These crispy zucchini fritters are golden outside and tender inside. My favorite recipe is never soggy and delicious dipped in a sauce as an appetizer or simple dinner!
Here’s a great recipe for using up this tasty vegetable that everyone seems to have extras of in the summer: zucchini fritters! These savory pancakes are seasoned with herbs and Parmesan cheese, then fried up in a skillet until golden brown.
Eat them warm and lightly salted, dunked in a creamy dipping sauce like tzatziki or remoulade. I’m actually note a huge zucchini fan myself, but I absolutely love these fritters as an appetizer or simple dinner, paired with a few summer salads!
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“These are awesome! And I don’t even like zucchini :)” -S
The Secret To Crispy Zucchini Fritters
Here’s the thing about zucchini: it’s full of water (in fact, zucchini is 94% water). Add too much water to a fritter, and it comes out gloppy and soggy! So you’ll need to use a trick for zucchini fritters:
- Shred the zucchini, add salt, and wait 10 minutes. The salt helps to pull moisture from the zucchini. It also helps to season the shreds, making for better flavor.
- Then, squeeze all moisture from the zucchini. First wring it out using your hands, then finish it up by squeezing with a paper towel or clean dish towel.
Ingredient Notes
Fritters (vegetables, fruit, meat or seafood coated in batter and fried) are eaten in cuisines around the world, and they can be sweet or savory. Zucchini fritters are a common savory rendition eaten in the summer when zucchini are abundant. You can deep fry them, but I’ve found it’s easiest to pan fry them in a bit of olive oil: they come out salty and golden brown!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Zucchini: Medium ones have the best texture. With a super large garden zucchini, halve it, scrape out the seedy core, and grate the rest.
- Flour and egg: These are the binders: both are important here. Use a one-for-one gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free.
- Parmesan. Adds a salty, nutty flavor. Pecorino Romano is a great swap with an even saltier flavor.
- Garlic, dried dill, onion powder. Adding fresh dill or mint is great too, but these savory spices make a bold flavor.
- Baking powder. This makes a tender interior.
- Olive oil. My go-to cooking oil, and it works great here!
Tips for Frying Zucchini Fritters
If you’ve never fried fritters before, it does take a little practice! Just like making pancakes, the first fritter might not turn out perfectly: and that’s expected. Here are a few tips for this recipe to get your zucchini fritters crisped and golden brown:
- Add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. The zucchini fritters are pretty thin, so you can get away with a moderate amount of oil.
- The timing depends on the heat of the oil. All stoves and pans are different, so the timing varies. Cook until just golden on each side. It will likely take about 2 to 3 minutes, but you can judge by eye versus setting a timer.
- Add more oil for the second batch, and keep in mind the pan will be hotter. The fritters will cook differently for the next batch since the pan is already very hot. Add a drizzle more oil as needed.
Remove the fritters to a paper-towel lined plate and taste. If you’d like, you can sprinkle with a little extra salt before serving.
Sauces And Serving Ideas
Zucchini fritters are great as is, but they’re even tastier when dipped or slathered in a creamy dipping sauce. There are lots of options here! My favorite is tzatziki, that creamy Greek yogurt cucumber sauce. But there are many more ideas! Here are a few:
- Tzatziki: This Greek yogurt cucumber sauce is perfect for dipping
- Remoulade: Remoulade is mayonnaise-based, so it’s a little richer and has a developed flavor
- Avocado Sauce: Creamy and zingy, it stars ripe avocado, Greek yogurt and cilantro
- Sour Cream Sauce: A sour cream base makes this sauce irresistibly rich and creamy
- Cilantro Lime Sauce: This cilantro lime ranch is just as tasty as it sounds
- Creamy Cilantro Sauce: This vegan sauce uses cashews as the base.
- Homemade Ranch Dressing: Speaking of ranch…it’s the perfect dipping sauce for fritters!
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing: This spicy sauce brings a little heat.
- Green Goddess Dressing: This herby green sauce makes magic with fritters.
- Easy Tahini Sauce: This simple lemon tahini sauce is vegan and brings a pop to each bite.
Can You Bake Or Air Fry Zucchini Fritters?
You can, but they are not quite as delicious! Here’s what to do:
- Bake them at 425°F on an oiled sheet pan for about 20 minutes, flipping once. They will likely come out a little drier.
- Air fry them at 390°F for 8 to 10 minutes, brushed with oil. They will crisp up nicely but you can’t cook too many at once due to the size of the basket.
Storage and Reheating Info
Zucchini fritters are best the day they’re made; leftovers store in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat in a dry skillet over medium for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or a 375°F oven for 8 minutes.
I don’t recommend freezing zucchini fritters: the texture may fall apart after thawing.
Dietary Notes
This zucchini fritters recipe is vegetarian. For dairy-free, use vegan Parmesan cheese and a vegan sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
The key is to remove excess moisture from the grated zucchini. After grating, salt the zucchini and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then, squeeze out as much liquid as possible using a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel.
Yes, you can make the batter ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for a few hours. However, it’s best to cook the fritters just before serving for the crispiest texture.
Zucchini fritters are delicious on their own, but you can also serve them with a variety of dips, such as sour cream, tzatziki, or a yogurt tahini sauce. They also make a great side dish for grilled meats or fish.
Easy Zucchini Fritters
Pin RecipeThese crispy zucchini fritters are golden outside and tender inside. My favorite recipe is never soggy and delicious dipped in a sauce as an appetizer or simple dinner!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer or Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Mediterranean Diet, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 cups large grated zucchini (1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 egg
- 1 small garlic clove, grated (about ½ tsp)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus 1 large pinch, divided
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Olive oil, for frying
- 1 recipe Tzatziki, for serving
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini using the large holes on a grater. Place it in a bowl and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Allow it to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. Then squeeze out all the moisture with your hands in batches, and use a paper towel or clean dish towel to squeeze out all extra moisture.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg, then add the grated garlic. In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, Parmesan cheese, dried dill, onion powder, baking powder, and remaining ½ teaspoon plus 1 large pinch kosher salt. Season with a few grinds of black pepper. Add the zucchini and egg mixture and gently mix with a spatula until a sticky dough comes together.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet, about 2 tablespoons to start. Add the fritters by dropping them from ¼ cup measure, then spreading them slightly thinner with the back of the measuring cup. Fry the fritters in batches that fit the skillet, about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden. Add a drizzle more olive oil when necessary. Make sure the heat is not too high or the fritters will become browned on the outside but stay gooey in the middle.
- Remove each fritter and place it on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil. Eat immediately; the fritters taste best the day they are made. Leftovers store refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat in a skillet.
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/1JvV6zo
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