Zucchini fritters hold a special place in my heart. They were my aunt Anna’s signature dish. As a child, when I would visit, she would always have a plate of zucchini fritters and a slice of zucchini loaf ready to go! Not only were the dishes delicious but they were always impeccably plated and presented. She would cook with love and this would transcend into her culinary creations. I still think about those fritters to this day! They were pillowy, moist and oh so flavourful. The fritters were always served with a dollop of sour cream and a few dill fronds to produce the most satisfying bite!
As a tribute to the hostess with the mostess, here is my take on her classic dish. My version incorporates feta cheese, a shallot, mint, dill and lemon zest, which give the zucchini fritters a fresh and summery vibe. These fritters are a perfect meal idea for a busy week.
Enjoy them for brunch, lunch or dinner or even as a snack. Serve them with a generous dollop of sour cream and dig right in! So, let me show you how it’s done! Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Serves: Makes 8 pancakes
Ingredients:
4 cups zucchini, grated (approx. 2 lbs or 2 large zucchini) (See Notes below)
1 tsp kosher salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (See Notes below)
Pinch of ground pepper
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp dill fronds, finely chopped
1/2 tsp lemon zest
4 Tbsp olive oil
Sour cream, as a topping
Instructions:
Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the zucchini. This should yield 4 cups.
Transfer the grated zucchini to a colander and sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over top. Give it a good mix and let the grated zucchini drain for 10 minutes. Using your hands, a cheese cloth or a tea towel, wring out any excess moisture.
While the zucchini is draining, to a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, flour and pepper and whisk for 30 seconds or until the batter is light, fluffy and smooth. Set aside. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and the gluten to relax.
Toss the shallot, feta, mint, dill, lemon zest and zucchini into the batter and mix until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
To a large non-stick skillet set over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot, using a 1/3 cup measure, scoop 4 portions of batter onto the skillet. Repeat the process for the last 4 fritters, using the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil.
Cook the fritters for a total of 6 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Flip the fritters over halfway through the cook time.
Once the fritters are golden brown and delicious, remove them from the skillet and transfer them to a plate or platter. Serve them on their own or with a generous dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
Notes:
Speeding Up the Grating Process: If you don’t have a box grater or simply want to reduce the prep time, you can simply use the grating attachment on your trusty food processor to grate the zucchini.
Squeeze, Squeeze, Squeeze: Zucchini have a high water content, so adding them directly into the fritter batter, without draining, will create a soupy mess. My preferred method of extracting excess moisture is to squeeze mounds of grated zucchini between yours hands over a colander, set in the sink. The colander will catch any zucchini pieces that escape during the squeezing and draining process. You can also wrap the grated zucchini in a cheese cloth or tea towel and squeeze and wring it out. All the draining methods work quite well and it’s just a matter of personal preference.
Make it Gluten-Free: To make these zucchini fritters gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour in this recipe on a 1:1 basis with all-purpose gluten-free flour. I have made this recipe on many occasions using gluten-free flour, without compromising the taste and consistency of the fritters.