Zucchini Fritters
Featured Comment
Love this recipe. Such a good way to get little ones to eat vegetables. ~Marie
Why Everyone Loves My Zucchini Fritters Recipe
- Even picky eaters go back for seconds, since the cheese and garlic completely win over anyone who claims they don’t like zucchini.
- You only need 30 minutes and one pan, which makes this a realistic weeknight side instead of a weekend-only project.
- A genuine gluten-free swap is built right in, so everyone gets a change to have some.
- Cooked fritters freeze beautifully, so a double batch now means a fast appetizer is always on hand later.
- I use mozzarella and Parmesan together, which gives you a richer, cheesier center and more flavor.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients and Notes
- Zucchini – wash the zucchini but don’t peel it. The skin hold a lot of nutrients and adds stability to the fritters as well. It will cook nice and soft so it will not affect the texture of the fritters.
- Panko – These bread crumbs help to bind the fritters. Panko is my preferred bread crumb of choice because it’s light and delicate so it incorporates into the mixture very well to lend the best shape support.
- Cheeses – You’ll need both mozzarella and parmesan to make these cheesy zucchini fritters. Try to make sure both cheeses are fresh (not the pre-shredded bagged cheese) for the best flavor and consistency. Pre-shredded cheeses contain powder separators and preservatives that causes it not to melt as well and freshly grated.
- Gluten Free Option: to make these fritters gluten free, simply substitute the bread crumbs. Use gluten-free bread crumbs and preferrable ones that are similar to Panko in consistency. After testing countless amount of different brands, I just that best brand is 4C plain gluten free bread crumbs, because it resembles Panko closest with light and crispy texture.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Zucchini Fritters
- Prepare the zucchini – Grate the zucchini on a box grater, on the side with larger holes, and transfer grated zucchini into a mesh bag or cheese cloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can, it will be almost dry, that’s the secret to keep fritters from being soggy.
- Combine the ingredients – Place the squeezed zucchini into a mixing bowl and toss in the remaining ingredients. Mix well until all ingredients are fully combined.
- Shape the fritters – use an ice cream scoop to scoop out even amounts of zucchini mixture. Gently shape all the fritters with your hands. Shape them all first, before starting to cook.
- Preheat the cooking pan first. Preheat a pan over medium heat, then lower the temperature a little bit after you add the fritters. The fritters should sizzle immediately when they hit the pan. If they don’t, the oil isn’t hot enough yet. It does NOT meat you need to turn the heat on higher than medium! Just make sure to pre-heat.
- Cook the fritters – Cook the zucchini fritters for 4-6 minutes per side, depending on the size of the fritters. Try to only flip once so there is less chance of them breaking apart.
Expert Tips for Perfect Zucchini Fritters.
This happens when there is not enough binder in the mix or there are sticking issues. So to prevent this, there are a couple of things I always make sure to do:
- Use proper binders: use Panko bread crumbs, 2 eggs, and some cheese as binders.
- Fritters can fall apart if they’re stuck to the pan, so make sure your pan is clean and if needed, use a non-stick.
- Remember to preheat the pan first and make sure to use enough oil. (Some of the reasons for always waiting for the pan to preheat is to prevent food from sticking, achieving a flavorful brown crust through the Maillard reaction, it ensures even cooking, and helps preserve the moisture.)
- Don’t overcrowd the pan, which can lower the oil temperature and lead to steaming instead of frying. Add enough fritters so they have a little space in between each.
- Don’t flip too soon or too much while they are cooking. Leave them alone. Especially important not to touch them once added to the pan. They will be stuck at first, until they cook through. Food does release from the pan once it’s cooked enough to be flipped.
What to Serve With Zucchini Fritters
My go to way to serve these fritters is with sour cream. It’s simple and refreshing.
- Tzatziki sauce is another option you can try but it does change the flavor pallet a little.
- Kids love ranch dressing with zucchini fritters, it actually seems to be the easiest way to convince kids to eat veggies.
- When I have some, I adore Green Goddess dressing with them as well.
- Also, try Cajun remoulade, Avocado Ranch, creamy cilantro lime dressing, and cucumber raita.
- Basically, anything creamy and cool will be a nice balance of flavor.
Storing Leftovers, Freezing, and Reheating
Storing: You can store zucchini fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. I like to separate each fritter with a square of parchment paper so they don’t get stuck together.
Reheating fritters: best way to reheat is pan or air-fryer. Preheat a cooking pan over medium heat, place them in a pan and let them reheat just until warmed through. In the air-fryer, I recommend lining the basket with air-fryer liner paper and reheat the fritters at 350°F for 2-4 minutes (depending on thickness).
To freeze cooked zucchini fritters, place them on a sheet of parchment paper, on a baking sheet or a cutting board, in one layer. Freeze for about 2 hours. I recommend setting a timer so you don’t forget about it!
Once the fritters are frozen, transfer them into one or several freezer zip-lock bags. Get all the air out, seal, label and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Zucchini Fritters Recipe FAQs
This usually happens when there is too much moisture. The best way to battle this is to make sure to squeeze out the juices from grated zucchini.
Grate zucchini on a box grater, on the side with larger holes, then transfer grated zucchini into a mesh bag. You can also use cheese cloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can before mixing zucchini with remaining ingredients.
From personal experience, I did not like the results of baking them. You don’t get the crunch on the outside and they come out too soft even at different temperatures. So I don’t recommend baking these fritters.
Although, if you do want to make them, and you are okay with the texture, you can do that. Arrange the fritters in a parchment paper covered baking sheet and bake at 425F for 25-30 minutes.
Yes you can, although there will be slightly difference texture and you need to do it in batches. I highly recommend that you line the air fryer basket with specialized parchment paper (it’s perforated for air-flow and hold up to high temperatures). Place 2-4 shaped fritters into the lined basket, make sure they are not touching. Cook at 370F for 10-12 minutes.
Make sure the zucchini is squeezed as dry as possible, don’t skip the Panko and eggs (they’re the binders), and let the fritters cook undisturbed until they release naturally from the pan before flipping.
Want to Try More Similar Recipes?
- Cheesy corn fritters is another great fritter option. They are a little sweet and pop with juicy, corn flavor.
- If you’re in a mood for fritters but thinking more dessert, go with easy apple fritters. They never disappoint.
- If you have any extra zucchini on hand and weather is getting cooler, you have to try my zucchini tomato soup.
- Another favorite way to incorporate zucchini into our menu is with zucchini boats like taco stuffed zucchini boats, Italian beef zucchini boats, and southwest chicken zucchini boats.
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Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp avocado, canola, or vegetable oil for cooking
- 2 cups shredded zucchini – squeezed (2 large zucchini, around 1.5 lbs)
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Grate zucchini on a box grater, on the side with larger holes, and transfer grated zucchini into a mesh bag or cheese cloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.Expert Tip: Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid from grated zucchini as you can before mixing with remaining ingredients. Too much moisture will lead so soggier fritters.
- Transfer squeezed zucchini into a mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
- Preheat a large cooking pan over medium heat and lower the temperature a little bit. Add oil and use an ice cream scoop with release (or a smaller scoop) to scoop out even amounts of zucchini mixture. Gently shape the fritters with your hands and carefully place into the cooking pan.Expert tip: When cooking fritters, don't cook at too high temperature. Preheat the pan first and then cook the fritters over medium to medium-low heat. If the heat is too high, the outside will cook much faster than the inside and you will end up with an under-cooked center.
- Cook for 4-6 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the fritters. Expert tip: Don't disturb them until ready to flip! Try to only flip once so there is less chance of them breaking apart.
- Note: if cooking more than one batch of fritters at a time, you many need to add a little more oil to the pan between batches.
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free Note: zucchini fritters are very easy to make gluten-free just by substituting bread crumbs. Use gluten-free bread crumbs and preferably ones that resemble Panko in consistency. The 4C brand of plain bread crumbs is the one that closest resembles Panko.
- Storing: store leftovers in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: it’s best to reheat in the cooking pan until just heated through. You can also reheat in the air-fryer at 350°F for 2-4 minutes.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in August 2019.
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30 Minute Meals, Appetizer Recipes, Lunch Recipe Ideas, Most Popular Recipes, Side Dishes, Snack Ideas, Vegetarian Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Can you freeze these after cooking?
Yes, you can definitely freeze them after they’re cooked! If you scroll up to the “Storing Leftovers, Freezing, and Reheating” section, you’ll find all the freezing and reheating instructions there. I’ll include them here too for convenience.
“To freeze cooked zucchini fritters: Arrange the cooked fritters in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or cutting board. Freeze for about 2 hours, or until they’re firm (I recommend setting a timer so you don’t forget them!). Once frozen, transfer the fritters to a freezer-safe zip-top bag, press out as much air as possible, seal, label, and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.”