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Crispy Zucchini Fritters are a delicious way to use up a bumper crop of fresh summer zucchini! Serve with a sour cream sauce for a light and easy dinner or a simple side dish. The fried pancakes are a fun way to add more veggies to your meal!
Zucchini fritters are savory little pancakes made from grated zucchini and other seasonings, then pan-fried in a skillet. The fritters can be served as an appetizer, side dish or snack, but also work well for a light dinner or lunch entrée. They are particularly delicious during the summer months when fresh zucchini is at its peak!
How to make Zucchini Fritters:
Alright, friends — these Zucchini Fritters are so simple to make. You only need to stir together a handful of very basic ingredients, and then fry your little pancakes in a big skillet. Let’s get started!
Ingredients for Zucchini Fritters:
- Zucchini
- Salt
- Egg
- Thyme
- Garlic powder
- Green onion
- All-purpose flour
- Oil for frying
Step 1: Dry the Grated Zucchini
In a colander set over a large bowl or sink, toss together the grated zucchini and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. The salt will help draw out the moisture from the vegetables.
After 15 minutes, wrap the zucchini in a dish towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Keep squeezing! It’s important to get the zucchini pretty dry.
Step 2: Stir together the Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, thyme, garlic powder, pepper and additional salt. Stir in the dried zucchini and the green onion. Then gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Fry the Zucchini Fritters in a Skillet
Finally, drop the zucchini mixture in heaping 3-tablespoon mounds in a hot skillet with oil. Gently flatten the mounds into patties and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side (or until they’re nice and golden brown).
How to Serve Zucchini Fritters:
Serve the zucchini fritters warm or at room temperature. They work well as a snack, appetizer or vegetable side dish. You can also offer the fritters as a vegetarian lunch or dinner entree.
Here are a few other dishes that go well with Zucchini Fritters:
- Crispy Southern Fried Catfish
- Perfect 15-Minute Grilled Salmon
- Marinated Italian Chicken
- Shrimp and Sausage Pasta
- Grilled Scallops
- Creamy Pasta Salad
- Couscous Salad
- Chicken Souvlaki
- Seafood Salad
- Grilled Steak Tips
Dip for Zucchini Fritters:
It’s fun to have a sauce or dip to serve with Zucchini Fritters. You’ll often find the little pancakes finished with a dollop of sour cream and perhaps a garnish of chives or sliced green onion. They’re also delicious with Tzatziki Sauce or a Yogurt Dill Sauce.
Personally, my favorite way to serve the fritters is with a Sour Cream Pepper Jelly Dip! It’s the perfect balance of creamy, cool, sweet and spicy, making it a perfect companion for the savory fritters. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Red pepper jelly
- Sour cream
Whisk together equal parts pepper jelly and sour cream until smooth. Dip those fritters and enjoy!
Preparation and Storage Tips:
- You can cook the Zucchini Fritters in advance, drain them on paper towels, and then wrap tightly and store in a single layer in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Be aware that leftover, reheated fritters can be a bit heavier than fresh-from-the-skillet pancakes, so cooking at the last minute is always my preference. That said, it’s not necessarily convenient, and that’s when reheating comes in handy!
- Cooked Zucchini Fritters will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To freeze, cool the pancakes completely, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Once frozen, transfer the pancakes to a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag or other airtight container.
- To reheat Zucchini Fritters: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place fritters in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the fritters in the oven just until heated through (about 7-10 minutes for refrigerated pancakes or 15-20 minutes for frozen pancakes).
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Why are my Zucchini Fritters Soggy? The key to crispy zucchini fritters is making sure that you completely dry your zucchini before preparing the mixture. Salting and draining in a colander and then squeezing dry in a dish towel are two simple steps to ensure that you don’t end up with soggy fritters.
- This is a relatively small recipe that yields about 8 small fritters. It’s enough to feed about 3-4 people as a side dish, or about 2 people as an entree. If you’re feeding a larger family, I recommend doubling the ingredients to make twice as many fritters.
- Make sure that your pan is hot enough so that the fritters sizzle in the skillet.
- Work in batches to fry the fritters — do not overcrowd the pan. If you’d like to keep the cooked fritters warm while you finish frying subsequent batches, drain the cooked fritters on paper towels and then store them on a baking sheet in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.
- Summer is a great time to play with fresh herbs. I’ve included thyme here, but you can add just about any herbs that you prefer. Try fresh basil, parsley or dill.
- The nutrition information provided is merely an estimate, and does not include the optional dipping sauce or any oil absorbed by the fritters while frying. Each 2-fritter serving has about 88 calories, 1.3 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein.
More zucchini recipes that you might enjoy:
- Greek Yogurt Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Morning Glory Farm Zucchini Bread
- Skillet Pork Chops with Zucchini and Squash
- Crispy Zucchini Fries
- Easy Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Casserole
Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 lb. zucchini (about 2 ½ medium zucchini), shredded
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- Dash ground black pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped green onion (plus extra for garnish, if desired)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Optional Dip:
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup red pepper jelly
Instructions
- In a colander set over a large bowl, toss together shredded zucchini and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let drain for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Wrap the zucchini in a dish towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg, thyme, garlic powder, pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in zucchini and green onion. Gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring until well combined.
- In a large skillet, pour enough oil to a depth of ¼-inch. Heat the oil over medium heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
- Working in batches, drop zucchini mixture in heaping 3-tablespoon mounds in the hot oil. Gently flatten the mounds into ½-inch thick patties. Cook the zucchini fritters for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining zucchini mixture.
- To make the sauce, whisk together the sour cream and the red pepper jelly. Serve alongside the fritters.
Notes
- This is a relatively small recipe that yields about 8 small fritters. It’s enough to feed about 3-4 people as a side dish, or about 2 people as an entree. If you’re feeding a larger family, I recommend doubling the ingredients to make twice as many fritters.
- Make sure that your pan is hot enough so that the fritters sizzle in the skillet.
- Work in batches to fry the fritters — do not overcrowd the pan. If you’d like to keep the cooked fritters warm while you finish frying subsequent batches, drain the cooked fritters on paper towels and then store them on a baking sheet in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.
- Summer is a great time to play with fresh herbs. I’ve included thyme here, but you can add just about any herbs that you prefer. Try fresh basil, parsley or dill.
- The nutrition information provided is merely an estimate, and does not include the optional dipping sauce or any oil absorbed by the fritters while frying.
