How to Make the Crispiest Greek-Style Fried Courgettes at Home

If you’ve ever been to Greece in the summer, chances are you’ve seen plates of thinly sliced courgettes fried to golden perfection—crisp on the outside, tender inside, and dangerously moreish. While I didn’t get to try them on holiday, I came across this technique in 7 Mehmet – Stories, Products and Recipes by Mehmet Akdağ and Sinan Hamamsarılar a couple of years ago. I’ve been hooked ever since.

These Greek-style fried courgettes are coated in seasoned flour, dipped in ice-cold sparkling water and fried until light, crisp and golden, with no egg or traditional batter needed.

This isn’t just a recipe—it’s a technique. One that’s perfect when your garden (or allotment!) is bursting with homegrown courgettes.

At first glance, it seems too simple to be special: flour, salt, cold sparkling water, and oil. But the magic lies in the method. The trick is to coat thin slices of courgette in seasoned flour, dip them straight into icy cold sparkling water, then fry immediately in hot oil. The result? A light, lacy batter that shatters with each bite—crispier than anything I’ve been served in a restaurant.

I won’t lie—there’s a bit of mess involved. The sparkling water and hot oil combo can be a little explosive (read: splattering!), but the clean-up is more than worth it once you’ve tasted your first bite.

A Few Notes From My Frying Pan

I slice the courgettes 2–3 mm thick and toss them generously in a bowl of flour mixed with salt. No egg, no double-dipping—just flour and fizz.

I use a small 20 cm frying pan and add enough sunflower oil to reach about 2 cm up the sides. Then it’s a single layer of courgettes at a time—don’t crowd the pan or they’ll steam instead of fry. I fry mine for about 2 minutes on one side, then turn them for another minute until just golden.

And here’s the fun part: you can control the flavour. Fry them pale for a clean, sweet courgette taste. Go darker if you’re after that rich, caramelised batter crunch. I like to mix it up—some lightly golden, some deep bronze.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe

It’s the kind of summer cooking I love: no fancy ingredients, just clever technique and fresh vegetables that taste like they came from somewhere sunny.

This one’s made for summer evenings with cold drinks and good company. Serve with tzatziki, tarator, or just a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a squeeze of lemon.

And if you’re wondering exactly how I make them, I’ve shared a video of the whole process over on my Instagram—come have a look!

Once you’ve tried courgettes this way, it’s hard to go back to soggy fries.

Lately I’ve been re watching The Bear and can’t stop thinking about the idea that what grows together goes well together. We grow our courgettes and purslane side by side in the allotment, and this time I served the crispy courgettes with a slow-cooked purslane and beef stew. They really do bring out the best in each other.

Crispy Greek-Style Fried Courgettes

Serves 4 as a meze or side dish

Ingredients

2 medium courgettes (about 400-500g)

100g plain flour

1 tsp fine salt

100ml ice-cold sparkling water

Sunflower oil, for frying (enough to create a layer about 2cm deep in the pan)

Flaky sea salt, to serve

Lemon wedges, tzatziki or tarator, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Slice the courgettes into very thin rounds, around 2-3mm thick.

2. Mix the flour and salt in a shallow bowl.

3. Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan until hot.

4. Coat the courgette slices generously in the seasoned flour.

5. Dip each slice briefly into the ice-cold sparkling water and immediately place it into the hot oil.

6. Fry in a single layer for about 2 minutes on the first side, then turn and fry for another minute, until crisp and golden.

7. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper.

8. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges, tzatziki or tarator.

Notes

• Slice the courgettes as thinly as possible. Around 2-3mm is ideal.

• Keep the sparkling water very cold. This is one of the secrets to the light, crisp coating.

• Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches if needed.

• Serve immediately for maximum crispness.

• The recipe works particularly well with small, firm summer courgettes.