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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These have become a regular feature in the dinner rotation because I, the cook, love them and so does anyone else who happens to be around. I serve them with a simple yogurt/garlic sauce and find them equally good hot or cold. Thank you!
I just made these, followed the recipe exactly. They are delicious and were eaten before dinner.
I made this today using a large zucchini that I had in the garden. I weighed out 1 1/2 pounds shredded and squeezed out the excess liquid after salting and leaving to drain for 10 minutes. I fried the fritters for longer than the recipe called for but the fritters were still soggy in the inside. Loved the flavor but I think I will add more flour next time to see if they firm up a bit better.
I made these last night and it was delicious. I squezed the water from the zucchinis with my hands twice and that was enough.
I think the most important part is to lay the portions very thin. So that it will cook better.
Easy and delicious! You definitely have to use a towel to squeeze out the extra moisture…it’s a LOT! I added some lemon zest, a minced jalapeño, and some fresh snipped mint just because that’s what I like with zucchini.
Hi, these sound delicious and I will be making them for dinner tonight, but if I wanted to halve the recipe would I still use a whole egg or would that make them too runny?
I recommend using 1/2 large egg.
Thank you for this delicious recipe my baby loves it! I added a table spoon of finely chopped fresh mint onto he mix and omg it tastes so good with Greek style yoghurt as dipping sauce.
These look delicious! What can I use if I don’t have Parmesan at home? Am I able to replace it, or can I leave it out completely?
I use shredded cheese of my choice. Still delicious.
I used a mix of vegan shredded cheese and brewers yeast… and added some spring onion. DELISH!!
I just made them and they turned out PERFECT !!!
Thank you for this amazing recipe ^^
We love hearing that!
Do you have any packing (for overnight) and reheating tips for these and your butternut squash fritters? I plan to make them both for a party, but will have to make ahead of time. Want to ensure they don’t dry out or the opposite, become soggy when rehearing!
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Added chilli fresh and corn fresh, used chick pea flour instead of standard. Was very yummy
Easy and delicious!
Absolutely delicious. I served them with hummus and a crisp garden salad for lunch today. My husband and I loved them. Will definitely be making these again.
Did you mean 1/2 pound of grated zucchini or 1.5 pounds? We used 1.5 pounds and the fritters looked very different. They tasted amazing regardless, but yours are prettier and look more “in shape”. Can you please advise? Thanks!
The recipe is correct at 1 1/2 pounds grated zucchini. 🙂
Hi
Looks amazing. I would like yo know if one does not have parmesan what other cheese could one use. Is mature cheddar or Gouda fine?
Thank you for the recipe! I just made these exactly as instructed and they were delicious. 🙂 5/5
Can zucchini fritters be frozen for later use?
Yes, of course!
just made these! didn’t have Parmesan (I know I know… I’m even Italian lol…) so I used Feta, came out great!
I’m sure that tasted great though!
Great ill be trying them tomorrow
just made these! didn’t have and Parmesan in the house (I know, I know… I’m even Italian…) so I used Feta. Came out great 🙂
I’m sure that tasted delicious!
Have you used Almond flour as a substitute for regular flour?
I replaced with garbanzo flour exact amount. It was perfect
Super easy recipe and very filling! To top, I used a store
brought Tzatziki sauce, it was delicious!