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!
I love this recipe! It is one of my go-to recipes. I got a nut milk bag just like yours to make the process easier. Thanks!
LOVE THIS RECIPE.
Hey can I bake them coz I had to use much oil as my pan was not non stick?
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.
DELICIOUS!!! I love these! I will make it again:) I added lemon juice to greek yogurt sauce 😍
Thank you Lisa for another beautiful recipe. I baked these in the oven rather than fry. Very easy to do and delicious .
These are the best zucchini fritters I’ve ever made. My whole family (parents, husband and teenage daughter) loved them. I subbed 1 tbsp nutritional yeast for the goat cheese as I am not a cheese fan. Turned out fantastic!
Happy to hear the whole family enjoyed these zucchini fritters!
Does the 113 kcal include the sauce? Also, what is the serving size?
Yes, it includes the sauce. Also, the serving size is one fritter, plus sauce.
These look so delicious! My son has an egg allergy, is there an alternative that you can recommend as a binding agent? I would love to make these for dinner tonight!
Try with a a chia or flax egg!
There is also egg substitutes that work just like egg. Applesauce could work too. You would just need more flour
Hello, tried these fritters and they turned out to be super delicious. Skipped the dairy and added a mix of chick pea flour and whole wheat flour as almond flour was not available and it worked out well. Thank you
Glad these fritters turned out well with chickpea and whole wheat flour Audrey!
Hi! Just a quick question, can I make the batter and store it in the Fridge and then cook them fresh as I am ready to eat them?
It’s better to cook these first before storing away as the zucchini will get soggy over time.
These are absolutely delicious!! So easy to make and these are now firmly on my menus list of healthy things to eat, I fried them in grass fed butter as I don’t like olive oil. Thank you I will be following you now 👌
Glad you enjoyed these zucchini fritters Debbie!
Can I keep for 5 days in fridge?
Yes, it should be okay!
I’m thinking of cooking these in a mini waffle maker. Do you think that would work?
I haven’t tried yet, but it might work. Just make sure to spray oil before you press down. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Patti, It should work in waffle iron; I use mine for shredded potato “waffles” and they turn out amazing! Thanks for the idea, I’ll have to try with the shredded zuc.
They are delicious and the video was very helpful. The only thing that I did differently was to not slice the end with the stem off of the zucchini. I left it on to use it like a handle when I was grating and this allowed me to grate it right down to the stem without any waste! Thanks for such a great tasty recipe!
I used feta cheese instead and it turned out great! Thank you for recipe Lisa!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed the fritters, Anna!
These were delicious to share with a relative who is gluten and dairy free! Does the nutritional information include the sauce?
Yes, the nutritional information includes the sauce!
Can I omit the cheese? I’m dairy free.
Yes, you can omit the cheese in this :)
loving the flavors in these fritters!! these are so good. the yogurt sauce is a must. thanks for another killer recipe.
The yogurt chive sauce is definitely a must with these fritters :)
Excelente, I made a half batch last week. I am making them again this week. Very nice side dish. Love love love. They also taste great as left overs the next day. Heated up well in the microwave.
Glad you loved these zucchini fritters Jessica!
Will this work with yellow squash? I have yellow squash and I’m trying to find unique recipes for it. Thanks!
Yes, absolutely!
I’ve made these exactly as written. Absolutely delicious. I’m trying my best to eat healthier, down 10 lbs. This is a super easy recipe to follow. Great quick breakfast treat. I can’t stop at just one. Thanks Lisa!
Made these for dinner last night. Very easy and quick to make. I ate 4 of them last night for my dinner and had 7 left over. I decided to heat up 3 of them for breakfast this morning and just popped them in the microwave. First let me say they were delicious last night, but they were EVEN BETTER this morning! Lisa, how do you make your recipes taste so good the first time around but even better as leftovers?! You’re like a kitchen wizard or something. Thanks for another great recipe! I definitely recommend!
Happy to hear you enjoyed these zucchini fritters! They’re definitely one to keep in rotation :)
Hi Lisa, I would like to make these, can I ask how many fritters adds up to serving please. I am following an 800 low carb low cal diet. Many thanks.
Hi Linda – each serving is one fritter!
Very good! I used homemade yogurt for the dipping sauce. Also, I realized I didn’t have enough zucchini so I shredded one yellow squash along with the rest of the zucchini. I also used parmesan and coconut flour. Would definitely make this again.
Glad this worked out with a yellow squash into the mix :)
I made these fritters with blueberry, thyme and lemon goat cheese and wow it gave them a pleasant citrus undertone. These are delicious and so quick and easy to put together.
Wow! That sounds so delicious Heather. I’ll have to try that sometime :)
These fritters were very very delicious. And the yogurt sauce goes absolutely beautifully with them. I could eat these every day! Thank you for the recipe. Your video was also very nice. You show thoroughly how they are prepared but the video is not unnecessarily long. If I don’t have goat cheese some day, any suggestion what to replace it with?
Glad you enjoyed this recipe! You can just remove the goat cheese next time.
I actually made these in a cupcake pan. They were fantastic!!!
Great idea! Glad these turned out in a cupcake pan Gina.
Hi. Just found your website and its fantastic. One thing you could add tho. There is a nutricion info but it does not say what is it based on. Is it based on 10 fritters? Or just 1. Just cant figure this one out.
Other than that just keep the Good job :) Love from Poland.
Hi Marty – The nutritional information on my website will always be per serving. In this case, it is for one fritter.
delicious and easy! My hubby and I did not have cheese cloth but a quick google search revealed that since it’s cotton, you can use any old cotton shirt instead!
Also, I’m gluten free AND nut free so we used gluten free flour (glutino brand) 1-1 replacement and it worked well.
we also used key lime yogurt, and the lime added a welcome bit of flavor.
Thank you
Wonderful! Glad this worked out with a cotton shirt Valencia.
Made the fritters today! They are excellent in texture and flavor. Also made the garlic aioli, used on the fritter and even warmed it up with dinner (great sauce for chicken and mushrooms)! Thanks for your time and energy on these recipes.
Glad you enjoyed the fritters Tanja! Great idea on the garlic aioli as well :)
Hi Lisa !
I just made these, so yummy!
Please can you tell me about the “nutrition value” is it for one fritter?
Thanks
Hi Bea – Yes, the nutritional information is for one fritter!
These look amazing could I use regular flour instead we have tree it allergies at our house.
Thanks
I haven’t tried this with regular flour, but I’m thinking it could work. Let me know how it turns out!
These were delish and fried up perfectly. I replaced goat cheese with a 1/4 C dairy free cashew Parmesan ‘cheese’ and it all worked well.
Glad these fritters turned out perfectly :)
Would chickpea flour work?
Hi Chelsea – yes, that should work fine!
Can you use frozen zucchini? I can’t get organic this time of year other than frozen.
Hi Amanda – I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen zucchini. But I suspect they’ll be too soft and mushy.
I used frozen tonight and as long as they are completely thawed and you squish all the water out…they turned out fabulous! I also skipped cheese and used coconutmilk yogurt. So delicious!
Glad these fritters turned out great Trish!
Hi Lisa,
I made this recipe already and I have to say it’s divine! So good that it will be one of my favourites. I would like to make it again but ran out of almond flour. Can I use gluten-free rice flour instead?
Thank you, and for the delicious recipes,
I am so happy I found you on the internet.
Happy Easter!
Hi Anita – happy you love this recipe! I haven’t tried this with rice flour, so if you do, let us know how it turns out!
Gosh, these babies are good! They were very moist and drippy going into the skillet, but they fried up beautifully: crisp outside and tender inside. I had no goat cheese, so I subbed feta and it was wonderful. I also added a shake of Penzey’s Sunny Paris herb blend. Gonna try their Herbs de Provence next time. Need to think of a dairy-free topping as yummy as yours looks, Lisa. Five stars!
So glad you loved these zucchini fritters Gigi!
I made these yesterday for dinner and they came out to be extremely delicious and filling with the yogurt dip. I had three fritters abs did not even require a side.
I did have to improvise a bit by adding a shredded potato to compensate for having less zucchini. I also used a little whole wheat flour in place of almond flour and only needed 1 large egg to bind.
The only challenge I had, was that despite sweating zucchini for 2 hours and squeezing moisture from potatoes, by the time I readied the batter and 1/4 cup portions, they started to leak moisture and break apart while handling and turning. So I ended up dredging the fritters in whole wheat panko, which added a layer of crunchiness and stopped the breaking.
Top notch recipe that will be in regular rotation at my end.
Oh no! Sorry to hear your fritters still turned out great despite the bit of moisture towards the end.
I love this recipe!! And my kids too! Very yummy! Thanks
Happy to hear the whole family enjoyed these fritters!
These fritters are one of my go-tos and I make them weekly, thanks for such a yummy recipe!
Also, and this may sound silly but thank you for the quarter cup measurement per fritter. I measure before I drop and cook and they turn out literally perfect and beautiful every single time!
Hi Krystin- Happy to hear you love these zucchini fritters :)
Beautiful fritters! We made enough for two sittings but couldn’t resist polishing them off in one! Thank you Lisa <3
Glad everyone enjoyed these zucchini fritters Grace :)
Made these for the first time yesterday and couldn’t resist making them again today! Absolutely to die for! Thank you!
I also enjoy adding a bit of lemon juice to the yoghurt sauce :)
Glad you enjoyed these zucchini fritters Claire!
I didn’t have enough zucchini so I mixed in a couple of grated potatoes also drained and I used 1/3 cup grated Parmesan and wow a home run with the wife and kids
Glad this still turned out perfectly with this grated potatoes Gerry :)
Love all your recipes! Just wondering if there is a substitute for the egg… to make it vegan?
Hi – while I haven’t tried a egg-free version of this yet, you could always try adding a chia egg, or vegan mayo as a binder.
Hi Lisa,
Could I substitute coconut flour for the tapioca flour, I don’t want to buy another flour, or could I use more almond flour and use xantham gum to help hold it together.
Thanks,
Liz J
Hi Liz – see the note in the recipe card about using coconut flour. :)
These are delicious!! Ours didn’t turn out as crisp- I think we need to squeeze out more water from the zucchini next time. But they were still delicious! If you like zucchini, I definitely recommend giving this recipe a try!
Yes, squeezing as much water out is key fort his recipe. But glad you enjoyed it nonetheless!
These are the best and so easy. I make them often for my work lunches.
These fritters are so great for meal prepping :)
OMG just thinking about these my mouth waters. I was nervous about making these and whether they were going to turn out well – but thanks to all of Lisa’s detailed instructions in the recipe and video, the fritters were a great success! They have a pretty powerful taste, so if you have a sensitive stomach, don’t overload on these at once, even though you might want to as they’re so YUMMY. :)
Glad the instructions were easy to follow Mila :)
hi
cal 113 for one fritter ?
thx
Hi Shaz- Yes, the nutritional facts will always be per serving :)
My favorite zucchini recipe! I am making these for my 3rd time now. I used my air fryer instead of a pan and these turned out so crispy and delicious. My kids and husband even loved them!
Happy to hear the whole family loves these zucchini fritters!
Hi Lisa! Do you think it is possible to freeze these fritters before frying? So like freezing them raw but in circular shape, would it hold up after defrosting?
Hi Sara – It would be best to freeze these after cooking otherwise the zucchini will become too watery once they defrost.
Excited to try. Wondering if it’s just me, but can’t get the video to play of making these Zucchini Fritters.
Hi Jan- You can also head over to my Youtube channel for the video :)