If you saw Crujientes de Calabacín (Crispy Zucchini) on a menu, what would you imagine being served? I thought I’d get some sort of fritter. What I got was even better.
Turns out I was served a plateful of fried zucchini ravioli. They were crispy on the outside with tender zucchini and gooey cheese on the inside. I’d seen paleo zucchini raviolis on Pinterest, of course. Whoever thought to bread and fry them was a genius.
Once you get the hang of it, making the ravioli is fairly straightforward. You’ll want to cut the zucchini lengthwise into strips thin enough to bend without breaking. I tried a standard vegetable peeler but got the best results with a mandoline. A good sized zucchini yielded enough slices for about 10 raviolis, depending on the size of the core. The pieces start to tear when you get into the area where the seeds are.
I tried baking, pan frying and deep frying the raviolis. Baking didn’t work well at all. By the time the breading browned the cheese filling had oozed out. Deep frying is probably the quickest and best method, but I tend to avoid it because of the amount of oil involved. Since the batches are relatively small, I was pleased with the results from pan frying. You just need to be careful with the breading when you turn them.
How to assemble zucchini ravioli
- To assemble the ravioli, arrange two strips in a cross with the best piece on the bottom.
- Place a generous amount of filling in the center, then wrap one side of the bottom strip over the filling. Use a paring knife to trim any excess zucchini.
- Repeat with the other side, then wrap the top piece of ravioli to make sort of a box to contain the filling.
- Make sure to trim where necessary to avoid gaps around the filling.
- Use a toothpick to secure the sides.
Once the zucchini ravioli are assembled it’s time to bread them. I found it best to double dip them. First dip in flour, then egg, then seasoned bread crumbs. Then dip in the egg again and this time use your hands to gently pack the bread crumbs around the raviolis. When all the raviolis are breaded, fry in hot oil for three minutes or so on each side. Turn them carefully and try to be patient while they cook so you don’t have to turn them too many times (something I’m of which I’m guilty).
Ingredients
- Medium zucchini thinly sliced, two slices per ravioli
- Cream cheese estimate 1 teaspoon per ravioli
- Shredded white cheese about 1 teaspoon per ravioli (I used a pizza blend)
- salt, pepper, chopped herbs to season the filling to taste
- 1/2 cup seasoned flour or more as needed
- 2 eggs beaten with a few teaspoons of water
- 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
- oil for frying
- chopped parsley for garnish
- tomato sauce for serving
Instructions
- Mix sufficient cream cheese with shredded cheese and seasoning for the filling. (For 10 ravioli you would use about a 1/3 cup of each...don't worry too much about it, you can always make a little more).
- Assemble the ravioli as directed and secure with a toothpick.
- Dip each one in flour, then in beaten egg, then bread crumbs.
- Repeat the egg dip and use your hands to gently pack the bread crumbs around the ravioli.
- Make more egg wash and add more breadcrumbs as needed.
- Measure enough oil to come about halfway up the sides of the ravioli in a frying pan and heat until shimmering.
- Carefully add three or four raviolis and fry until golden brown on both sides (three or four minutes per side).
- Drain the raviolis on some paper towels.
- Serve while hot with some sauce on the side as desired.
Thanks to the Restaurante Las Termas in León for a delicious meal and the inspiration to try to make your wonderful crujientes de calabacín at home.
How many servings does this recipe make? Making them tonight. Very excited.
Sorry for the late reply Candie. I imagine you’ve answered your own question by now. When I wrote the recipe I calculated amounts based on individual ravioli. Using a mandoline I cut enough slices from a “good sized” zucchini to make 10 ravioli. About the size of your forearm for the zucchini. If yours are small, buy two. You may get more or less depending on the zucchini. Once I had my strips cut I measured the rest of the ingredients based on the number of raviolis I expected to make.
I did a test run and made one and it was Soo good. Going to make the rest for dinner tonight . I was wondering if you have tried salting the zucchini to draw out the water before assembling them.
Hello Rima. I have salted zucchini to make other recipes, like a veggie lasagna. I’ve also roasted slices to make them more flexible. I didn’t do either when I originally wrote this recipe, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work if you want to give it a try. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I hope your dinner was delicious!
AH-MAZE-ING! I made these tonight and they’re awesome. I’m actually doing low-carb and am missing pasta. I substituted Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese for the bread crumbs to make the recipe fit my diet, but otherwise followed the recipe as written. Lydia, thank you so much for turning me on to this. I’m making it once a week from now on!
Great idea to use the parmesan cheese as a bread crumb substitute. Zucchini makes a decent pasta replacement whether cut into “noodles” or long strips for “lasagna.”
I’m a little confused. Do you slice the zucchini lengthwise or round. If round , how do you keep the cheese inside?
I’ve updated the post to make it clearer, thanks! Slice the zucchini the long way and fold the slices around the cheese. My knife skills aren’t up to slicing a zucchini super thin so I use a mandoline.
I can’t have the bread crumbs, so i am going to try these with a mix of almond flour, parmesan cheese, and pork rinds. I will let you know how they turn out, for those of us who have to eat low carb and gluten -free.
Sounds like a great idea!
Trying these tonight! They look so delicious! ?
Did they turn out ok for you? Did you make a change to the recipe? Hope you liked them!
With the leftover cream cheese and cheese, I mixed in with pasta sauce and poured over whole wheat pasta for a creamy cheesy side noodle. This was really good!! I plan on adding to the receipt book!
Great idea! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
These look absolutely delicious!
Thanks Eileen. Once you get the hang of making them, it’s easy. They take a little effort but not so much you have to wait for a special occasion 🙂
I think these look amazing. Of course, Ive avoided buying a mandoline, but this recipe may make me go out and get one!! these would be great for a party appetizer!
They would be great for a party and a mandolin would make life easier 🙂
Love this idea! It looks amazing!
Love this! St. Louis is famous for toasted ravioli — which is deep-fried ravioli (usually meat-filled). Love the idea of the zucchini ravioli — much, much healthier. This is terrific — thanks.
I’ve had the toasted ravioli at Olive Garden. Love them, too. 🙂
I so want to try this. It looks amazing and so different!
They were such a pleasant surprise, Kallee. I’m glad to be able to share how to make them 🙂
Oh my goodness, this sounds amazing!
They’re good. I hope you give them a try 🙂
I just LOVE zucchini! And this? This looks AWESOME!! This is something I could make hundred times and never get tired of!!!! Yummmm
Thanks, Camilla. Hope you get a chance to put your theory to the test 🙂
OMG these look soooooo yummy!!! Great appetizer idea. I bet they taste as good as they look. =0)
They’re definitely worth the effort 🙂
It stated to see recipe and calories click here. I didn’t see the amount of calories and size of serving. Could you please tell me how many calories are in this recipe per a serving. Thanks in advanced!
If you clicked through from another site expecting to see calories, I’m sorry to disappoint you. There are plenty of calculators online to help you estimate the calories. The recipe will help you determine the serving size.
YUM! Raviloi is a family favorite, and we’re dying to try your fried zucchini ravioli recipe now!
Please let me know how it turns out for you. 🙂
Yummers! These look amazing! I am excited to try this recipe!
I could sure use this for my dinner tonight! Looks so tasty. These are by far one of my favorite dishes. I’ve always wanted to make it at home so looks like it’s going on my dinner list for this week.
These are the perfect appetizer. 🙂
You did it again, Lydia! This recipe sounds like heaven to me because I love zucchini and cheese. I would bet every one of my vegetable fearing grandchildren would gobble this one up! I wonder how well these would freeze? If I cooked them until just not quite done, then froze them, would I then be able to thaw and bake them until done? I ask this because during the summer when I have lots of zucchini I could take advantage of the situation by freezing them, so that I could enjoy summer zucchini in the winter!
I haven’t tried freezing them, but I would do exactly as you have done. 🙂
Have you tried making these with ricotta cheese instead of the cream cheese??
I have not tried it with ricotta, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work as long as you’re able to close the gaps on the sides when folding the ravioli. I’ll try to remember to give it a try, but if you do it first, please let me know how it worked out 🙂