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Home Vegetarian Recipes

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

By:Nagi
Published:20 Aug '18Updated:1 Jun '21
173 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!

Stack of Crispy Zucchini Fritters with a dollop of sour cream on a rustic brown plate with a side of arugula salad,

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?

Crispy Zucchini Fritters in a black skillet, fresh off the stove, and also showing the inside of the fritters

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.

Preparing Zucchini for Crispy Fritters

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

Dolloping sour cream on a stack of Crispy Zucchini Fritters

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!)

  • Cheesy Ground Chicken Patties with Broccoli

  • Broccoli Chicken Fritters – made with chopped chicken

  • Broccoli Fritters

  • Pakora (Indian vegetable fritters)

  • Bill Granger’s Corn Fritters with Avocado Salsa

  • Greek Zucchini Tots (Mini Fritters)

  • Salmon Patties and Thai Fish Cakes


Zucchini Fritters
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

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Stack of Crispy Zucchini Fritters with a dollop of sour cream on a rustic brown plate with a side of arugula salad,

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
4.96 from 48 votes
Servings6 -7 fritters
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 286
Recipe video above. Zucchini fritters made extra crispy and extra tasty with the addition of parmesan! Crispy on the outside, and moist but not soggy on the inside. Love how these are light on batter - just enough to hold it together. Serves 2 as a light-ish meal.

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:

1. Batter consistency is key to good fritters. If too runny, add a touch of extra flour (otherwise fritters soggy inside). If way too thick, add a touch of water. It does come down to how juicy / how well the water was removed from the zucchinis. I don't squeeze the living daylights out of the zucchini, I just use my hands so some moisture is left in them which ends up in the batter.
2. Adapted from this recipe by Simply Recipes via Smitten Kitchen. I added parmesan for extra crisp and flavour, and garlic because it goes in everything savoury in my world.
3. What it tastes like: Zucchini has a pretty neutral flavour so it's not prominent in this recipe. It tastes savoury with a subtle hint of zucchini. Texture is key in this recipe - the golden crust is where much of the flavour is. The batter doesn't need extra salt if you salt the zucchini + use parmesan. But if you skip the parmesan, add a pinch of salt into the batter.
4. Reheating - fritters are best served fresh. But to reheat leftovers, pop them on a rack in a stinking hot oven (250C/480F) or as high as your oven will go for 5 minutes. OR pan fry lightly in a little oil to re-crisp and rewarm!
5. Nutrition per fritter (6 large ones), assuming 3 of the 4 tbsp of oil ends up in the fritters.
Nutrition Facts
Crispy Zucchini Fritters
Amount Per Serving
Calories 162 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 30mg10%
Sodium 472mg21%
Potassium 271mg8%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 265IU5%
Vitamin C 14.4mg17%
Calcium 86mg9%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 162cal (8%)Carbohydrates: 11g (4%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 11g (17%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Cholesterol: 30mg (10%)Sodium: 472mg (21%)Potassium: 271mg (8%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 265IU (5%)Vitamin C: 14.4mg (17%)Calcium: 86mg (9%)Iron: 1.1mg (6%)
Keywords: Zucchini Fritters
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173 Comments

  1. Chris says

    January 17, 2023 at 11:26 am

    5 stars
    These are so delicious! Quick, easy, very economical, tasty AF and perfect for brunch, lunch or a light dinner (especially with crispy bacon rashers, sour cream and sweet chilli sauce!)

    Total winner, love these. We have zukes coming out or ears but this and the chocolate bread recipe are making it easy to get through them – I’ve only given away a few zucchini so far and now I’m planning to freeze some (shredded) so I can ensure a continuous supply of deliciousness year round, LOL! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Michele Foster says

    January 8, 2023 at 9:50 am

    Nagi, do you use different sized ice cream scoops for different recipes? Can you advise on the size? I note that they use a numbering system that means X scoops per litre. Ie, size 30 means 30 scoops per litre and is therefore approx 33 ml per scoop. I’d love to know what sizes you use for different recipes.

    Reply
  3. Alison says

    December 31, 2022 at 9:01 am

    5 stars
    So good! Really popular with all the family. Will be making these regularly over the zucchini season. Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  4. Terry says

    November 29, 2022 at 4:51 pm

    Wow! So simple yet SOOO tasty! I had a small bowl of leftover salad bits (red onion, capsicum, some shredded cheddar) so tossed it in + an extra egg to be on the safe side since mine were small. They were scrumptious. Ta xx

    Reply
  5. Maria says

    October 16, 2022 at 10:25 am

    5 stars
    Another great recipe Nagi. They were delicious. Thanks M

    Reply
  6. Paula Dinnington says

    October 10, 2022 at 6:28 pm

    I cook these all the time they are a big hit especially for breakfast with eggs and bacon. YUMMO

    Reply
  7. Annette says

    September 6, 2022 at 3:20 pm

    Hi, I was just wondering why you put baking powder in your zucchini fritters?

    Reply
  8. Blitzo says

    June 24, 2022 at 9:15 am

    Hi Miss Nagi, your recipe looks simple but have a great detailed and guide to those who loved cooking.

    Reply
  9. Matthew says

    April 5, 2022 at 11:44 am

    Are the calories based on a single fritter or serving of 6-7 fritters?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 5, 2022 at 4:44 pm

      The recipe serves six, Matthew so the nutrition is for a single serve/1 fritter! N x

      Reply
  10. Ryrie Lynne says

    January 26, 2022 at 9:18 am

    I’m trying to collect some vegetarian recipes. And these recipes that I’ve looked at on this page

    Reply
  11. s says

    January 22, 2022 at 3:43 pm

    hi can you freeze these

    Reply
  12. Helen says

    January 21, 2022 at 11:16 am

    These were champion! I seem to have waaaay too many zucchini growing in my garden, so I’m glad I’ve found this great recipe for lunches/light summer dinners. BTW I used gluten-free plain flour (home-blend).

    Reply
  13. Kathryn says

    January 13, 2022 at 3:53 pm

    You didn’t actually say if it was plain flour or self-raising flour. I know there is baking powder for the raising agent but mine weren’t very thick and wondering if by using the plain flour it may have explained the reason mine were rather flat-looking

    Reply
  14. Caitie says

    January 12, 2022 at 2:48 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and yummy to make, I added a small can of corn.

    Reply
  15. Cathleen says

    September 24, 2021 at 3:03 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi. Just made these and they were delicious! Quick question, can you save the batter and cook the next day?

    Reply
  16. Christine says

    September 11, 2021 at 8:30 am

    5 stars
    I have been making these for awhile, they are a staple in our house. Hubby sometimes asks that I add corn. I cook ours in our waffle maker! Makes the task so easy. You then have lovely pockets to catch sauces or runny egg.

    Reply
  17. Holly says

    August 4, 2021 at 1:22 am

    4 stars
    These were easy to prepare and a good way to use up zuchinni. I squeezed roughly two cups of liquid out of my zuchinni and found that the end result was crisp on the outside but still too moist in the inside. If I make these again I will try squeezing the zuchinni in a tea towel as mentioned. The family was split on these but they are also not huge fans of zuchinni unless it’s used in baking.

    Reply
  18. Bec Nicotra says

    August 3, 2021 at 11:59 am

    5 stars
    Best fritter recipe I’ve made. I used half corn flour in the flour mix, as per the latest corn fritter recipe you posted. They were crispy and so tasty. As always Nagi you make me look like a Wizz in the kitchen 🙂

    Reply
  19. Joanne says

    July 28, 2021 at 5:59 am

    5 stars
    I’ve tried many recipes for zucchini fritters but this one is the keeper….I think the garlic and the Parmesan together make a big difference – I’ve added just Parmesan before – and cooking them in olive oil give them the crispness I love! Thank you!

    Reply
  20. Amanda Wells says

    July 24, 2021 at 11:56 am

    5 stars
    I was really surprised at how good these turned out with such a simple ingredient list! Great way to use the garden zucchini bounty.

    Reply
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