Zucchini Fritters
Crispy golden fritters made with grated zucchini, onion, garlic, and herbs, bound with egg and flour. Perfect as a snack or light meal, served with yogurt dip.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 1 tsp
- 2 cloves
- ½ cups
- ½ tsp
- ¼ tsp
- 2 tbsp
- ¼ cups
- ½ cups
Process
Timers built in · swap anything · ask as you cook
Place the grated zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with the salt, and let sit for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out as much liquid as possible using your hands or a clean kitchen towel.
In a large bowl, combine the squeezed zucchini, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, egg, all-purpose flour, baking powder, black pepper, and chopped fresh dill. Mix until well combined.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil, flattening slightly with the back of the spoon to form fritters about 5 cm in diameter.
Fry the fritters for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Work in batches, adding more oil if needed.
Remove the fritters with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with plain yogurt on the side, if desired.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The single biggest mistake is not squeezing the zucchini hard enough; after the 10 minute salt rest, wring it in a clean towel until it feels almost dry, or the batter will be wet and the fritters will fall apart in the oil.
- The batter should hold a soft shape but not be runny; if it looks loose after mixing, wait 5 minutes for the flour to hydrate, then add 1 tablespoon more flour at a time rather than pouring it in.
- Keep the oil at medium heat, around 175C; if the fritters brown in under a minute the oil is too hot and the centers will stay raw, so test one spoonful first and adjust.
- Fry in small batches and leave space between fritters; crowding drops the oil temperature and steams the zucchini instead of crisping it, which is why batches turn out pale and greasy.
Substitutions
- all-purpose-flour→chickpea flour for a gluten-free version, using the same 0.5 cup
- fresh-dill→fresh parsley or mint, or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- plain-yogurt→sour cream or a dairy-free yogurt alternative
- vegetable-oil→light olive oil or sunflower oil for frying
Storage & reheating
Store cooled fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, with a piece of paper towel under and over them to absorb moisture. For freezing, lay them in a single layer on a tray, freeze for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 200C oven on a rack or baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes until hot and crisp; avoid the microwave, which makes them soggy.
Gallery
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my zucchini fritters fall apart in the pan?
Almost always because the zucchini still held water, so the batter never set. After salting for 10 minutes, squeeze the grated zucchini in a towel until no more liquid drips out, and if the mix still feels wet, stir in 1 extra tablespoon of flour before frying.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
You can grate, salt, and squeeze the zucchini up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Mix the full batter just before frying, because a batter that sits for hours releases more water and turns loose.
How do I know when the fritters are cooked through?
They are done when both sides are deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side over medium heat, and the center feels firm when pressed with the back of a spatula. If the outside browns faster than that, lower the heat so the egg and flour cook through.
Can I use frozen zucchini instead of fresh?
Yes, but thaw it fully and squeeze it even harder than fresh, since freezing breaks the cell walls and releases more water. Use the same 2 zucchini worth of grated flesh and expect to add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of flour.
Why are my fritters greasy and soft instead of crispy?
The oil was not hot enough or the pan was crowded. Fry in batches over medium heat, keep the oil around 175C, and drain each batch on paper towels; adding cold batter to cool oil makes the fritters absorb oil instead of crisping.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes, place spoonfuls on a lightly oiled baking sheet, flatten to about 1 cm thick, and bake at 220C for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping once halfway. They will be firmer and less crisp than fried, so press them flat for even cooking.
Ask KitchenMind about this recipe
Tell it what’s different tonight — it works within the actual recipe.
