These easy zucchini fritters are crispy on the outside and moist and light inside. Serve them with your favorite sauce for a summer side dish or snack!
This zucchini fritters recipe is the perfect way to use up a surplus of summer squash. It turns a full pound of zucchini into beautifully light, crispy fritters that you can whip up in minutes on the stove. Scallions, garlic, and dill fill them with savory flavor, and lemon zest makes them nice and bright.
We love these zucchini fritters on their own, hot off the stove, but they’re even better with a creamy sauce to jazz them up. Serve them with tartar sauce or a dollop of tzatziki for a delicious summer appetizer or side dish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No soggy fritters here! Squeezing the excess moisture out of the zucchini and coating the fritters in panko bread crumbs makes them light and crisp.
- It’s quick and easy. This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes!
- It uses a pound of zucchini in one go. Every summer, I hear from readers who have too much zucchini and need ideas to use it up. This recipe is one of my go-tos. One batch of these fritters uses an entire pound…and they’re so tasty you’ll want to keep making them on repeat.
Zucchini Fritters Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these crispy zucchini fritters:
- Lots of zucchini, of course! I also make this recipe with yellow squash in the summer, and it works perfectly too!
- Eggs and all-purpose flour – They bind the fritters together.
- Scallions and garlic – They give the fritters an oniony kick.
- Fresh dill – It adds sour, savory flavor.
- Lemon zest – For brightness.
- Panko bread crumbs – I consider the bread crumbs the secret ingredient in this recipe. I love to use them in vegetable fritters and pancakes (see this okonomiyaki) to create a light, delicate texture on the inside. After you shape the fritters, you’ll coat them in more panko to create a crunchy exterior crust.
- Avocado oil – For pan-frying the fritters. I prefer it to olive oil here because it has a higher smoke point. Another neutral oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil, would work too.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Zucchini Fritters
This zucchini fritters recipe is super simple to make! You can think of it in three main parts:
- Prep the zucchini.
- Make the batter.
- Form and fry the fritters.
Start by prepping the zucchini. First, shred it on the large holes of a box grater or using the grating disk of a food processor.
Then, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. This step helps create the fritters’ light, crispy texture. If the zucchini is too moist, the fritters will be soggy.
Next, make the fritter batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded and drained zucchini with the eggs, green onions, garlic, dill, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle in the flour, add 1 1/2 cups of the panko, and fold to combine.
Then, shape the fritters. Form the mixture into thin patties and coat them in the remaining panko.
Finally, cook. Pan-fry the fritters in a hot cast-iron skillet until they are crisp and golden brown. Transfer to a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
Serve hot with your desired sauce. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Squeeze that zucchini! For zucchini fritters that are crisp on the outside and light and tender in the middle, squeeze as much water as you can out of the shredded zucchini. If the zucchini is too wet, the fritters will be soggy.
- Size matters. When you first shape the zucchini fritters, the zucchini mixture might seem loose, and it might feel like the fritters are going to fall apart. That’s totally normal! The key to helping them hold together is making them on the smaller side. Use a 1/4-cup measuring scoop to portion out the fritter mixture and flatten it into thin patties. The small, thin patties will become deliciously crisp (and totally cohesive) as they cook.
- Preheat your pan. A hot skillet is essential for cooking crisp, well-browned fritters that easily release from the pan with a spatula. I actually turn on the stove before I shape the fritters so that my pan has plenty of time to heat up. If your pan isn’t hot enough, the fritters will be less crisp, and they could stick.
What to Serve with Zucchini Fritters
These zucchini fritters are best served hot off the stove, while they’re still nice and crispy. Enjoy them on their own, with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or pair them with a dipping sauce for an extra burst of flavor. Any of these dip or sauce recipes would be delicious:
Wondering what to serve with zucchini fritters? They’re a fantastic starter for a summer meal, and they’re a lovely side dish for any simply cooked protein. I also like to pair them with a hearty salad, like my panzanella, Greek salad, or chopped salad, for a light, fresh summer dinner.
Storage
Leftover zucchini fritters keep well for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat them, warm them in a toaster oven or air fryer until crisp, or quickly re-crisp them in a hot skillet on the stove.
Serving suggestion: I love to use leftover fritters in a sandwich. After I reheat them, I stuff them into a pita with fresh herbs and a swoosh of romesco sauce (or any of the sauces listed above). It’s such a yummy lunch!
More Favorite Zucchini Recipes
If you love these easy zucchini fritters, try one of these summer zucchini recipes next:
- Roasted Zucchini
- Sautéed Zucchini
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Pasta Primavera
- Zucchini Noodles
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Or any of these 30 Best Zucchini Recipes!
Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini, about 3 medium zucchini
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups chopped scallions, about 1 bunch
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2¼ cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Avocado oil, for the pan
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Tartar Sauce or Creamy Dill Sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Place on a kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the grated zucchini, scallions, garlic, dill, lemon zest, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add 1½ cups of the panko, sprinkle in the flour, and fold to combine. Place the remaining ¾ cup panko in a shallow dish and set aside.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet to medium heat. Use a ¼-cup measuring cup to form the zucchini mixture into 14 to 16 thin patties. Place each into the reserved panko and coat well. The mixture might seem loose at this point, but the patties will firm up as they cook. Coat the skillet generously with oil. Cook the patties for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, flip, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, or until well browned, working in batches as necessary. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to drain. Season to taste and serve with the sauce.
These are delicious! And easy! A fave in our house.
There’s way too many bread crumbs in this. Followed the recipe and came out pretty dry
Can you prepare ahead?
Can you prepare ahead?
These were delicious!
I used almond flour and topped them with your vegan sour cream recipe.
Thank you.
Made these tonight and we loved them! They crisped-up nicely. Served with the dill sauce.
I am GF so substituted chickpea (gram) flour and added 3rd egg as my mixture seemed dry.
Made the zucchini fritters, and they vanished in no time! Thank you for this yummy recipe.
I’m glad you loved them!
These were tasty but I only got 8 fritters out of it. Maybe I squeezed too much water out of the zucchini? Also they were denser/doughier than I’d expected. I’d try them again, but probably cut down on the bread crumbs and add feta cheese.
These are delish!! I actually baked them so I didn’t need as much oil. I used avocado oil and baked at 400 degrees for approx 15 – 20 minutes on each side. They crisped up nicely. I would add some jalapeno next time. But thanks for the idea of fresh sweet corn. That was amazing.
Hi Kristen, so glad you loved them! Thanks for sharing that baking technique too!