These crispy zucchini fritters are a great way to use up a summer surplus of zucchini. Serve them with your favorite sauce for a tasty side dish or snack!
When we have a surplus of summer zucchini in the fridge, I make these zucchini fritters. The recipe calls for a full pound of zucchini, about 3 medium. But it’s so tasty that if we happen to have even more zucchini than that on hand (and at this time of year, we often do), we don’t mind making it again and polishing off another batch of zucchini fritters the next day.
These zucchini fritters are crispy on the outside and light and tender in the middle. Lemon zest makes them nice and bright, while 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 jazz them up. Serve them with tartar sauce, dill sauce, or a dollop of tzatziki for a delicious summer appetizer or side dish.
Zucchini Fritters Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this zucchini fritters recipe:
- 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 together.
- Scallions and garlic – They give the fritters an oniony kick.
- Fresh dill – It adds sour, savory flavor.
- Lemon zest – For brightness.
- Panko breadcrumbs – You’ll mix some into the fritter mixture to help it hold together. After you shape the fritters, you’ll coat them in more panko to create a crunchy exterior crust.
- Avocado oil – For pan-frying the fritters.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
The first step to making this zucchini fritters recipe is grating the zucchini. Shred it on the large holes of a box grater. Then, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture. This step helps create the fritters’ light, crispy texture. If the zucchini is too moist, the fritters will be soggy.
Next, mix the shredded and squeezed zucchini with the eggs, scallions, garlic, dill, lemon zest, salt, pepper, flour, and some of the panko. Form the mixture into 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 soak up any excess oil. Then, serve hot with your desired sauce. Enjoy!
Zucchini Fritters Recipe Tips
- Squeeze that zucchini! For zucchini fritters that are crisp on the outside and light and tender in the middle, squeeze as much water as you can out of 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 might seem loose, and it might feel like the fritters are going to fall apart. That’s totally normal! The key to helping them hold together is making them on the smaller side. Use a 1/4-cup measuring scoop to portion out the fritter mixture and flatten it into thin patties. The small, thin patties will become deliciously crisp (and totally cohesive) as they cook.
- Preheat your pan. In this zucchini fritters recipe, I tell you to start heating your skillet before you shape the fritters. I wrote it this way on purpose! A hot skillet is essential for cooking crisp, well-browned fritters that easily release from the pan. Be sure to give your skillet plenty of time to heat up before you start to cook.
What to Serve with Zucchini Fritters
These zucchini fritters are best served hot off the stove, when they’re still nice and crispy. Enjoy them on their own, with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice, or pair them with a dipping sauce for an extra burst of flavor. We love them with homemade tartar sauce, creamy dill sauce, or tzatziki. My vegan sour cream would be great too.
Serve the fritters as a starter with any summer meal or as a side dish with any protein you like. I also like to pair them with a hearty salad, like my panzanella, Greek salad, or chopped salad, for a light, fresh summer dinner.
We tend to devour these zucchini fritters on the day they’re made, but on the rare occasion that we have leftovers, I love to turn them into a sandwich. I quickly re-crisp the fritters in a hot skillet and then stuff them into pita with fresh veggies and a swoosh of romesco (or any of the sauces listed above). It’s such a yummy lunch!
More Favorite Zucchini Recipes
If you love these zucchini fritters, try one of these summer zucchini recipes next:
Zucchini Fritters
Serves 4
- 1 pound zucchini, about 3 medium
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups chopped scallions, about 1 bunch
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2¼ cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Avocado oil, for the pan
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Tartar Sauce or Creamy Dill Sauce, for serving
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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 several grinds of pepper. Add 1½ cups of the panko, sprinkle in the flour, and fold to combine. Place the remaining ¾ cup panko in a shallow dish and set aside.
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Preheat a cast-iron skillet to medium heat. Use a ¼-cup measuring cup to form the zucchini mixture into 14 to 16 thin patties. Place each into the reserved panko and coat well. The mixture might seem loose at this point, but the patties will firm up as they cook. Coat the skillet generously with oil. Cook the patties for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, flip, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, or until well browned, working in batches as necessary. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Season to taste and serve with the sauce.
