Zucchini Fritters Recipe Made Easy & Tasty

Crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, and bursting with the flavors of summer, these Zucchini Fritters are an excellent way to use the season’s bounty. The recipe is naturally vegan and easy to make and these are a snack you need on your radar.

About Zucchini Fritters

Right around this type of year, my countertops are overflowing with zucchini. They’re an easy crop to grow, and prolific, too!

While I love Chocolate Zucchini Bread, I wanted to make a savory dish with my summer squash. These crispy Zucchini Fritters are the result of my tireless explorations, and boy are they tasty!

Usually, zucchini fritters are made with all-purpose flour, but this is a wholesome version made with whole wheat flour. The texture is light and soft from inside and delightfully crisp on the outside.

I’ve also been able to make this an egg-free recipe by using chickpea flour as my binding. Adding chickpea flour and baking powder helps in giving a soft texture to the fritters and also makes them crispy from the outside. Black salt can also be added to mimic the eggy aroma due to the presence of sulfur.

In addition to being ridiculously tasty, this is an incredibly easy one-bowl recipe. Just keep adding ingredients to the bowl and mixing it! There is no need to squeeze the grated zucchini of their juices, meaning it’s totally fuss-free.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Whole Wheat Flour – You can make these zucchini fritters with all-purpose flour too, though you may need to add a bit more flour in the recipe if using it.
• Chickpea Flour (or Gram Flour a.k.a. Besan) – Substitute cornstarch, rice flour, potato starch, or tapioca starch for chickpea flour or gram flour.
• Zucchini – Any color or shape of summer squash can be used, including patty pan, zephyr, or yellow summer squash. I used regular green zucchini in the photos below.
• Onions – Any color of onion will work here! You can also swap in leeks, shallots, or spring onions if you prefer.
• Garlic – Fresh is preferable, but you can swap in garlic powder in a pinch.
• Celery Stalk – For a bit of earthiness. Fresh fennel can be used instead.
• Parsley or Cilantro (Coriander Leaves) – For bright, herbaceous flavor.
• Black Pepper & Salt – For seasoning. Freshly cracked black pepper will have far more flavor than pepper powder.
• Baking Powder – For leavening.
• Black Salt – Optional, but delicious.
• Olive Oil – Or any neutral oil you prefer.

How To Make Zucchini Fritters

These simple summer squash fritters are so easy to make. Here’s how:

Preparation

1. Finely chop 1 medium-sized onion, 2 to 3 inches small celery stalk, 2 to 3 medium garlic cloves, and a few parsley leaves.

You will need ⅓ cup finely chopped onions, ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons finely chopped celery, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves.

2. Rinse 2 medium-sized zucchinis (300 grams) and then pat dry with a kitchen towel. Grate them using a handheld grater, box grater, or food processor.

Do not grate them too finely. Use the larger holes on whichever grater you choose. You can peel the zucchini if you want to, but you don’t have to.

Make Batter

3. Put the grated zucchini in a mixing bowl. I directly grate the zucchini into a mixing bowl to cut back on the dishes.

4. Add the finely chopped onions, garlic, parsley and celery.

5. Add ½ heaped cup whole wheat flour and ¼ cup chickpea flour or gram flour.

6. Season with ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper (crushed), ⅛ teaspoon black salt (optional), ½ teaspoon salt, or add it as required.

Also, add ½ teaspoon baking powder.

7. Mix very well. Depending on the water content in the zucchini which will vary with the variety and farming methods used, the batter can become too thick or thin.

If the batter is very thick and floury, then sprinkle it with some water. If the batter becomes thin and runny, then add some wheat flour.

Make Zucchini Fritters

8. In a 10 to 10.5 inches seasoned, heavy cast-iron skillet or pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. For frying each batch of 3 fritters add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil.

Let the oil become hot. Using a serving spoon or ¼ cup measuring cup begin to pour the batter on the pan.

9. Gently place the batter on the pan.

10. Then with the back of the spoon or cup, spread lightly. Do not spread thin as then the fritters break.

11. Begin to fry on medium-low to medium heat. I usually fry on medium-low heat so that the insides are cooked well.

The cast iron skillet retains heat and this helps in crisping the fritters.

12. Depending on the size of the skillet, you can fry three to four or even more zucchini fritters at a time.

13. When one side is crisp and golden, gently remove and flip. Fry the second side.

14. Fry the second side till golden and crisp. For even frying you can flip once or twice.

15. Remove and place them on kitchen paper towels for a brief period just for the extra oil to be soaked up. Do not keep them for long as then they can stick to the paper towel.

You can even use a strainer with a bowl underneath to drain the oil. Make all zucchini fritters this way.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Zucchini Fritters with a dipping sauce of your choice. You can even serve it with sour cream, yogurt, ketchup or creme fraiche.

Expert Tips

• Batter Consistency: The batter consistency should be a thick batter. If the batter becomes too thin or runny, the fritter will become soggy and wet from inside. In this scenario, adding some wheat flour helps to get the right consistency. If the batter looks very thick, floury, and dry, then sprinkle it with some water.
• Type of Zucchini: To make these you can use any colored zucchini – green or yellow. In the recipe, I have used green zucchini. But do make sure that the zucchini is not bitter. Before you chop, do a taste test, and if it is bitter, trash it.
• A Note on Frying: While shallow frying, you can add less oil. Though frying in less oil will reduce the crispiness. To quicken up the frying process, use two skillets side by side. Use a heavy seasoned pan to avoid fritters sticking to the pan.

Optional Variations

• Cheesy Fritters: For a cheesy flavor add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes. To get a vegetarian cheesy flavor, add some vegetarian parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese to the batter. If you add cheese, reduce the salt in the recipe.
• Add More Veggies: You can add additional vegetables like grated carrots, finely chopped bell pepper (capsicum), and grated cabbage to your fritters for added nutrition and flavor.
• Gluten-Free Option: For a gluten-free recipe, use chickpea flour entirely for the batter. Thus add ¾ to 1 cup of chickpea flour to the batter.
• Flour: You can also make these easy zucchini fritters with all-purpose flour. You may need to add more all-purpose flour to the recipe if using it.
• Baked Fritters: Make baked zucchini fritters by adding 1 tablespoon of oil in the batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 to 20 minutes till golden. Halfway through remove the fritters and brush them with oil. Then continue to bake till done. Line the baking tray with parchment paper before baking.

FAQs

This Zucchini Fritters recipe from the archives first published in July 2020 has been updated and republished on July 2023.