Zucchini Fritter Recipe with Lemon Herb Yogurt
These crispy zucchini fritters are easy to make, easy to freeze for later, and really easy to eat! Serve them with a tangy lemon herb yogurt for an awesome appetizer, side, lunch or vegetarian main.
Servings: 11 fritters
Calories: 51kcal
Ingredients
For the Zucchini Fritters
- 1 pound zucchini about 2 medium
- 1½ teaspoons salt divided
- ¼ cup chives or scallions chopped, green parts only
- 1 egg large
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Oil for frying *see note
For the Lemon Herb Yogurt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream plain, full-fat
- 1 garlic clove small, minced or grated with a microplane grater
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chives or scallions chopped, green parts only
- 2 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs basil, lemon thyme, dill, tarragon, parsley, chervil, etc.
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini using either the grating attachment on a food processor or the large holes on a box grater.
- Sprinkle the zucchini with 1 teaspoon of salt, gently mix, then spread out onto a large kitchen towel and let sit for about 20 minutes to release its liquid.
- Fold up the towel and wring it our over a bowl or sink to extract the liquid. Be aggressive and really squeeze out as much liquid as your can.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the chives or scallions, egg, flour, corn starch, baking powder, pepper and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Add the zucchini and mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Heat about a ¼- ½ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then line a baking sheet with paper towels and set it aside nearby.
- Carefully drop heaping spoonfuls of the zucchini mixture into the hot oil and lightly press with the back of the spoon to flatten. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan. About 4 per batch is usually just right.
- Cook until the edges are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the fritters and fry them on the other side for another 2-3 minutes, until nicely browned, then remove to the paper towels to drain.
- To make the sauce, add the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chives or scallions and herbs in a small bowl and mix to combine. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Serve the fritters while they're hot with the lemon herb yogurt on the side.
- To serve later, place the fritters in a 200 ℉ oven until ready to serve.
Notes
- If you have a food processor with a grater attachment, use that to grate the zucchini. It will be quicker and also produce longer strands of zucchini which give the fritters an even better texture.
- Be sure to squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as possible. The more liquid you can remove, the crispier the fritters will be.
- I like to fry in a 50-50 mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil because it gives the zucchini fritters better flavor from the olive oil but still retains a high smoke point from the vegetable oil (canola, peanut, grape seed and avocado all work).
- Test the oil by dropping in a tiny piece of batter. If it immediately sizzles, the oil is ready. If not, let it heat up a little longer. If the oil begins to smoke, lower the heat immediately.
- Don't crowd the pan with too many fritters at once. It will lower the temperature of the oil, causing them to be soggy, and will make them harder to flip.
- For thicker fritters, place them in a 350 ℉ oven for 10 minutes after frying to ensure the middles are cooked through.
Nutrition
Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
