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Zucchini Fritters - Use up extra zucchini to make perfectly crispy zucchini fritters! Serve as an appetizer, side dish, snack or light meal. Picky-eater approved!

Use up extra zucchini to make perfectly crispy zucchini fritters! Serve as an appetizer, side dish, snack or light meal. Picky-eater approved!

Featured Comment

This is outstanding. I’ve made it 2 times, making a double batch now. These are delicious, great reheated and my baby even loves it!!
Tonya
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why you’ll love zucchini fritters

  • 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.

What are zucchini fritters?

Zucchini fritters are a popular summer appetizer, side dish, or vegetarian meal, made with shredded zucchini, flour and eggs, and then pan-fried to yield crispy, savory pancakes. The fritters are typically served with sour cream or tzatziki sauce for dipping.

how to make zucchini fritters

  1. Prep the zucchini. Using the large holes of a box grater, shred the zucchini first, then transfer to a colander over the sink. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and let it rest for 10 minutes to draw out the excess moisture.
  2. Squeeze dry. Transfer the zucchini to a clean dish towel or cheese cloth and wring out as much liquid as possible.
  3. Make the batter. Combine the squeezed zucchini, flour, Parmesan, garlic, egg, salt and pepper.
  4. Cook. Scoop and drop 3-4 tablespoons of batter for each fritter into a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat, flattening with the back of a spatula. Work in batches if needed to avoid an overcrowded pan.
  5. Make it crispy. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  6. Keep warm. Keep warm in a low oven (250°F) between batches and serve with sour cream or tzatziki sauce.

Storing, freezing and reheating

Storage

Leftover fritters can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheating

Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.

Freezing

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.

Reheating after freezing

Thaw the fritters 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

Zucchini Fritters: Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I have to drain the zucchini?

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.

How can I grate the zucchini?

A box grater will work beautifully here!

What do I serve these with?

The possibilities are endless! You can serve them with a dollop of sour cream, tzatziki sauce, or as a side dish to my favorite lemon herb roasted chicken.

How can I store leftovers?

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, reheating in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.

Are zucchini fritters freezer-friendly?

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

Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Use up extra zucchini to make perfectly crispy zucchini fritters! Serve as an appetizer, side dish, snack or light meal. Picky-eater approved!
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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

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.

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet
Cast Iron Skillet

Notes

  • Squeeze dry the zucchini. This is a key step to avoid soggy fritters! Grate the zucchini and add 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 leftovers. Flash-freeze the fritters first, then transfer to an airtight, resealable freezer bag, freezing up to 3 months.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

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