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When zucchini are in season, we can barely keep up with the bounty! One vigorous zucchini plant can easily supply a family of four. Two or three plants and you are leaving bags of zucchini on your neighbors’ porches.
Here’s a quick and easy zucchini fritter recipe that’s perfect for a side or snack.
How to Make Zucchini Fritters
This recipe uses a simple batter of zucchini, egg, flour, green onions, herbs and lemon. You gently fry the fritters in hot oil until lightly browned on both sides.
We’re making a sour cream dipping sauce with lemon and garlic, or you could skip that and just serve with a dollop of yogurt.
How do you keep fritters from getting soggy?
Fresh garden zucchini is usually heavy with water. If you grate them and use them right away in these fritters it will be hard to crisp them up in a pan.
The trick to keep them from being mushy? Drain the freshly grated zucchini of excess moisture. If you salt the grated zucchini and let it drain in a sieve over a bowl, the salt will help draw out the extra water.
What to serve with zucchini fritters?
Think of these fritters as a vegetable side or a simple appetizer. Serve them alongside meat, a green salad, or even topped with a fried egg.
Make ahead
Have leftovers, or need to make ahead? You can make ahead these fritters and keep them chilled in the refrigerator for up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, spread them out on a lined baking sheet and put them in a 350°F oven until heated through.
ZUCCHINI FOR DAYS? HERE ARE 5 MORE RECIPES
- Zucchini Muffins
- Dad’s Ratatouille
- Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Sautéed Zucchini with Dill
- Zucchini Tomato Quiche
Zucchini Fritters Recipe
You can easily substitute the fresh herbs with 1/2 teaspoon or so of dried herbs such as Italian seasoning.
A variation that several commenters have mentioned is to add a bit of cumin and feta to the mixture. You can also separate the egg and whip up the egg white and fold back in for lighter and fluffier fritters.
Ingredients
For the zucchini:
- 1 pound of zucchini (about 3 medium sized), coarsely grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the dipping sauce:
- 1/2 cup sour cream (can substitute plain Greek yogurt)
- 1 clove garlic, minced, about 1 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
For the fritters:
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 green onions, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
Special equipment:
Method
1 Salt and drain zucchini: Sprinkle grated zucchini with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Place in a sieve or colander over a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Press down with a wooden spoon to push out more of the water. Wrap it in paper towels and try to squeeze out more liquid.
2 Make dipping sauce: Whisk together the sour cream, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
3 Make the fritter batter: Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add the grated zucchini, flour, minced green onions, thyme, basil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine well.
4 Fry the fritters: Heat the oil in a large skillet (we recommend a 10-inch cast iron skillet) over medium high heat until the oil is shimmery and hot. Test the oil by flicking a little flour into it. If the flour sizzles, it's ready.
Working in batches, drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the skillet. Flatten slightly with the back end of a spoon or spatula. Cook, turning once, until browned, 4-6 minutes on each side.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining batter.
5 Serve the fritters: Serve immediately with sour cream dipping sauce. Fritters can be kept warm by placing on a sheet pan in a warm oven, or reheated under a broiler for a minute or two.
Serve as an appetizer, or as a vegetable side. For extra fun, top with a poached or fried egg.
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Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family's recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
Zucchini Fritters
Very nice fritters. My zucchini is starting to produce and I wanted a recipe that would appeal to some of the family who aren’t fans of zucchini. Everyone really enjoyed these, even my most picky kid. I added 1 shredded carrot, parsley and basil. I plan to make these often during the summer.
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One of my all time classics! I found this recipe from you when I first got realky interested in cooking when I was 16 or 17 circa 2003ish. My mom has always grown zucchini and I was tired of the same old stuff. Since then it’s become a family classic every summer. Even now in my 30s and living in Australia I’m cooking them right now and it reminds me of summer at home, thank Elise!!!
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These are excellent. I’ve made them every single year since you posted it. Sometimes I add a couple Tbsp of panko for the crunchiness. My family and I thank you very much :)
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I’m going to try and make a lower carb version using either coconut or almond flour. I love zucchini be there is too much flour for me to keep low carb. Wish ne luck!
I make zucchini fritters all the time. I also add grated carrots to mine. I don’t salt them, just grate and squeeze out moisture.