Zucchini fritters are undoubtedly everyone’s favorite summer dinner. With savory flavors, crispy edges, and a dollop of creamy garlic chive yogurt sauce, they’re impossible to resist.
Why You’ll Love These Zucchini Fritters
There’s never a summer day when I’m not craving these zucchini fritters. They’re every bit soft and crispy as they are garlicky and cheesy. And the garlic chive yogurt sauce? That’s just a bonus I can whip up in a pinch. So when I’m not making my zucchini lasagna, baked zucchini fries, or zucchini bread, this is my next favorite summertime zucchini recipe. I also love to make these fritters because:
- They’re healthy and low-carb. Just what I’m looking for during warm weather—light and fresh meals!
- They’re perfect for meal prep. Like my zucchini noodles, these store beautifully for the week.
- You can make them as small or large as you’d like. Keep them small for party nibbles or make them large for topping with sauces and proteins (I have several ideas below!).
Zucchini Fritters Ingredients
- Zucchini: Grated zucchini forms the bulk of these fritters.
- Shallots: Adds a mild, slightly sweet oniony flavor with a hint of garlic.
- Eggs and almond flour: Eggs act as the binder, while almond flour keeps these low-carb and gluten-free. Coconut flour also works—see my notes below.
- Goat cheese: I love the creamy, tangy touch it adds. You can also use grated parmesan, or omit the cheese entirely for a dairy-free version.
- Garlic chive yogurt sauce: The dipping sauce (or dolloping sauce!) is a simple mix of Greek yogurt, garlic, chives, salt, and black pepper. I prefer thick Greek yogurt, but any dairy or non-dairy yogurt works well.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Zucchini Fritters
Step One: Grate the zucchini into a bowl and sprinkle it with salt. The salt helps draw out excess moisture. After 20 minutes, squeeze out the liquid using a cheesecloth or nut milk bag, then return the zucchini to the bowl.
Step Two: Mix the drained zucchini with sliced shallots, eggs, almond flour, goat cheese, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Step Three: Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Carefully dollop the batter into the pan and gently flatten each one. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until beautifully golden brown. Let them rest on a plate while you whip up the garlic chive yogurt sauce for a final touch!
Cooking Tips
- Don’t skip the flour. Even after draining the zucchini, you’ll need flour to bind everything together. If the batter feels too soft, just add a bit more.
- Use enough oil. For crispy, golden edges, the oil should lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
- Preheat the pan. Let the pan heat up before adding the batter—you’ll know it’s ready if the fritters sizzle upon contact.
- Avoid overcrowding. Give the fritters space so they can brown evenly, and the pan temperature doesn’t drop. I usually cook them in two batches.
Ways To Serve
- Serve as an appetizer. These fritters make a perfect light starter before a larger dinner. They’re crispy, satisfying, and crowd-pleasing.
- Pair with a protein. Turn them into a full meal by serving alongside pan-seared salmon, baked cod or grilled chicken.
- Add a fresh salad. Complement those summer vibes with a bright side like a cucumber salad, kale salad, or arugula tossed with lemon vinaigrette.
- Serve as a brunch dish. These make an excellent alternative to hash browns or toast. I love topping them with a poached egg or fried egg for the best summer brunch idea!
- Mini fritters for snacking. Make smaller fritters and serve with dipping sauces for a fun, party-friendly snack board.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread: My favorite healthy dessert.
- Zucchini Noodle Spaghetti Bolognese: My favorite way to enjoy bolognese.
- Zucchini Chips: The best healthy summer snack.
- Zucchini Noodle Caprese: Caprese for dinner in the best way possible.
If you make this zucchini fritters recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Nut Milk Bag My favorite tool for straining zucchini and many other things.
- Le Creuset Braiser A staple cookware you'll see me use frequently. It's worth the investment!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds zucchini, about 2 to 3 medium to large zucchini
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
Garlic, Chive Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini. Grate the zucchini and put into a bowl. Sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt, stir together and let stand for 20 minutes. The salt will work to draw the moisture out of the zucchini.
- Drain the zucchini. Squeeze out the liquid from the zucchini, with either a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, then return to a clean bowl.
- Mix together. Add the shallot, eggs, almond flour, goat cheese, salt and pepper. Then stir to combine.
- Fry the zucchini fritters. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Using either your hands or a spoon, dollop out mounds (approximately ¼ cup worth) of the mixture into the hot pan. Using a spatula, push down each fritter to flatten. Cook the fritters for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they're lightly golden. Remove the fritters from the pan and place them on a paper towel to dab away any extra oil.
- Make the sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, chives, salt, and pepper.
- Serve. Serve the fritters with a dollop of the sauce, then enjoy!
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: As with most fried food, these fritters will not be as crispy the following day. But nonetheless, they’ll taste just as delicious. Let the zucchini fritters cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If stacking, place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. To freeze, lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- For reheating: Thaw the fritters overnight in the fridge or let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. To reheat, you can use the microwave for convenience. But for a crispier texture, bake them in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, until warmed through.
- For baking the fritters: Yes, you can bake them instead of pan-frying! While they won’t be quite as crispy, they still turn out delicious. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12 to 15 minutes per side, flipping halfway through. Be sure to spray or lightly brush oil on the baking sheet and top of the fritters for the best results.
- If you’d like to use coconut flour instead of almond flour, start with ¼ cup and add more as needed. Coconut flour is highly absorbent so you can use less.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted August 2014, but updated to include new information and photos for your benefit!
These are now our favorite way to use up garden zucchini. Amazing flavor and we love the yogurt sauce as well. I’ve even been known to eat the leftovers for breakfast. I ordered the nut bag you recommended and it makes prepping a lot easier. Thank you!
Hi Carolyn – I’m happy you loved these zucchini fritters! That savory yogurt sauce really does pair beautifully (and then I dollop leftovers on everything – ha). That nut milk bag is a must-have also, I use it for so many recipes. Great purchase!
I love these so much!! Its super easy to make them and fast as well. Its kind of all the ingredients I always have at home lol Its so nice to have a recipe for a every day meal that I can now make it and look so special :D
Thank you again Lisa
So glad you loved these zucchini fritters! Definitely a great one to meal prep too.
OMG these were awesome! Here I thought I had zucchini fritters all figured out, but these were so good that I didn’t even bother with the yogurt sauce. I also added extra seasoning: garlic powder, paprika and a little sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese on top.
Mine fell apart a little because I don’t think I got all the water out of the zucchini, but they were still so good! Plus, they stay together a little better when they cool. I am never going back to making zucchini fritters how I used to again!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed these zucchini fritters. And yes, make sure to remove as much moisture as you can in the initial steps!
First time trying these fritters! May I just say….yum! Easy and very economical meal! Winner!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed these fritters Erin :)
So so good. Excellent recipe for using garden zucchini. I didn’t have goat cheese, so I used shaved Parmesan and added some paprika and garlic powder. My picky eaters gobbled it up.
This will sure satisfy any picky eaters! :)
I made these with feta cheese
I also baked them in the oven and they turned out absolutely delicious.
I love your YouTube channel.
Sending love from Melbourne, Australia.
So glad these turned out well with feta cheese! And thanks so much Pearl, happy to hear you’ve been enjoying all my content so far.
Hi again, Lisa! I really enjoyed making – and eating – this recipe, but I was wondering if you’d recommend a different cheese substitute as I’m not a big goat cheese (or feta cheese) fan. Do you think pieces of mozzarella balls would work?
Thanks!
You can omit the cheese if you’d like! Otherwise I might suggest feta cheese :)
Tried it and turned out amazing! Will be a new regular in my house! Thank you, Lisa!
Awesome! Glad these have now become a favorite!
healthy snd easy
What can I replace the goat cheese with? Would Cream cheese work?
You can try that if you’d like!
Love this recipe :)
Everybody at home enjoyed it very much. Had to use chickpea flour because I didn’t have almond flour at home, and turned out to be a good alternative!
Wonderful! I’m so happy you loved the recipe!
Made these today and they are so delicious! Also love the goat cheese in this recipe. Very yummy.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed these fritters :)
I have a question. If you use the food processor to shred the zucchini, should you use the fine grating disc or the medium grating disc? Thanks in advance!
Hi Carol – I’d recommend using the medium grating disc. Enjoy!
Wow the zucchini fritters were awesome! Love your recipes. Keep up the good work.
Glad you enjoyed these zucchini fritters!
These look amazing! I can’t wait to make them! Quick question, what serving size was used to calculate the nutrition facts?
The nutrition facts will always be for one serving :)
Hello, is it possible to make these without egg, what substitute can be used to bind it?
Thanks much!
I haven’t tried this yet without eggs or using an egg substitute. But if you do, please let me know what worked for you!
Super! Je les ai fait cuire sur la plaque de mon BBQ.
Et j’ai du mis féta à la place du fromage de chèvre.
Bravo pour votre site J’adore !!!
So good! I made this tonight but subbed the goat cheese for an aged manchego, and topped them with a lemon garlic aioli. This is definitely going in my recipe rotation!
Manchego sounds like a delicious substitution :)
They are difficult to flip in the beginning but you’ll get the hang of it! Super delish and filling just from a few, thank you!! :)
Awesome! So glad these ended up great Dorothy.
Outstanding! My go to zucchini recipe from now on. I’ll make the sauce next time.
You’ll definitely need to try the sauce next time :)
Totally delicious, used a little more flour than the recipe stated as mixture still was a bit wet. Will make again as we loved it. Great to have such a seasonal recipe. Thank you.
You can always add a bit more flour if you find it to be too wet :)
Love love love this! I didn’t have any goat cheese or chives, so I used cheddar and green onions. I always have issues with getting a good flip on fritters so I was super happy when these came out perfectly. Next time, I’m going with the same ingredients because I bet goat cheese is going to be heavenly in these fritters. Another incredibly delicious recipe Lisa!
Wonderful! Can’t wait for you to try it with goat cheese!
i added paneer (indian cheese) instead of fetta, and they turned out very hearty and soo good. thanks for the recipe idea!
That sounds great with Paneer! Glad this turned out great :)
So yummy! I’ve made these twice since seeing her video about them and they have been delicious both times. The first time, I wasn’t patient enough with getting the water out of the zucchini – they were still tasty but the patient batch were easier to work with.
Also, I tried baking them at 400F for 20 minutes (flip halfway through)- and they were great! Just sprayed the pan with a little olive oil before placing them on. New staple 🧡
Glad these turned out perfectly in the oven! And yes, make sure the water is removed so they aren’t soggy :)
This. Was. So. Yummy. I am so glad I doubled the recipe on the first try!! Next time I may triple it so I can have leftovers ;). My family of 4 gobbled it up including our 2 kids! They didn’t even realize how much veggies they were eating. Yogurt sauce was superb with it too! Thanks, Lisa!!
Hi Jennie- So glad everyone everyone in the family got to enjoy these zucchini fritters! Plus, they’re always a great way to sneak in veggies for kids :)
I am interested in this but would love to make it Vegan. I can substitute the cheese but what do I substitute for the egg? Will applesauce do? I don’t think a flax egg will work. Thanks.
Hi Jay- I haven’t tried this with an egg substitute yet unfortunately – but you can try applesauce!
Hi Mary,
😋😋😋😋 👈🏻 We loved these! You are rockin these recipes with my boring “meat & potatoes” family. They are finally eating outside of the box since I have been making your recipes. I bought the zucchini with the intent of making your pizza stuffed zucchini boats, but couldn’t wait to try these. My family doesn’t eat yogurt either and they thought the sauce was made with sour cream 🤫…. so double bonus. I did spice up the fritter’s with an extra spice medley that we use on practically everything and they were extra flavourful. Thanks again Lisa 🤗💖
I’m so glad I could help introduce some new and exciting recipes to the dinner table! Can’t wait to share tons more new things coming up for your family to try :)
can you use regular flour instead of almond flour?
I haven’t tried using regular flour as I’m gluten-free, but I think it could work!
I used regular flour and they came out perfect!!
Great recipe! I added raw cauliflower and raw Brussel sprouts, did not have goat cheese so I subbed feta. Thank you!
Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts sounds like an amazing combination! Glad they turned out well :)
These look delicious. I will make them tomorrow. Do you think the recipe would work well with chickpea flour instead of almond flour?
Hi Renee – I haven’t tried that, but yes, I think it should work. You might want to start with a little less flour, about 1/4 cup, and add more as needed. Chickpea flour is usually a bit more absorbent than almond flour.
These were super great and so tasty! Easy to make.The plate is empty and we are full😋😋thanks Lisa!
Hi Pat- Wonderful! Happy to hear everyone loved this recipe!
I have had zucchini fritters before and I liked them but these sound even more yummy with goat cheese! I can’t wait to make them soon.
Hope you enjoy these zucchini fritters again Scarlet! The goat cheese definitely adds a delicious touch :)
I just bought a LOT of zucchini and had no idea what to make with it. This was the perfect solution, thank you so much for the recipe :)
This is the perfect way to utilize the best of zucchini season!
These look amazing! Do you have a recommendation for a great healthy non-stick pan?
Hi Jen- You can actually take a peek at my cookware comparison post and video on Youtube!
These were absolutely delicious – so crispy! Loved the sauce on the side, too!
The sauce really is the cherry on top :)
I made these right away and they were a hit! Hubby and I devoured them all! I will be making these over and over again. Thanks, Lisa, for another great hit!
Wonderful! Happy to hear both of you enjoyed these zucchini fritters :)
There is no serving size listed so when reading the nutrition info I don’t know if it’s per fritter or what ?
Thank you.
The serving size is per fritter.
I love the combination of goat cheese and zucchini! Great taste, so yum!
It really is such a delicious flavor combination!
Lisa! These are incredible!! I can’t stop making them!
So glad you’ve enjoyed these fritters so much :)
So good! My container gardens are overflowing so this recipe was perfect timing! I am GF and dairy free so skipped the cheese and it turned out perfect! I am meal prepped for a few days now. Thanks Lisa!!
So glad this recipe was a success Kathi! Perfect item to add to your weekly meal prep :)
These zucchini fritters looks mouthwatering. I have so many zucchinis in my garden, can’t wait to try them.
They’re such a delicious way to utilize your abundance of zucchinis!
About how many cups of zucchini? I have large ones from the garden….
I would say about 2.5-3 cups!
Hi Lisa
For a dairy free version, would we need To substitute the cheese or just remove it from the recipe?
Many thanks
Hi Abby – you can just omit the cheese.
Can you put this in the oven instead? If yes how long? Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Hi Dorothy – yes, you can bake these as well. I’d recommend 400F for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
One nice thing about “prepping” is that it makes pulling together recipes so easy! It’s so convenient to open the refrigerator and just pick up things and start cooking! Thank you Lisa for all the video how to’s! I had some leftover grated zucchini(from making the zucchini bread) so decided to throw these goat cheese zucchini fritters together this morning. It couldn’t have been faster or easier. While the zucchini was sitting in the salt to get the juices out, I made the sauce. I normally don’t like savory early in the morning but since I love goat cheese ANY time of day, what have I got to lose? Good decision…The fritters with the cooling delicious yogurt sauce were the perfect way to start the day. This is definitely a keeper recipe and a great way to use up the all the yummy summer zucchini.
Hi Christy- Prepping is definitely the way to go if you’re looking to make things a bit easier in the kitchen! And I’m glad I could introduce you to savory flavors in the morning. It’s always a good idea to switch things up a bit to keep things interesting throughout the week, and these zucchini fritters are perfect to make every so often :)
So delicious! Both the fritters and the sauce. Will be making these again for sure :)
Hi Terri- So glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
Can i substitute the goat cheese with mozzarella cheese?
Hi Michelle – yes, no problem.
Hello! I’m doing keto and wondering if it’s possible to replace the yogurt with sour cream? If so, would I need to change any of the other quantities for the sauce? Thanks!!
Hi Anna – yes, you could definitely replace the yogurt with sour cream 1:1. No other changes should be needed. :)
Oh Lisa – I had understood that the Paleo ‘diet’ didn’t allow me to eat either cheese or yogurt and I miss them so! To rub salt into the wound, I live in Cyprus where anything made from goats is in plentiful supply and I have been resisting this bounty! May I really eat goats’ cheese and goats’ yogurt?
Many people on a paleo diet eat dairy, though technically that’s a “primal” diet. I’m not much one for labels though. I’d recommend doing what makes you feel your best!
Wow! i just realized that I actually got all the ingredients i need to make this dish in my kitchen. So… It will be either lunch or supper tomorrow! Yum!
Awesome – can’t wait to hear what you think! :)
I just loved it! Ate it with some fried chicken and sallad and it tasted just amazing! Posted a pic on instagram so you can see the result! (I was hungry as you can see from the portion size… :p