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 meal that’s super economical!
I have a theory that you can fritter anything. 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 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)
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
- 500 g/1 lb zucchini (2 medium ~ 23cm/9" long)
- 1 tsp salt
- 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
- Yoghurt or sour cream
- More chopped green onions
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Grate zucchini using a box grater. Grate on the diagonal so you get long strands.
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Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Mix, then leave for 10 minutes+.
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Squeeze out excess water using hands (or bundle up tea towel) then place zucchini in a bowl.
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Preheat oven to 200F/100C (for keeping fritters warm). Place rack on tray (helps keep crispy)
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Add egg, green onions, parmesan and garlic into the zucchini bowl. Mix to combine.
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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).
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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.
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Flatten lightly with spatula to about 1cm / 4/5" thick.
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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.
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Repeat with remaining batter.
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Serve immediately with a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream and garnish of extra green onions if desired.
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.
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!!
Hi Nagi, do you think i can swap the flour for almondflour to make them low carb? Or can you recommend another low carb substitute? Thank you!
I’m sorry to say I haven’t tried it BUT based on other recipes I’ve done that with, I am pretty sure it will work. Even rice flour will probably work!
Hi Nagi, these look delicious, do they keep for reheating at all, or do they need to be served straight away?
Yes i would like to know this as well!
Hi Haizea! Just popped a note in the recipe about reheating – stinking hot oven for 5 minutes on a rack or pan fry 🙂
Hi Susan! Just popped a note in the recipe about reheating – stinking hot oven for 5 minutes on a rack or pan fry 🙂
Not to offend any vegetarians out there but,…Do you think adding some chopped bacon would effect it?
YES – In a positive way 😂
Thank you for the recipe! SUPER DELICIOUS!! I’m obsessed and make them almost every other day. Do you think I can make batter the night before and fry them in the morning to take to work?
Made these last night FABULOUS
That’s terrific to hear Bridget! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Came home tonight and my husband was making these for dinner. DO NOT be tempted to use brown onion, chopped in the Thermomix EVER! DO NOT be tempted to skip the squeezing part EVER! DO NOT be tempted to add to these grave errors grated cheddar EVER! He left for a meeting and the kids and I had to slice them in half the skinny way and fry them again. Apparently you can salvage soggy insides. These have been dubbed DFF : Dad’s failed fritters!! We might try them the proper way next time 🤣🤣🤣
But FULL MARKS for trying??!! 😂😂😂
Hi there I love receiving your recipes in Toronto and then I scroll down to see what Dozer is upto!
I AM DOING A DIABETIC VERSION OF THE FRITTER replacing the flour with chickpea flour will update you on the results👍
Oooh! It’s such a coincidence you mention chickpea flour, I am making falafels this week and I use chickpea flour!! N xx
Made these lastnight… omg delicious.
Perfect consistency. Done it again Nagi
Glad to hear you enjoyed this Nicole!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x ❤️
DOZER is Full OF energy. Catch me IF YOU can….oh PLEASE do NOT FORGET YOU SHOULD NOT work with KIDS Or animals. Food is YUMI AS usualy. HAVE good week.
He’s always full of energy!!! 🙂 N x
Great recipe, I just made it. Flavor was spot on and the crispy outside was so tasty. Center nice and creamy. The only problem I came across was the carb count. I gotta watch my carbs so I loaded the recipe into 2 of my recipe programs.
For a yeild of 6 I got 9 – 10 g of carb. Even at 7 the carb count is only reduced by 1. Some may say it’s no big deal but for those on strict diets it can very well turn out to be. These things are so delicious though.
Hi Ed, thanks for pointing that out, let me double check it 🙂 N x
Not a problem…….if you just look at the flour alone, it is where most the carbs come from. 1/2 cup has around 67 carbs. Divided by 6 you get around 10 carb. Now, once I’ve started these I can’t stop making them. They are so good. I can’t believe the taste of the “crispy” edges. Truly a recipe keeper.
Updated! I get 11g carb per fritter. The calculator picked up something funky on the number of fritters, I just refreshed it. 🙂 Thanks for picking that up! N x
Another perfect dish!!!
To all readers, make sure you salt and rest grated zucchini.
Then drain into fine sieve, and use rolled paper towel to suck all the rest of moisture out. Then follow recipe.
As Nagi said, those little steps will make a huge difference in final state of your fritters.!!!
Yummy..
YES! You nailed it, that is the most important step!! N xx
Ms Nagi,
I like to add a finely chopped chilli to the mix, it give a nice bite but doesn’t over power the other flavours, of course if you like very spicy then extra chilli will do it but kill any zucchini flavour.
Oooh yes, chilli kick is nice with almost everything!!! N x
These were so good Nagi! I had them with tzatziki, dream combination! Thank you!
YES what a fab combo! I keep meaning to share my tzatziki recipe then I can link it to this recipe! N xx