Every summer growing up on my farm, my Mom would resemble an I Love Lucy episode at the chocolate factory when Lucy and Ethel fall behind at the conveyor belt and start stuffing chocolates everywhere they can. We all know the episode…it’s my favorite! Mom would scramble to find ways to use up all of the zucchini that endlessly grew in her garden. I remember her yelling from the garden each afternoon, “I just found 4 more damn zucchini!” and we would search through the cookbooks to come up with new recipes that called for 2 or 3 or even more of them. The more zucchini we picked, the more that seemed to grow. Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Salad, Zucchini Soup … you name it, we made it. Zucchini Fritters were one of my favorites, great as a light dinner with salad, made tiny and served as finger food to guests or eaten for lunch; these were a delicious way to eat more vegetables.
Why You Will Love These Zucchini Fritters
- These fritters are crisp on the outside and filled with delicious herbs, parmesan, and a shredded zucchini center.
- Fritters are kid-friendly and are a great way to sneak more veggies into their diet without them knowing.
- They pair well with a variety of dipping sauces, from garlic aioli to tzatziki.
- They’re a delicious way to use up an abundance of homegrown zucchini.
- Get creative with the herbs and spices and make them your own!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Zucchini: The star of the show! Shredded and packed together to give a crispy and tender texture in every bite.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together so the fritters hold their shape.
- Salt and Fresh Herbs: A simple combination of sea salt and fresh dill and fresh parsley is my favorite combo.
- Green Onions: Mild onions that add a subtle savory bite without overpowering the fritters.
- Baking Powder: Helps create light, tender fritters with a delicate texture.
- Cornstarch: Absorbs excess moisture and helps the fritters become crispy and golden.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds salty, nutty flavor while helping create a beautifully crisp exterior.
- Avocado Oil: A high-heat cooking oil that produces perfectly golden, crispy fritters.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Box Grater
- Tea Towel or Cheesecloth
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Skillet
- Spatula or Flipper
Tips For THe BEst Zucchini Fritters
- Salting draws out excess moisture, which is the key to crispy fritters instead of soggy ones. After the zucchini rests, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze until it’s as dry as you can get it. The drier the zucchini, the crispier the fritters.
- After add the fritters to the pan leave them untouched for a minute or two until a golden crust forms, this will make them easier to flip.
How to Make These Zucchini Fritters
- Trim the ends off the zucchini and grate. Place the grated zucchini in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Leave to rest to draw out some of the water.
- Squeeze out the liquid over the sink with your hands or place on a tea towel or cheesecloth as much liquid as possible.
- Place the zucchini in a large bowl, and add in the remaining fritter ingredients. Stir until everything is well mixed.
- Add oil to a pan on medium heat. Measure out ¼ cup portions of batter and add 2-3 to a skillet. Leave the batter to cook until the underside is golden brown. Flip each of the fritters and press down firmly on them to flatten them. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until golden brown and then transfer the fritters to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream or tzatziki on top.
How to Modify
- Add more vegetables like grated carrots, yellow squash, sweet potato, corn, or finely chopped spinach for extra color and flavor.
- Switch up the herbs with fresh basil, cilantro, chives, mint, oregano, or thyme instead of (or in addition to) the dill and parsley.
- Add a little heat with some red pepper flakes, diced jalapeños, cayenne pepper, or a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Boost the flavor with minced garlic, lemon zest, onion powder, garlic powder, or your favorite seasoning blend.
Dietary Customizations
- Dairy-Free: Omit the Parmesan or use dairy-free Parmesan…Follow Your Heart has a great substitute.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these as an appetizer with a delicious dipping sauce like ranch dressing or with a dollop of tzatziki with cottage cheese for a punch of protein. These would be delicious served alongside Loaded Smashed Tater Tots, Air Fryer Crispy Artichokes, or Truffle Fries.
Enjoy these as a side dish alongside Garlic and Herb Steak Bites or Pretzel Chicken Bites.
Don’t forget a cool drink like a Lillet Spritz or Hugo Spritz.
Common Questions
This usually means the zucchini still contains too much moisture or there isn’t enough binder. Be sure to squeeze the grated zucchini very well and measure the egg and cornstarch accurately.
Yes! Cook the fritters, let them cool completely, and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer to restore their crispiness.
Absolutely! Lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake them at 425 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they’re golden and crispy, and enjoy!
Yes! Air fry at 375 degrees F. for 10-14 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp and golden.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They’re best reheated in the oven, air fryer, toaster oven, or cast iron skillet rather than the microwave.
Zucchini naturally contains a lot of water. Salting helps draw out excess moisture so the fritters become crispy instead of soft or watery.
More Zucchini Recipes You Will Love
- Sauteed Corn and Zucchini
- Shrimp, Zucchini and Asparage Skewers
- Grilled Zucchini and Asparagus Salad
- Shaved Zucchini Salad
- Zucchini Banana Muffins
If you make these Zucchini Fritters, let me know in the comment section below. I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Crispy Herb & Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 lbs zucchini
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped scallions
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup corn starch or arrowroot powder
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2-3 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- Trim the ends off the zucchini and then using a box grater, grate the zucchini. Place the grated zucchini in a bowl and sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt overtop. Leave to rest for 10 minutes which will help to draw out some of the water.
- Take handfuls of the grated zucchini and squeeze it as firmly as possible over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. You can alternatively place the grated zucchini in a clean tea towel when squeezing out the liquid. Get as much liquid out as possible.
- Place the squeezed zucchini in a large bowl, add in the egg, dill, parsley, salt, scallions, baking powder, corn starch and grated parmesan cheese. Stir until everything is well mixed.
- Add 2 tbsp of oil to a pan on medium heat. Measure out ¼ cup portions of batter and add 2-3 to a skillet. Leave the batter to cook for 3-4 minutes until the underside is golden brown and then flip each of the fritters and press down firmly on them using a spatula or flipper to help flatter them. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until golden brown and then transfer the fritters to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream or tzatziki on top.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
Perfect for zucchini season! The recipe turned out great. Even my kids liked them..
Really tasty with some fresh dill.
I have tried this recipe twice. The first time, I forgot to squeeze the extra liquid from the zucchini. Even though I added a lot of almond flour to compensate for the liquid, the fritters still stuck to the bottom of my stainless steel saute pan. I had to turn the temperature down from medium high to medium low, because the first several fritters burned.
The second time, I salted the shredded zucchini to remove the bitterness, rinsed the salt out after about 30 minutes, drained the zucchini, then used a cloth towel to squeeze any remaining liquid out. Even so, the batter stuck to my pan. I ended up using a lot of olive oil.
The only difference in ingredients from your recipe was that I used grated Romano cheese instead of grated Parmesan. I have subbed Romano for Parmesan for about 30 years, on the orders of my old allergist. Could the different cheese explain why my fritters stick to the pan?
I like the idea of the fritters, but I am not having much luck frying them. Would it be better for me to bake them in muffin cups?
Hi Carmen, if I want to make it dairy free, can I substitute parmesan with nutritional yeast? If yes, do you know what will be the proportion?
These were AMAZING my whole family devoured them! The best part was they were so simple and easy.
Thanks for the comment Rada, I am so sorry to hear that they didn’t turn out as expected. I suspect that some of the moisture from the zucchini should have been drawn out before being added to the batter, I think that would make a big difference. Ill add a note to the recipe about that, my apologies that it wasn’t more clear before!
Hi Carmen! I saw your blog through Jamie’s instagram and love love love your recipes thank you! Do you have a great veggie or bean burger recipe? xo Michelle
Hi Michelle, I’m so happy you found my site (thanks Jamie!) and thanks for the kind words! I am actually in the process of working on a veggie burger recipe which will hopefully be ready to post in the next few weeks. At the moment the closest thing I have it the Asian Salmon Cakes which are really good and can be eaten on their own or in a bun. Stay tuned for the veggie burger recipe coming soon!
I didn’t have almond flour so I ended up using 1/4 cup GF flour and close to 1/2 cup GF breadcrumbs (started with 1/4 cup and kept adding until it ‘looked right’).
Such an easy recipe. Me & the little one LOVE LOVE LOVED these fritters! … am a bit embarrassed to say we ate the whole batch (as we were frying them up).