Easy Zucchini Fritters
These easy to make zucchini fritters are crispy on the outside with a tender interior bursting with flavor! A great use for your abundance of zucchini.
Servings: 7 Servings
Calories: 122kcal
Equipment
- Fine Mesh Strainer (to help drain the zucchini)
- Clean Kitchen Towel or Cheese Cloth or Paper Towels (to help remove excess moisture from the zucchini)
- Skillet
Ingredients
For the Zucchini
- 1 pound zucchini, rinsed and ends removed (2-3 medium zucchinis)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Batter
- 1 large egg
- ¼ Cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ Cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ Cup chopped fresh herbs (we're showing ours with parsley, but we also love using fresh dill, chives and green onions - or a combination! You can also try basil, oregano, or thyme)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For Cooking
- 2-4 Tablespoons neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Prepare the zucchini. Using the large grating holes on a box grater, shred the zucchini (1 pound will result in about 4 Cups of grated zucchini).1 pound zucchini, rinsed and ends removed
- Place the grated zucchini in a bowl or on a plate, and sprinkle with salt (stirring if in a bowl). Let it rest 10-minutes.1 teaspoon salt
- Prepare the batter. While the zucchini rests, add the egg to a medium mixing bowl and give it a quick whisk to break up the yolk.1 large egg
- Add the remaining batter ingredients into the bowl, and stir until combined. Set aside.¼ Cup shredded parmesan cheese, ½ Cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ Cup chopped fresh herbs, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Drain the zucchini. Transfer the salted zucchini into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, and push it down into the mesh to remove excess water. Stir it around a few times, and continue to push water out.
- When you believe you've pushed out all the water you can, gently press a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or paper towel(s) into the zucchini to remove any additional moisture you can.
- Stir the zucchini into the batter. Transfer the drained zucchini into the bowl with your batter ingredients and stir to incorporate. You'll need to break apart any clumps of batter ingredients to make sure it's coated all of the zucchini.
- Cook. In a large skillet over medium heat, place enough oil into the pan to create a thin layer across the bottom.2-4 Tablespoons neutral oil
- Once the oil is hot, scoop ¼ cup sized portions of the fritter mixture into the pan, flattening each scoop into a thin layer. *Note: do not overcrowd your pan, plan to do 2-3 batches of pan-frying.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until the underside of the fritters is a deep golden brown (adjust the heat if they're browning too quickly). Flip and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked fritters to a wire cooling rack. If desired, place the rack on a baking sheet and transfer it to a your oven preheated to it's lowest temperature to keep warm.
- Repeat until all of the fritter mixture has been used.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage & Reheating: Allow any leftover fritters to cool fully, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to enjoy, place the fritters onto a lined baking sheet and cook at 350°F until warmed through, reheat in a skillet over medium heat, or warm them up in the microwave. Details for freezing outlined in the blog post above the recipe card.
Variations:
- Option to replace some or all of the zucchini 1-to-1 with yellow summer squash.
- Add some lemon. If you'd like to add a pop of citrus to your fritters, add about ½ teaspoon of lemon zest to your batter. You can also squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the cooked fritters for serving.
- Make it gluten-free by swapping out the all-purpose flour with a one-to-one gluten free flour blend.
- Zucchini fritters can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, as an appetizer, or as a snack. For breakfast many people enjoy these as an alternative to hashbrowns. We like to serve them topped with a fried or poached egg!
- The most common way to serve these is paired with a creamy sauce for dipping. Try sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, ranch, tzatziki, or a fun aioli.
- You can also dip them into a warm marinara sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 375IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg
