Zucchini Fritters
303 Comments
Updated Aug 07, 2024
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Zucchini fritters turn your favorite summer vegetable into crisp, golden patties. Take one bite of these surprisingly low-carb fritters, and I guarantee you’ll be going back for seconds. Especially when topped with the creamy garlic chive yogurt sauce.
Simple, seasonal, and versatile vegetables are always my go-to for creating some of the best recipes. Now that we’re knee-deep in summer, it’s time to take advantage of none other than our favorite summer squash: zucchini.
You can chop it, puree it, zoodle it and of course shred it. And with such a mild flavor, it really lets the other ingredients shine. Which is perfect for when I’m craving something cheesy and garlicky – like these zucchini fritters.
Best of all? The crispiness makes it taste like a guilty pleasure, like my baked zucchini fries. But it’s a healthy, low-carb meal that’s filled with good-for-you ingredients.
Zucchini Fritter Ingredients
These zucchini fritters are a marriage made in vegetable herb heaven. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Zucchini: forms the bulk of the patties, and it’s a great way to sneak more veggies into your everyday meals.
- Shallots: adds a mild and delicate onion flavor with a hint of garlic.
- Eggs: 2 lightly beaten eggs are need to help bind the flour.
- Almond Flour: I’m using almond flour, but coconut flour works as well. See my notes below.
- Goat Cheese: adds lovely cheesy creaminess, but you could add parmesan cheese or leave the cheese off entirely for a dairy-free version.
- Salt and Pepper: for that perfectly seasoned flavor.
How To Make Perfectly Crisp Zucchini Fritters
You can make these fritters thin and crispy, or thick and chunky. It’s up to you!
- Prep the zucchini. Grate the zucchini, add it to a bowl, and sprinkle it with salt. The salt will help to extract moisture from the zucchini. After 20 minutes, squeeze out the liquid using a cheesecloth or nut milk bag and return it to the bowl.
- Make the batter. Give the zucchini a good mix with the sliced shallots, eggs, almond flour, goat cheese, salt and pepper.
- Time to fry. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a pan, then carefully dollop mounds of the batter and gently flatten. Let them cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, or until they’re beautifully golden brown.
- Rest on paper towel. While they’re resting, you can make the garlic chive yogurt sauce.
Can You Bake Them?
You sure can. They don’t come out quite as crispy, but you can bake them at 400F for 12-15 minutes on each side. Just spray or brush a light coating of oil on the sheet pan and on top of the fritters.
Garlic Chive Yogurt Sauce
Zucchini fritters honestly taste good with just about any creamy partner. Whether it be a chipotle sauce for a hint of spiciness. Or homemade tzatziki to add a Mediterranean twist.
But this garlic chive yogurt sauce might be my favorite pairing. It’s simple with just the right amount of aromatics.
- Yogurt: I like a thick Greek yogurt, but any dairy or non-dairy yogurt works.
- Garlic & Chives: A simple combination of herbs for the perfect punch of flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: Season to your liking.
Just whisk these all together and voila! Your fritters will be perfectly cooled by now, so dollop on top or use it as a dip.
A Few Cooking Tips To Keep In Mind
- Don’t skip the flour. Even though you’ve drained your zucchini, you still need a binder along with the egg. And if your batter is too soft, just add a little more flour.
- Add a good amount of oil. If you want extra crispy, beautifully golden, and delicious fritters make sure the oil lightly coats the bottom of the pan.
- Let the pan warm up. Before dolloping your batter into the pan, make sure it’s properly heated with the oil. You’ll know it’s ready if your fritter sizzles when it touches the pan.
- Don’t overcrowd. Evenly space out your fritters so that the pan temperature doesn’t drop. I make this recipe in two batches in the pan.
Ways To Serve Fritters
For me, I simply enjoy these on their own. But you can also treat these fritters as an accompaniment to any meal.
- Serve as an appetizer. If you’re cooking up a much larger dinner, zucchini fritters will be a great way to get everyone’s taste buds warmed up.
- Serve as a side dish. For a more hefty meal, this pairs great with a piece of pan-seared salmon or poached chicken.
- Add a salad. To add a refreshing bite, a simple kale salad, Israeli salad, or cucumber salad will help round out the flavors.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
As with most fried food, these fritters will not be as crispy the following day. But nonetheless, they’ll taste just as delicious. Here’s a few storage options.
To Store: Place cooled fritters in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days in the fridge.
To Freeze: Use a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 2 months in the freezer. Just make sure to place parchment paper between them if you stack them.
To Reheat: Make sure to thaw the fritters either overnight in the fridge or on the counter for about 30 minutes. Then simply reheat in the microwave. Or for a more crisp texture, bake them in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.
Zucchini Fritters Recipe Video
Want to see how I make this recipe in my kitchen? Watch the video below!
More Fun Zucchini Recipes
Whip up any of these zucchini recipes for a healthy, nutritious meal.
- Zucchini Noodle Spaghetti Bolognese
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Zucchini Chips
- Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Zucchini Noodle Caprese
And for something slightly sweeter, give my Paleo Zucchini Bread or Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe a try!
Zucchini Fritters (gluten-free, low-carb, keto)
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 1/2 pounds zucchini, about 2-3 medium to large zucchini
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying
Garlic, Chive Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini and put into a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, stir together and let stand for 20 minutes. The salt will work to draw the moisture out of the zucchini.
- Squeeze out the liquid from the zucchini, with either a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, then return to a clean bowl.
- Add the shallot, eggs, goat cheese, almond flour, salt and pepper. Then stir to combine.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Using either your hands or a spoon, dollop out mounds (approximately 1/4 cup worth) of the mixture into the hot pan. Using a spatula, push down each fritter to flatten.
- Cook the fritters 3-4 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.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, stirring until creamy.
- Serve the fritters with a dollop of the sauce, then enjoy!
Lisa’s Tips
- To Store: Place cooled fritters in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- To Freeze: Use a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 2 months in the freezer.
- To Reheat: Make sure to thaw the fritters either overnight in the fridge or on the counter for about 30 minutes. Then simply reheat in the microwave. Or for a more crisp texture, bake them in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes, until warmed through.
- If you’d like to use coconut flour instead of almond flour, start with 1/4 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.
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