Crispy Fried Zucchini Sandwich Stacks

Fried zucchini sandwich stacks skip the bread entirely. Two long, breaded zucchini slices come out of the pan golden and hot, and a slice of provolone with a couple of basil leaves goes between them. The heat melts the cheese, and the melted cheese holds the whole stack together.

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This one is for anyone with a pile of zucchini on the counter who wants something more filling than a side dish. It makes 6 stacks, enough for 4 servings, in about 40 minutes, and it comes with a quick basil mayo for dipping.

What goes into the stacks

• 2 large zucchini
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 6 slices provolone, cut to fit
• 12 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp finely chopped basil

The salt gets split: 1 tsp goes on the raw zucchini, and the remaining 1/2 tsp goes into the breadcrumbs with the pepper. The basil also does two jobs. The 12 whole leaves go inside the stacks, two per stack, and the chopped basil flavors the mayo.

Why the zucchini has to be bone dry

Zucchini is mostly water. If you bread it straight from the cutting board, that water turns to steam in the hot oil and pushes the coating away from the slice. You end up with a soggy crust that slides off in one piece when you bite down.

The 15 minutes with salt fixes most of that. The salt pulls moisture to the surface, where you can see it beading up. Pat each slice very dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, pressing gently on both sides. A dry surface lets the flour stick, the flour gives the egg something to grip, and the egg holds the crumbs. Skip any layer and the crust gets patchy.

Slice thickness matters too. At 1/4 inch, the zucchini cooks through in the same 2 to 3 minutes per side that it takes the crumbs to turn golden. Thicker slices stay raw in the middle, and thinner ones go limp and can tear when you stack them.

Build them while they are still hot

This is the step that makes the recipe work. The provolone needs the heat of a freshly fried slice to soften and melt. If you fry every slice first and then assemble later, the cheese just sits there in a cold, stiff layer and the top slice slides off.

So plan your batches. Lay out the provolone and basil leaves near the stove before you start frying. As each pair of slices comes out of the oil, put cheese and 2 basil leaves on one, press the second on top, and move on. The 1 minute rest at the end gives the cheese time to finish melting and set the stack.

For a version served with thick dill ranch, try our Southern buttermilk fried zucchini with a double saltine coating.

For a version with deli ham and melted Swiss pressed between the slices, try our ham and Swiss fried zucchini stacks .

For a spicier version, try these pepper jack fried zucchini stacks , held together by cheese melted from the heat of the pan.

For another filled zucchini lunch, try crispy ham and Swiss zucchini stacks with thin deli ham and melted cheese.

For a spicy cheese filling, try these pepper jack zucchini sandwich stacks with pickled jalapenos and spicy mayo.

How to make fried zucchini sandwich stacks

• Cut the zucchini lengthwise into 12 slices, 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of the salt, wait 15 minutes and pat very dry.
• Stir the mayonnaise and chopped basil together in a small bowl and chill.
• Mix the breadcrumbs, pepper and remaining salt. Coat each slice in flour, then egg, then crumbs.
• Fry in 1/4 inch of oil at 350°F in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden.
• While the slices are hot, lay provolone and 2 basil leaves on one slice and press a second slice on top. Repeat to make 6 stacks.
• Rest 1 minute so the cheese melts and holds, then serve with the basil mayo.

A few things to watch at the stove. Use a thermometer if you have one, because oil that runs cooler than 350°F soaks into the crumbs and makes them greasy, while oil that runs hotter browns the outside before the zucchini softens. Don’t crowd the pan, since every cold slice drops the temperature. Turn the slices once with a spatula or tongs, gripping near the ends so you don’t scrape off the crust.

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Serving them while the crust is crisp

These are at their best a few minutes out of the pan, when the outside still crackles and the provolone is soft. Put the bowl of chilled basil mayo in the middle of the table so everyone can dip or spread as they go. The cool, herby mayo against the hot, salty crust is half the appeal.

The recipe makes 6 stacks and is written as 4 servings, so set the stacks out on a platter next to the mayo and let everyone help themselves. A knife and fork work fine, or you can pick a stack up like a sandwich once the cheese has set. Because the breading softens as it sits, plan to fry these close to serving time rather than far ahead.

If your garden keeps handing you zucchini, try our baked zucchini fries with garlic yogurt dip , the crispy Parmesan zucchini slices or a batch of crispy zucchini fritters . For another fried, cheesy snack, the za’atar halloumi fries are a good match.

Questions about the stacks

Why cut the zucchini lengthwise instead of into rounds?

Long slices give you a flat surface big enough to hold a slice of provolone and two basil leaves, which is why the cheese is cut to fit. Rounds would be too small to build a stack on.

My cheese didn’t melt. What happened?

The slices had cooled before you assembled them. Build each stack the moment the slices leave the oil, and give it the full 1 minute rest so the cheese melts and grips both sides.

Can I make the basil mayo first?

Yes. The recipe has you stir it together before breading so it can chill while the zucchini is salted, coated and fried.

Why is my coating falling off?

Usually the zucchini was still damp, or a step in the flour, egg and crumb order was skipped. Pat the slices very dry after salting and coat every slice in all three layers.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us