patty Pan Squash

July 22, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner

fried patty pan squash

I swear I don’t fry very often, but it may seem like I do since I recently reposted my fried green tomato recipe on Facebook, and now THIS… Fried Patty Pan Squash.

I made fried patty pan squash for lunch yesterday because a) well, I had some, and b) who doesn’t love fried squash?

If you don’t, don’t tell me…

Momma always fried squash, okra, and eggplant (not together), but her squash was of the yellow crookneck variety. Gracie Lee planted patty pan squash seeds because she thought the spaceship shape was cool. Unfortunately she never got to eat it because of an unfortunate event involving a tractor…

fried patty pan squash1

If you don’t know who Gracie Lee is, don’t tell me…

Anyway, this is a great summer recipe, very similar to fried green tomatoes. The squash flavor is mild and the slices don’t fall apart while cooking. You can dip them in spicy ranch dressing, or add a slice of mozzarella on top and serve with a red sauce for an Italian-vegetarian-sort of dish.

So yes, this is how you take something healthy and make it not so healthy, but sometimes we need to fry something in a cast iron skillet. Add a red checkered napkin and a Mason jar of iced tea, and you’ve got great fixins’ for summertime eating.

Here’s the recipe. And by the way, it’s the same batter I use for my fried green tomatoes.

Fried Patty Pan Squash

Print Recipe
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Oil
  • 2 small patty pan squashes cut into thin slices
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 3/4 cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Parmesan Reggianno

Method
 

  1. Pour oil in skillet and warm to medium heat. (About a half inch of oil.)
  2. Lightly salt and pepper squash slices.
  3. Mix flour and garlic powder in a shallow dish.
  4. In another shallow dish, beat eggs with buttermilk.
  5. In a third dish, combine bread crumbs with cayenne.
  6. Dredge squash through the flour, then the eggs, and then the bread crumbs.
  7. When oil is hot, add a few slices at a time. Don't crowd them. Cook about 2-3 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
  8. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

I didn’t have Parmesan, so I used grated Asiago for this batch.

patty pan squash - fried

Sprinkle more cheese on top.

yummy fried squash

I happen to believe my debut novel, The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, is delicious summer reading to go with your tasty summer menu.

Spaceship (Patty Pan) squash

Click here to learn more:

ACCIDENTAL SALVATION

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:
Ella Fitzgerald – Summertime

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: patty pan squash, summer cooking, summer gardening

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Comments

  1. Dorothy Johnson says

    July 22, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    Looks so good.

  2. Debbie says

    July 23, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    Nothing wrong with frying up a batch of deliciousness, especially in a cast iron skillet?. I add some panko in the breeding just for extra crunch. I really like your idea of Squash Parmigiana;) I’ll be right over!

  3. gina says

    July 24, 2016 at 9:00 am

    Mmm…I second the Squash Parmigiana love. That sounds like something Thom can handle…he LOVES to fry.

  4. Claudia Blasiar says

    May 16, 2018 at 6:33 pm

    I am cooking my patty pan squash as I post this ! Can’t wait to eat ! Also fresh corn out of the garden and fresh green beans ,baked chicken. !!!!!??

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      May 17, 2018 at 8:04 am

      Yay! Let me know what you think! I love it. (And so does Gracie Lee.)

  5. creecy33 says

    May 17, 2018 at 8:31 am

    Yummy! Wish I had some fried squash right now. I may have to fry something soon.

  6. Sharon Collins says

    May 30, 2018 at 8:06 am

    I married a Yankee..Over the past 52 years I have converted him to the Southern way of life. I have taught him to love cornbread, fried squash, blackeyed peas, fried okra and more. I just found this piece this morning and am so very glad to have my grandmother’s cast iron skillets.

  7. SM says

    August 10, 2018 at 5:30 pm

    Made this tonight, it was good. I use pattypan squash, panko crumbs, and seasoned with Nature’s Seasoning, left out the cayenne. Used my 12″ Lodge cast iron skillet. Even my anti summer squash husband thought it was pretty good. Should be good with marinara as a dipping sauce. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      August 11, 2018 at 6:07 am

      Glad you liked it! I agree, would be great with marinara!

  8. Lori says

    July 1, 2020 at 5:47 pm

    Found these Paddy Pan’s Squash at a Farmers Market and thought to myself. What are these?! They were so cheap it really didn’t cost much to try them out. Searched for a recipe and found this one. These were soooo good! I am gluten and dairy free. I substituted Almond flour for the flour and gluten free Panko crumbs for the bread crumbs and Soy milk for the 1 TBS of milk. SOOOOO good! What a treat.


Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (coming 2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: May 25, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: May 4, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Rainy Day Edition
  • Spiderwort: my love-hate relationship
  • Sunday Letter: March 23, 2025

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