Zucchini Fritters
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These fritters are unbelievably easy to make, low calorie, and the perfect way to sneak in some veggies!
Featured Comment
I’m always looking for new ways to use up my lingering summer zucchini. I’ve made zucchini crisps and zucchini sticks but I wanted to try something a little different this time – something “not fried” per se and a bit healthier. That’s when these oh-so-lovely fritters happened.
why i love this recipe
- Great way to repurpose all the summer zucchini. Have you made way too much zucchini bread this season? Don’t worry – you can still use up all that summer zucchini bounty with these crowd-pleasing crisp-fluffy zucchini fritters!
- So great for picky eaters. These fritters are wonderfully nutritious, low in calories, and the perfect way to sneak in some extra veggies and greens for those picky eaters.
- Ridiculously easy to whip up. Zucchini fritters are so easy to make, perfectly crispy and golden brown on the outside, light and airy on the inside.
- Can be served in so many ways. Serve them as an afterschool snack, an appetizer, a side dish or even a light lunch with a side of tzatziki sauce.
- Freezer-friendly. Fritters are so great to make ahead of time, and can keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, reheating very well in the oven or air fryer.
how to make the easiest, crispiest zucchini fritters
- Prep the zucchini – grate, salt and squeeze out all the excess moisture
- Mix all the ingredients together
- Scoop and form into little fritters, flattening as needed
- Cook until golden brown and crispy, flipping once
- Keep warm in a low oven (if needed) and serve with your favorite dipping sauces
tips and tricks for success
- Squeeze dry the zucchini. This is a key step to avoid soggy fritters! Grate the zucchini, adding 1 teaspoon salt – the salt not only seasons the zucchini beforehand but also draws out the excess moisture. Wrap the grated zucchini in a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Cook in batches. Work in batches to properly cook the fritters for maximum crispness. An overcrowded pan will unfortunately steam the fritters instead.
- Mix it up. Use a different kind of cheese (ex. feta or cotija), add fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano or dill) or fresh lemon zest to brighten up some of the savory flavors.
- Keep warm. The fritters can be kept warm in a low oven at 250°F.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover fritters can be soggy when reheated. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
- Freeze as needed. Place the fritters on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, freezing for 1 hour until solid. Transfer the fritters to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through and crispy, about 10-15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 350°F for 4-5 minutes.
what to serve with zucchini fritters
Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
For the best texture and flavor, use a large, heavy-bottomed skillet that holds heat evenly. It helps get that signature crispy exterior.
Zucchini Fritters: Frequently Asked Questions
Zucchini is very high in water! So to avoid soggy fritters, we want to squeeze out as much water as possible. That way, we can get those favorited crisp, golden brown edges.
A box grater will work beautifully here!
The possibilities are endless! You can serve them with a dollop of sour cream, tzatziki sauce, or as a side dish to our favorite lemon herb roasted chicken.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes! Zucchini fritters freeze very well, and can keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. For best results, freeze without any toppings or sauces until thawed and reheated.
Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds zucchini, grated, about 3 cups
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Equipment
Instructions
- Place grated zucchini in a colander over the sink. Add 1 teaspoon salt and gently toss to combine; let sit for 10 minutes. Using a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, drain zucchini completely.
- In a large bowl, combine zucchini, flour, Parmesan, garlic and egg; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, scoop 3-4 tablespoons of batter for each fritter, flattening with a spatula, and cook until the underside is nicely golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, about 1-2 minutes longer.
- Serve immediately.
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Pretty simple but absolutely yummy.
We made these, delicious! Loved them. Have a garden full of zucchini. Definitely make again. I have a side burner on my BBQ grill and we cooked them outside. Minimizes grease in the house.
Have used this recipe multiple times. Delicious!
Make a mayo, horseradish sauce for dipping.
Love this recipe. I serve them with a Mayo, horseradish sauce. Yummy!
Absolutely delicious . So simple and quick. Perfect as garden is producing endless supply.
Made these zucchini fritters as close to possible but because of allergies had to use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF flour and Dairya Italian blend non dairy cheese. I added a bit of corn starch for added crunch. Tasted really good but no way as good as if I used the real ingredients.
Can I make the recipe ahead of time, refrigerate it and fry it up later?
Easy and scrumptious.
This is the recipe I’ve used for years. The only difference is the flour. Almond flour instead of AP flour. I am looking forward to making these. But I have a feeling the almond flour gives it a crunchier texture and more flavor. Being I lost the original recipe. I thank you for bringing it up. Give it a try…. 😉
Very clear directions. I should have squeezed my grated zucchini a bit more enthusiastically but my fritters still cooked thru just dandy. I might add a touch of dill next time. Loved them!! ❤️❤️❤️
Or, Greek style with crumbled feta cheese (not parmesan), finely chopped spring onions, plenty of mint and parsley, served with tzatziki. The herbs make all the difference, and the patties smell divine.
DELICIOUS!. I have also used the base recipe as follows:
Swapped zucchini (when I didn’t have any) for a small can of tuna.
Added a small handful of mixed cold slaw veggies.
If I felt the mixture was too dry I added a bit of KinChi juice & mayo.
TERRIFIC!
Oops I left a review and was so excited I forgot to make it five stars
These fritters were absolutely yummy!
The recipe says it makes 4 servings. Is each serving one patty?
I am asking because myfitnesspal has the nutritional information for one patty.
If you have a juicer, juice the zucchini and use the pulp for fritters 🙂 The juice is pretty tasty as well.
I’ve tried making zucchini fritters so many times and this is the first time they’ve turned out how I wanted them to! I grated a shallot in with one zucchini and one yellow squash, omitted the parmesan, and added some crushed red pepper. Delicious!! I ate them with a soft boiled egg for an easy breakfast.
OK. I must saute Zucchini a few times a week, so this inspired me today. Twist…I used Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix, one egg, and zucchini spirals. Making spirals was easier than grating, and I cut them into smaller pieces with my kitchen shears. To extract moisture, I lined a strainer with paper towels,pressed, and absorbed lots of juice. I forgot the Parmesan cheese, but after frying them in olive oil and butter, I topped them with shredded Swiss/cheddar cheese, and more butter. Light and fluffy inside, not thick like a fritter. Maybe I’ll use only olive oil next time, to make them get crispier. One medium Zucchini made six decent sized fritters, and I polished them off for my dinner. Meijer has the best shredded cheese called Breakfast Blend, that combines Swiss and cheddar. I use this all the time on my grilled Asparagus and Zucchini spirals. Yum. Thanks for the recipe!
We have an egg allergy in the family, what would be a good substitute?
You can use anything that will help the breadcrumbs stick to the flour. Milk would work, but it would be thin and not as sticky as egg. It would be a kind of batter, then. Online you can find directions for making an effective egg-ish substitute by soaking chia seeds in water, if that intrigues you. Search on “chia egg.” Apologies: I have no idea how well chia egg would work here, though. ~All best.
Thanks and awesome recipe.. we replaced with red chill pepper oh Taste great