I confess: I’m one of those rare people who doesn’t feel satisfied after a nice side of fries with my meal. Whenever possible, I opt for a different side, like vegetables, sweet potato fries, or mashed potatoes. Until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t actually considered making fruit or vegetable fries.

I caught wind of the trend across the web, and I knew immediately that I had to try it. Avocado and zucchini are among my favorite sides — and in avocado’s case, toppings — so I had a strong feeling they would make an excellent dish to serve on their own.

Ingredients:

• 1–2 cups of flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• sliced avocado — I used 2 medium avocados for 2 people
• sliced zucchini (or yellow squash) — I used 1 medium zucchini
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup of bread crumbs, preferably Panko
• 1 cup vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil
• optional: dipping sauce of your choice

 

Instructions:

1. Gather your avocados and zucchini (or alternatively, yellow squash). In the case of zucchini, it’s entirely up to you whether you want to peel the vegetable’s skin away. I left some of the skin on mine. Carefully carve out fry-sized pieces of your avocado and zucchini.

2. Now that your vegetables and fruits are ready, prepare 3 dipping stations. I recommend using mixing bowls for these.

• In one bowl, combine the salt and flower.
• In another bowl, beat the 2 eggs.
• In the third bowl, place the bread crumbs.

 

3. Now prepare a large frying pan. Coat it in about 1 inch of the cooking oil of your choosing — vegetable, canola, or olive. Heat this oil on low to medium heat until it begins to bubble lightly.
(I used olive oil because it’s fairly healthy for an oil, and I keep it around the house for such uses. I try to stay away from vegetable oil unless I’m baking from scratch.) 

 

4. Take each fry-sized piece of avocado or zucchini. Dip the piece into the flour/salt mixture, and then into the eggs, and then, finally, into the bread crumbs.

 

5. Gently add the coated piece to the pan of oil. Let it fry for about 1–2 minutes before turning it over. Make sure each piece is golden brown (or darker, depending on preference).

I kept a cooking sheet covered in aluminum foil ready to store the avocado and zucchini fries as I fried them in batches. I made an amount that was suited as a side dish for two people — which required 2 medium avocados and one medium zucchini.

The finished fries were absolutely delicious, and they left me happier than a side of actual fries ever could. They can be used as a healthy alternative to fries or as a unique side dish when you’re trying to impress your friends with your cooking skills. The best part? They’re easy to make and essentially require basic household food staples to create.