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GET IT NOWMy Zucchini Fritters Recipe Is A Crispy, Cheesy Burst Of Summer Veggies
These zucchini fritters are such a fun way to enjoy my favorite squash ever. My grandma used to make a version of these when I was growing up (except she used flour), and it still brings back memories when I make them. Here’s why they’re special:
- Crispy, savory, and cheesy – Those crisp outsides (and especially the edges) are everything. But I also love the tender inside and cheesy flavor.
- Just 6 simple ingredients – Plus salt. Unlike many zucchini fritters recipes, I don’t use flour or breadcrumbs for mine — which also means they’re healthier and gluten-free. (I use this same method for my tuna patties and chicken fritters, too.)
- Quick and easy – It only takes me about half an hour to whip up a big batch! They also store well if you want to make them ahead.
- Versatile for any meal – You can serve this zucchini fritters recipe as an appetizer, a side dish, or even a snack. I’ve even topped them with fried eggs for breakfast!
Crispy and golden brown on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside, these zucchini patties are nothing short of amazing with a dollop of sour cream. Make them with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my zucchini fritters recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Zucchini – You’ll need 8 cups of grated or shredded zucchini, which usually comes out to about 8 medium zucchini for me. You can also make my zucchini fritters using yellow squash or even patty pan squash. Other vegetables would need different ratios due to water content — I have a recipe for broccoli fritters you can try, too.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – This acts as a binder, doubles as a cheesy flavor booster, and helps the zucchini patties get crisp. You can substitute bread crumbs if you want to. You can also use other types of hard grated cheese, such as pecorino Romano or Asiago.
- Eggs – Another binder, and the main one. While I haven’t tested egg substitutes here, flax eggs might work.
- Garlic – I recommend fresh, but you can use 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to save time.
- Italian Seasoning – You could also choose individual dried herbs, such as dill or oregano, or opt for fresh herbs (triple the amount).
- Sea Salt – Very important to draw out excess liquid from the zucchini.
- Olive Oil – For frying. Avocado oil works just as well.
How To Make Zucchini Fritters
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Drain and squeeze the shredded zucchini. Place it into a large colander and sprinkle with salt. Drain over the sink, then wrap in a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
- Mix with the other ingredients. Place the zucchini into a large bowl. Stir in the parmesan cheese, eggs, Italian seasoning, and garlic. (The texture will look dry, which is normal.)
- Fry the zucchini fritters. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of the zucchini mixture onto the skillet and flatten. Fry until golden on the bottom, then carefully flip and fry the other side. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining batter.
I always top my zucchini fritters with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Sliced green onions or chives are nice, too.
My Recipe Tips
- A food processor is the fastest way to grate zucchini. You can use a box grater, but my food processor with the grating blade is much faster.
- Measure the zucchini before you squeeze. You need 8 cups of shredded zucchini for this recipe, loosely in the measuring cup (not packed). If you use too much squash by measuring after squeezing, the zucchini fritters will fall apart.
- Do squeeze out as much water as possible. Same thing here — they’ll fall apart if you leave too much water in the zucchini.
- Use a nonstick pan. I love my cast iron, but nonstick pans work much better for my zucchini patties recipe. Cast iron burns them more easily and they tend to stick. I like this nonstick pan, which is hard anodized, so it doesn’t scratch easily and has a good weight for nice browning.
- Make sure the oil is hot before adding the fritters. Otherwise, they can stick. I add a drop of water to the pan to check. If it sizzles, it’s ready to go!
- Keep your fritters fairly small, 2-2.5 inches in diameter. They are easier to flip that way and less likely to fall apart. Rounded tablespoonfuls are a good target, but see my next tip…
- Use a cookie scoop to get patties that are all the same size. It also makes the process go faster and gets you just the right amount of batter.
- Flatten the patties pretty thin. They don’t spread on their own and won’t cook through if you don’t. I aim for about 1/4 inch thick.
- Watch the heat. If it’s too high, the outside will burn by the time the inside is cooked through. Turn it down if they brown too much.
- Flip gently just once, and not too soon. Wait for them to form that golden brown crust on the bottom before you flip. I love this cookie spatula for flipping the zucchini fritters, because it’s so thin and makes it easier.
Zucchini Fritters (Easy Recipe)
Make my easy zucchini fritters recipe with just 6 ingredients, in 30 minutes! These patties are crispy on the outside and cheesy inside.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Place the zucchini into a large colander, sprinkle with salt, and toss together. Drain over the sink for 10-15 minutes.
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Wrap the zucchini in a kitchen towel. Squeeze and twist over the sink to drain as much water as possible.
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Place the zucchini into a large bowl. Add the grated parmesan, eggs, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic. Mix well.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of the batter onto the skillet and flatten to about 1/4 inch thick. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil if needed.
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Drain the zucchini fritters on paper towels. Serve with sour cream and parsley.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4 zucchini fritters, or 1/6 of the entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you shred the squash quickly and measure it correctly for this recipe, get the best texture, and prevent your zucchini fritters from falling apart.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb any moisture. Store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Meal prep: Since these zucchini fritters store well, you can cook them ahead of time. I don’t recommend making batter ahead, as it gets watery, but you can shred the squash in advance and let it drain in the fridge over a bowl.
- Reheat: The crispy outside softens when you store these, so I prefer to crisp them up again in a skillet (over medium-low heat) or my air fryer. You can also use the oven, but they are softer that way.
- Freeze: Arrange the cooked zucchini patties on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper in a single layer, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Recipe Variations
Want to add a little something? Try these add-ins to change the flavor of these zucchini fritters:
- Lemon – If you want a lemony flavor, I recommend a teaspoon of lemon zest to do this. Lemon juice makes them less sturdy.
- Onion – Add 2 tablespoons of grated onion to the zucchini mixture for extra flavor. Just pat dry first to remove excess moisture.
- Spice – I didn’t add any black pepper to my zucchini patties, but you definitely can. Or try cayenne pepper for a stronger kick.
- Corn – Replace 1-2 cups of the shredded zucchini with canned corn instead. (Add it directly to the mixing bowl.)
Serving Ideas
I’ve served these zucchini fritters in several ways. Here are some pairing ideas:
- Chicken – Keep your dinner easy with my simple pan fried chicken thighs or chicken piccata.
- Seafood – Zucchini fritters taste light, so seafood is the perfect match. Try my flaky grilled salmon if it’s nice out, baked salmon if not, or if you want to get fancy, pan fried scallops.
- Brunch – I mentioned above that I’ve served these with fried eggs, but they also make a nice brunch spread with coddled eggs, protein waffles, oven baked bacon, and cucumber tomato salad.
- Toppers – I usually just do sour cream, but these would also be amazing with my tangy tzatziki sauce or Greek yogurt. You could even dunk them in marinara sauce or drizzle with ranch dressing.
More Easy Zucchini Recipes
It’s no secret that I love (and I mean love) zucchini! You’ll find all my zucchini recipes here, but here are a few of my other favorites:
Gratitude Moment
I wasn’t even going to update this older post today, but my grandma isn’t doing well (she’s 98) and visiting her yesterday with the kids brought back memories of foods she made for me growing up. Zucchini fritters (she called them “aladushki”) is one of those. Always with sour cream.
Here’s my mom, my grandma, my kids, and me together — 4 generations of women in one photo.
To say I’m grateful to have this time with my grandma, and to have my kids know her, is a giant understatement. Nothing is forever and it’s hard to be positive in tough times, but it’s all the more reason to cherish the time we have.
100 Comments
Janet
0What diameter are these? Mine were about 2 inches. So don’t know how to judge eating a portion of 4. Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Janet, Mine were around that size, maybe a tiny bit larger. The serving size is 1/6 of the entire recipe regardless of fritter size.
Sheila Hirschfield
0I don’t see how much of each ingredient I need. How many zucchini’s how many eggs etc for the zucchini fritters
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sheila, The amounts of each ingredient are on the recipe card above.
Andrew
0I made these last night and thought they turned out fantastically. How many carbs are there per fritter?
Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Andrew, The nutrition info per serving is on the recipe card above.
Nancy
0Hello. I made these again on the weekend. My hubby and I love them. I even recently passed the recipe and your website information along to a couple of coworkers . However, the one thing that throws me off is that the recipe says the prep time is 15 mins. It take me a lot longer then that just to shred zucchini. I use a hand grater and it takes me quite a while. I will continue to make these but am wondering if others use something else to shred the zucchini and that is why you say 15 mins. I was thinking of just picking up some zucchini spirals in the store and chopping them as I am sure that would take a lot less time. Any thoughts? Thanks for sharing your recipes. I have tried a number and we enjoy them all.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Nancy, I use a food processor to shred my zucchini and cut down on the prep time, but that method should work too, as long as you chop them finely enough.
Nansi
0I’ve made these twice already and both my husband and I love them. They are great as an addition to a meal or if you just want to have a couple for a snack. Thanks for sharing.
Corinna
0Would I be able to substitute parmesan for a different cheese?
Wholesome Yum A
0You could, Corinna, but it would have to be a similar hard cheese and grated just as finely.
Betsy
0I’ve made these twice already! The flavor is amazing!! The first time I prepared them I shredded the zucchini with a thicker grater. They had a creamy texture that was wonderful but I couldn’t keep them together. They just fell apart flipping them. I still browned it well and it was delicious. The next time I shredded the zucchini more fine. They held together a bit better but the creamy texture was missing. Perhaps I’m using the wrong skillet? I used cast iron. Thanks for the recipe, I’d like to be able to make them so they keep their shape and don’t fall apart.
Betsy
05 stars
I tried this again with a ceramic non stick pan and they turned out PERFECT!!
Tammy
0I’m dairy-free; would these taste good/hold together without the cheese?
Ava
0Try nutritional yeast as a binder.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tammy, Sorry, the cheese is a pretty main component in this recipe, so I don’t recommend omitting it. You might be able to use a dairy-free cheese substitute.
Lisa Wilson
0Can you use an air fryer for these? Would they be as good? I didn’t notice the type of oil you suggest? Thanks!
Angeline
0I love this recipe, tried it once and it turned perfect for me, loved and enjoyed. Thanks again for sharing.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried these with an air fryer so I’m not sure. I used olive oil here for frying, but avocado oil or ghee would also work well.