I make this easy zucchini fritter recipe non-stop, from the start of zucchini season until the last of my garden harvest. Even after weeks of eating them, my kids happily devour platters full of these savory, crispy, quick fritters. Dipping sauces help with that! Best of all? I bet you’ve got all the ingredients you need already.
A lot of zucchini recipes hide the zucchini in muffins or dressing-heavy zoodle dishes. In this fritter recipe, though, the zucchini is front and center! Crispy and so easy (really!) zucchini fritters are an irresistible summer appetizer. Crave more crispy goodness? Try my Mediterranean zuke fritters, or corn fritters, or even potato pancakes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Zucchini: This recipe uses a pound of zucchini, which is about three medium-sized zucchini. Smaller zucchini also work, but the really big ones can be a bit too watery.
- Onion: Regular yellow onions are perfect.
- Flour: I use all-purpose, but 1:1 gluten-free flour also works great.
- Baking powder: Give them a lift, so that the fritters are not too dense.
- Parmesan: Parm adds flavor, and helps make these fritters the right kind of crispy!
- Egg: Eggs hold the batter together, so they’re a must.
- Milk: Whole milk is my preference, but you can use alternative milk if you need to.
- Seasonings: Green onions, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Oil for frying: Of course!
How To Make Crispy (NOT Soggy) Fritters
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the full recipe and detailed instructions.
- Grate the zucchini and onion (use a box grater or the grating attachment of your food processor) and place it in a cloth-lined colander.
- Salt the zukes and let them sit for 10 minutes. Why? The salt pulls out moisture from the onion and zucchini, which helps make your fritters crispy instead of soggy.
- Grab that cloth and squeeze! Wring out as much liquid as possible from the zucchini and onion. Again, this will make the fritters crispy not soggy.
- Gently mix the batter by combining the flour, baking powder, green onions, Parm, egg, milk, garlic powder, and pepper with the squeezed-out zucchini.
- Time to fry! Fry the fritters, a few at a time, until they’re all golden brown and cooked through. NOTE: I love getting the kids in the kitchen with me, but this is NOT a great job for kids as the hot oil can splatter a bit.
Zucchini Fritter Variations
- Add more fresh herbs: Fresh dill, basil, or oregano all go great in these fritters.
- For a spicy zucchini fritter: Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon cayenne, and 1 teaspoon sriracha to the batter if you want a little heat.
- Make them even more cheesy: Add ¼ cup crumbled feta or shredded mozzarella to the batter.
- Mix up the veggies: Try adding a cup of fresh cooked corn kernels or other tender veggies to the mix!
- Want a main dish zuke experience? Try our simple creamy zucchini pasta.
Tips For Perfect Crispy Fritters
- Grating the zucchini into the cloth and then squeezing out all the liquid is the most important step! Salting and then squeezing removes any excess moisture, which is crucial for crispy fritters.
- Keep the oil hot in between batches by never over-crowding your pan. To do this, test the heat of the oil between batches by dropping a small piece of fritter batter into the oil to make sure it crisps up quickly. If your oil isn’t hot enough, the fritter batter will absorb oil and be soggy.
- Fritters are done when they are golden brown on both sides and firm to touch. If you're unsure, break one open to see that the middle is fully cooked and no longer doughy.
- If you don't have cheesecloth, just use a clean kitchen towel.
Dipping Sauces To Serve With
I think these fritters are best served with at least one dipping sauce on the side! Try one of these, or almost any dipping sauce you love. Heck, even straight up sour cream, or ranch dressing work great for dipping.
- Tzatziki Sauce
- For a vegan dip, try using Tahini Sauce
- Fresh and herby, Dill Dip goes great!
- Keep up the Mediterranean vibes with this Herbed Feta Dip
How To Store and Reheat
Fritters are best served fresh out of the pan. However, if you need a make-ahead trick, you can prep the batter up to four hours ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry. Any leftover fritters can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat them to their crispy best, warm them on a sheet pan in a 375°F oven for 5 minutes, or in an air fryer at 350°F for 4 minutes. You can also freeze leftover fritters for up to 2 months.
4 More Classic Zucchini Recipes
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