Zucchini fritters are a classic recipe to make with all that summer garden zucchini. Grated zucchini, onion, egg, and flour are formed into patties and pan-fried until golden brown and crispy.
Zucchini fritters are easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients and taste great with a creamy dipping sauce. We also love making zucchini potato pancakes as a breakfast variation.
Grated zucchini and onion are mixed with flour and egg, formed into patties, and pan fried in a skillet on the stove top. They turn out golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Serve zucchini fritters as a side dish or appetizer - they're great paired with a creamy dipping sauce or served alongside a light soup and salad for a complete meal.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need about 3 medium zucchini grated on the large side of a box grater for this recipe.
- Onion -Onion adds flavor to your fritters. I don't recommend omitting it.
- Flour - Flour helps bind the ingredients together and creates a batter along with the egg.
- Egg - The egg binds the ingredients together and prevents your patties from falling apart while cooking.
- Seasoning - Garlic powder, salt, and pepper add flavor to your fritters. Herbs like thyme, oregano, or basil also make great additions.
- Oil - Any neutral cooking oil you have on hand works here. You may not need all of the oil listed in the recipe card.
Tips for crispy fritters
Want to ensure your zucchini fritters cook up golden brown and crispy? Here are a few tips:
- Squeeze out as much moisture as possible from your zucchini and onion before mixing the batter. Excess moisture in the batter makes it wet and soggy.
- Make sure your pan is preheated and oil is hot before adding the fritter mixture. To test the oil, drop a single shred of batter into the pan. When it sizzles right away, your oil is ready. If the oil isn't hot enough, the fritters will turn out soggy and greasy.
- Don't skip the oil - fritters will stick and create a mess. Adding oil to the pan not only prevents your patties from sticking to the pan, but helps create that crispy, golden brown crust.
- Medium heat is best. High heat cooks the outsides quickly, but leaves the insides soggy and uncooked. If the fritters are browning too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.
- Don't flip fritters until they're ready. If they're sticking to the pan, resist the urge to poke at them and/or scrape them off the pan. Once they're golden brown on the bottom, they'll release from the pan and flip easily.
- Transfer cooked fritters onto a paper towel (or tea towel) lined plate. This helps soak up excess grease and prevents sweating and moisture from forming on the plate, which makes them soggy.
What to serve with zucchini fritters
Wondering what to serve with zucchini fritters? Here are a few ideas:
- Sour cream
- Ketchup
- Broccoli cheddar zucchini soup
- Zucchini pesto pasta
- Basil aioli
Find more sides and sauces on my complete list: what to serve with zucchini fritters: 20 sauces and sides
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini fritters are a classic recipe to make with all that summer garden zucchini. Grated zucchini, onion, egg, and flour are formed into patties and pan-fried until golden brown and crispy.
Servings: 8 fritters
Calories: 105kcal
Ingredients
- 3 medium (405 g) zucchini, or 3 cups grated
- 1 small onion
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup (50 g) cooking oil, *
Instructions
- Grate zucchini and onion using the large side of a box grater (or a food processor with a grating disc). Wrap grated zucchini and onion into several layers of paper towel (or a tea towel) and squeeze over the sink to remove as much excess liquid as possible.
- To a large bowl, add grated and squeezed zucchini and onion, as well as egg, flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir until completely incorporated.
- In a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Test oil heat with a single shred of batter. If it sizzles right away, your oil is ready.
- Add ¼ cup heaps of batter into the pan, then gently flatten with a spoon into thin patties. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until fritters are golden brown and release easily from the pan. If fritters are browning too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.
- Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.
- Repeat with remaining batter, adding more cooking oil to the pan as needed to prevent sticking. Serve fritters warm.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- * You may not use all of the listed cooking oil - use as much as needed to prevent sticking in the pan.
- Skipping the step of squeezing the liquid from your grated vegetables will make your fritters very wet and soggy.
- Calories are calculated assuming 25% of cooking oil is absorbed into fritters while cooking, and each fritter being made with about ¼ heaping cup of batter.
- Leftover fritters will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 1fritter | Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
Comments
No Comments