Not sure what to serve for dinner tonight? How about this easy zucchini fritters recipe served with a dollop of sour cream or other dipping sauce and with a side of diced ham and poached eggs?
These crispy zucchini fritters are easy to make and one of our favorite zucchini recipes to make with fresh zucchinis from the garden or farmer’s market. If you like the taste of zucchini bread or muffins then this is the next recipe you should try!
If you want to make a delicious topping or dipping sauce to go along with this zucchini fritters recipe, we have included it in the variations section. Just mix up some sour cream or Greek yogurt, some lemon juice or lemon zest, and some fresh herbs like fresh dill and some onion powder and you are ready to go.
What you’ll need to make this zucchini fritters recipe
Equipment:
large bowl for mixing ingredients
box grater for grating shredded zucchini
plate for placing hot zucchini fritters
paper towels for removing excess water or oil
high-sided frying pan or cast iron skillet for frying the zucchini fritters
fork for stirring ingredients together
spoon for scooping batter into the hot oil
slotted spoon for removing the zucchini fritters from the hot skillet
With a prep time of just 10 minutes, a rise time of about an hour and a cook time of around 15 minutes, from start to finish you can make these absolutely delicious zucchini fritters in under and hour and a half.
While you are waiting for the dough for the zucchini fritters to double in size you can prep another part of your meal to serve together or make the sour cream topping for your grated zucchini fritters recipe.
Ingredients for zucchini fritters recipe
Fresh zucchini (2 large or 3 small) – we love light or dark green summer zucchini or even round grated zucchini. If you use a huge zucchini from the garden you will need to remove the seeds. You can substitute fresh zucchini with yellow squash or grated carrot if you prefer the taste of these other vegetables or that is what you have on hand.
All-purpose flour (300 grams) – for making the batter you can use all-purpose flour that you have sifted beforehand. If you prefer to be gluten free you can use gf flour (gluten free flour), or if you prefer whole wheat flour that is also fine to use, although remember that different flours will rise differently, in fact wheat flour usually rises less. Some alternative recipes call for all-purpose flour along with coconut flour, almond flour or oat flour but we have found that they don’t create the right consistency for the zucchini fritters to be properly fried or they alter the taste too much.
Water (250 grams) – from the tap works great and the temperature should be warm or lukewarm.
Fresh brewer’s yeast (10 grams or 5 grams of dry brewer’s yeast) – be sure to use only very fresh brewer’s yeast or dry brewer’s yeast that has not expired. If it is past it’s “Use Before Date” the batter won’t rise correctly.
Kosher salt (5 grams) – you will want a bit of salt in the batter, but it is also nice to sprinkle a little salt on top of the fritters after they have been fried.
Pepper (as desired) – a little freshly ground black pepper can be great to add to this recipe.
Peanut oil (abundant) – or you can use whatever your favorite oil is for frying, like sunflower oil. We don’t recommend using olive oil because it is costly for frying, but if that is your preference olive oil does work just fine.
Optional ingredients – there are so many optional ingredients you can add when you make zucchini fritters such as green onion, onion powder, garlic powder, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. There are also the ingredients you can use to make the topping sauce to go along with this amazing recipe such as Greek yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, green onions and fresh dill.
Step-by-step instructions for making this recipe
Make the batter and let rise: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water (photo 1), add the flour, the salt and mix with a fork until you have a soft batter. Cover with saran wrap (photo 2) and let sit in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles.
Grate the zucchini and add to the mixture: In the meantime, grate the zucchini with a box grater (photo 3), drain and pat dry with a clean dishcloth or paper towels (photo 4).
When the batter has doubled (photo 5), add the zucchini to the batter and stir until combined (photo 6).
Fry the zucchini fritters: Heat the peanut oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Take a large scoop of batter and pour it directly into the boiling oil in the hot skillet to form a sort of patty that is circular and fairly flat (photo 7).
Fry just a few fritters at a time on medium heat for about 1.5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown, turning only once. Remove the zuccini fritters with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet (photo 8). Add a dash of salt and pepper and serve hot with a dipping sauce or topping on the side.
Expert Tips
Use hot oil for golden brown crispy zucchini fritters. Be sure the oil is very hot before you put the zucchini fritters into it. They only need to cook for about 1.5 minutes on each side and then the crispy zucchini fritters will turn golden brown when ready. We don’t recommend olive oil because of the cost, but other oils such as peanut oil or sunflower oil work well.
Prepare zucchini correctly- no water! Be sure to properly drain the shredded zucchini (very well squeezed zucchini work best) and that the zucchini mixture is then put on paper towels so it can dry as much as possible before being added to this great recipe.
Variations
Use a different veggie. You can try substituting grated zucchini with grated yellow squash or shredded carrots. Absolutely delicious! Just be sure to let whatever vegetable you use drain very well after it has been shredded so that it looses the water and remove any large seeds. Excess water will ruin the batter.
Add onion or garlic. These zucchini fritters are delicious with the addition of half a grated onion or one tablespoon of chopped green onions or minced garlic added to the mixture at the same time as the shredded zucchini.
Make a topping or dipping sauce. A topping or dipping sauce is great to top or dip your stack of zucchini fritters. Start with 2 cups of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream and add some fresh dill, onion powder, a small squirt of lemon juice or a little lemon zest and other fresh herbs and a pinch of salt and then enjoy along with your cooked fritters.
Add cheese or bread crumbs. A few tablespoons of Panko breadcrumbs or shredded cheese (such as grated Parmesan cheese) added to the zucchini mixture can really make this great recipe special.
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FAQs
How can I store zucchini fritters?
Store these absolutely delicious zucchini fritters in an airtight container for up to 24 hours at room temperature, or in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How can I reheat zucchini fritters, can I use an air fryer?
You can reheat on the stove in an cast iron skillet for several minutes, turning once. You can also microwave for 30 seconds or heat for a few minutes in a toaster oven. The last way is to use an air fryer, you will need to read your individual air fryer directions to see the recommendation for reheating or frying foods.
Can I freeze zucchini fritters?
Yes, you can freeze zucchini fritters, but you will need to defrost them in the fridge for several hours and then reheat as above. Unfortunately, they will never be crispy zucchini fritters like they once were.
