If you like your fritters crispy on the outside and moist but not soggy on the inside, then you’re going to LOVE these Zucchini Fritters! The trick for extra crisp (and flavour!) is to add a touch of parmesan.
This is a terrific quick and easy zucchini recipe that’s super economical!
Zucchini Fritters
I have a theory that you can fritter anything (something I’ve elaborated on in my Pakora recipe!) And frittata anything.
And the Asian blood running through my veins also insists that I tell you that you can stir fry anything (follow the formula in this Stir Fry Sauce recipe) and make fried rice from anything.
Today, we’re frittering.
The thrifty side of me revels in the fact that you can take 2 unruly discounted zucchinis and a handful of pantry staples and end up with a stack of these golden crispy fritters that are can’t-stop-eating-them delicious. It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?
The path to crispy zucchini fritters
That you want crispy outsides goes without saying – there’s nothing sadder than a towering stack of soggy fritters.
But we also need to get the inside right. We want moist insides but not soggy and certainly not dry. Though if I had to choose from the lessor of two evils, I’d take dry over soggy insides – because at least I could douse them in inordinate amounts of yogurt or sour cream to make them palatable.
However, soggy insides I cannot bear and they can’t be salvaged.
And the only path to avoid soggy insides + achieve those crispy outsides is to wring out the excess liquid from the zucchini. Grate, salt, leave aside for 10 minutes, then wring out the excess liquid.
Parmesan for crisp and flavour!
In addition to removing the excess water from the zucchini, I like to add parmesan into the batter. Not only does it add flavour (umami booster!), it ups the crisp factor. Like in these Crispy Parmesan Crusted Potatoes, Parmesan Crusted Chicken and Parmesan Crusted Cauliflower. 😇
These aren’t quite as fully parmesan coated as those, but it’s all in the same spirit: parmesan = crisp 🙌🏻 – Nagi x
More zucchini recipes
For everyone with zukes taking over their garden / off loaded by family and friends / couldn’t resist a store bargain:
- Cheesy Zucchini Bread (No Yeast)
- Creamy Zucchini Soup
- Greek Zucchini Tots
- Healthy Cream of Vegetable Soup (Zucchinis are the secret ingredient!)
- Chinese Zucchini Pancakes
- Zucchini Tian (French Rice Bake)
And more patties and fritters (I love them!)
-
Broccoli Chicken Fritters – made with chopped chicken
Zucchini Fritters
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Crispy Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
Zucchini:
- 500 g/1 lb zucchini (2 medium ~ 23cm/9" long)
- 1 tsp salt
Batter:
- 1 large egg
- 2 green onions , halved then finely sliced
- 1/4 cup parmesan , grated (fresh or store bought)
- 1 garlic clove , large, minced
- 1/2 cup / 75 g flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil , separated
For Serving:
- Yoghurt or sour cream
- More chopped green onions
Instructions
Zucchini:
- Grate zucchini using a box grater. Grate on the diagonal so you get long strands.
- Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix, then leave for 10 minutes+.
- Squeeze out excess water using hands (or bundle up tea towel) then place zucchini in a bowl.
Batter:
- Preheat oven to 200F/100C (for keeping fritters warm). Place rack on tray (helps keep crispy)
- Add egg, green onions, parmesan and garlic into the zucchini bowl. Mix to combine.
- Scatter over flour and baking powder (don't dump in one spot), and add pinch of pepper. Mix until flour is just incorporated - batter should be thick but soft (see video, Note 1).
Cooking:
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan over medium high heat (or medium if stove is strong). Drop 1/4 cup batter in the pan (ice cream scoop is perfect). Do 3 or 4 mounds.
- Flatten lightly with spatula to about 1cm / 4/5" thick.
- Cook for 3 minutes until underside is deep golden (adjust heat if browning too quickly). Flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes. Transfer to tray and place in oven to keep warm.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
- Serve immediately with a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream and garnish of extra green onions if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
I wanted to share a pic of Dozer bounding around the park but kept missing the shot. Food photos are much easier – they don’t move!!
Easy to make (added corn), held together well, and presented well when cooked, but not a lot of taste. And found even after the recommended cooking time each side they weren’t anywhere near cooked (cooked for at least 5-6 mins each side) and the ‘inside’ reflected that.
Served them with some pesto yoghurt dressing which lifted them (a bit!).
Nagi why is the batter for these different to to batter for corn fritters?
Is there not a one batter fits all?
Please help i want to make these tonight but am a nit confused about the batter
Super easy and tasty.
Could the fritters be frozen after being cooked? Just wondering how’d they go being reheated
after?
These fritters are so easy and pretty much foolproof. I always have zucchini in my fridge so I quickly whip them up whenever I have visitors and they’re always demolished. I add corn because in my humble opinion, zucchini fritters always need corn!
So good. I only had 200g of zucchini so decreased the flour a bit. Super easy and delicious
I make these for my toddler but I always eat a few myself. They’re so good! I omit the salt and find them fine without as there’s a good amount of parmesan in these. Parmesan really makes it!
I like to add some Persian or Danish fetta to the mix. I usually serve with some streaky bacon. Actually I cook the bacon first then fry pancake sized fritters in the fat that comes from the bacon. So tasty 😋
Easy recipe
Kids loved them
Made this a couple of times now, the last being the best, so I hope this afternoon’s attempt will be as good. 1 query: why use plain flour + baking soda instead of self-raising flour?
Made a double batch for brunch and they were gone in a few minutes!!
My zucchini are not plentiful but my carrots are out of control! Could I use carrots in this recipe…perhaps shred more finely?
So yummy! I followed your recipe to a T, it turned out wonderfully. I served it with a salad and it was a hit with the family.
Nagi, could you use grated celeraic instead in this recipe?
Really enjoyed these fritters. Added sweetcorn and topped with a basil pesto mayo.
Thought I’d share a tip for all those overwhelmed by zucchini harvests. I shred my zooks in my food processor and bag it up in 1lb lots in pint freezer bags, flattened and marked. Defrosted overnight the shreds will release liquid (drain in colander over a bowl) so no squeezing necessary!
Making fritters during our frozen winters will be delightful!
I made these the first time as written. Tonight I made a Southwest version based on a dish called calabacitas. I added 2 drops of Tabasco sauce, Substituted Colby Jack cheese, added 1/4 cup corn, chopped green chili, increased garlic to 3-4 cloves, Substituted green onions for 1/2 white onion finely chopped. and added garlic and onion powder
Turned out great
Made these tonight with your crispy baked chicken drumsticks. Watermelon (with seeds only!) for dessert. Wonderful meal, thanks to you Nagi!
My zucchini hating kids gobbled these right up! I served them with a pesto yogurt dip and made them smaller than is called for in the recipe. Great savory way to use up zucchini.
These zucchini fritters are awesome, very tasty for an often bland vegetable. Used GF flour with no issues and great for lunch boxes.
These were just delicious and so easy to make! I served with crispy bacon and kinda wished I didn’t (shocking I know) as they taste beautiful as they are and the bacon overwhelms. I used gluten-free flour (White Wings brand) and they worked great. Tip: You don’t need to get too caught up on the 1/4 cup or icecream scoop measurement as long as they’re about 1cm thick and easy to flip.
Also serves beautifully topped with tomato, sliced avo, fresh coriander and Greek yoghurt +/- bacon. Young and old adore this recipe aka “green pancakes” for dinner. I struggle cook them fast enough to meet the demand for “another one”. Thank you Nagi.
Love these zucchini fritters. They turn one of my least favourite vegetables into something delicious. Do they work okay with cornflour or rice flour if I’m cooking for gluten-free friends?
I used gluten-free all purpose plain lour (White Wings brand) and they worked great. This tends to be lighter than regular flour, so stick to metric cup measurements rather than weight.