These crispy zucchini fritters are a great way to use up summer’s extra zucchini. Serve them with your favorite sauce for a delicious side dish or snack!
This zucchini fritters recipe is the perfect thing to make when you have a surplus of summer squash in the fridge. This calls for a whole pound of zucchini, about 3 medium ones. But it’s so delicious if it happens to be there even more zucchini than you have on hand (and this time of year, you can), you probably won’t think of making it again and whipping up another batch of zucchini fritters the next day.
These zucchini fritters are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle. The lemon zest makes them nice and bright, while the scallions, garlic, and dill give them a kick of savory flavor. We love them on their own, hot off the stove, but they’re even better with a creamy sauce to spice them up. Serve them with tartar sauce, dill sauceor a small piece of tzatziki for a delicious summer appetizer or side dish.
How to Make Zucchini Fritters
This zucchini fritters recipe is super simple to make! You can think of it in three main parts:
- Prepare the zucchini.
- Make the batter.
- Form and fry the fritters.
But first, you’ll need these ingredients:
Ingredients
- Lots of zucchini, of course! A mix of yellow squash and zucchini would work here too.
- Eggs and all-purpose flour – They bind the fritters.
- Scallions and garlic – They give the fritters an onion kick.
- Fresh dill – It adds a sour, savory flavor.
- Lemon is delicious – For light.
- Panko breadcrumbs – You will mix some of the fritter mixture to help it stick together. After you shape the fritters, coat them in more panko to create a crispy outer crust.
- Avocado oil – For frying fritters. I prefer it to olive oil because the smoke point is higher.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
So, you have your ingredients. Time to cook!
Start by preparing the zucchini. First, grate it through the large holes of a box grater. Then, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step helps create the light and crispy texture of the fritters. If the zucchini is too wet, the fritters will be soggy.
Next, make the fritter batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded and drained zucchini with the eggs, green onions, garlic, dill, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle in the flour, add 1 1/2 cups of panko, and fold to combine.
Then, shape the fritters. Form the mixture into thin patties and coat them in the remaining panko.
Finally, cook. Pan-fry the fritters in a hot cast-iron skillet until they are crisp and golden brown. Transfer to a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Serve hot with your choice of sauce. Enjoy!
Zucchini Fritters Recipe Tips
- Squeeze the zucchini! For zucchini fritters that are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy in the middle, squeeze as much water as possible from the shredded zucchini. If the zucchini is too wet, the fritters will be soggy.
- Size matters. When you first shape the zucchini fritters, the zucchini mixture may seem loose, and it may feel like the fritters are going to fall apart. That’s completely normal! The key to helping them stick together is to make them in smaller portions. Use a 1/4-cup measuring scoop to divide the fritter mixture and flatten it into thin patties. The small, thin patties will be deliciously crispy (and perfectly cohesive) as they cook.
- Preheat your pan. In this zucchini fritters recipe, I tell you to start heating your pan before you shape the fritters. I wrote it this way on purpose! A hot pan is essential for cooking crisp, brown fritters that come out of the pan easily. Be sure to give your pan plenty of time to heat up before you start cooking.
What to Serve with Zucchini Fritters
These zucchini fritters are best served hot from the stove, while they’re nice and crispy. Enjoy them on their own, with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or pair them with a dipping sauce for an extra burst of flavor. Any of these dip or sauce recipes would be delicious:
Wondering what to serve with zucchini fritters? They’re a fantastic starter for a summer meal, and they’re a great side dish for any easy-to-cook protein. I also like to pair them with a hearty salad, like mine Panzanella, Greek salado chopped saladfor a light, fresh summer dinner.
Storage
We usually eat these zucchini fritters the day they are made, but on the rare occasion we have leftovers, they keep well for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat them, heat them in a toaster oven or air fryer until crisp, or quickly re-crisp in a hot pan on the stove.
Delivery suggestion: I love using leftover fritters in a sandwich. After I reheated them, I stuffed them into a pita with fresh herbs and a swoosh of romesco sauce (or any of the sauces listed above). What a delicious lunch!
More Favorite Zucchini Recipes
If you love these easy zucchini fritters, try one of the following summer zucchini recipes:
Zucchini Fritters
Serving 4
- 1 pound zucchini, about 3 mediums
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups chopped scallions, about 1 bunch
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 spoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 spoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2¼ cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
- 3 spoon all-purpose flour
- Avocado oil, for the pan
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Tartar Sauce o Creamy Dill Sauce, for delivery
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Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Place on a kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture.
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In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the grated zucchini, scallions, garlic, dill, lemon zest, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Add 1½ cups panko, sprinkle with flour, and fold to combine. Place the remaining ¾ cup panko in a shallow dish and set aside.
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First heat the cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Use a ¼-cup measuring cup to form the zucchini mixture into 14 to 16 thin patties. Place each one in the reserved panko and coat well. The mixture may seem loose at this point, but the patties will firm up as they cook. Grease the pan with oil. Cook the patties for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, flip, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until well browned, working in batches as needed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to drain. Season to taste and serve with the sauce.