The Crispy, Cheesy Zucchini Fritters I Make Every Summer

Name: The Crispy, Cheesy Zucchini Fritters I Make Every Summer
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 58 min
Ingredients: 3 cups packed, grated zucchini (from about 6 large zucchini); 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume; 6 tablespoons dill, chopped; 1 bunch (about 8) scallions, white and light green parts finely chopped; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg; 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta; 4 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1 cup flour (plus more if needed); Salt and pepper; 4 tablespoons olive oil; Tzatziki, homemade or store-bought, for serving

A plate of fritters stacked on a floralpatterned dish served with a side of yogurt sauce and a knife — Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

Why It Works

Salting and draining the grated zucchini removes excess moisture and prevents the fritters from becoming soggy.
Feta gives the pancakes a touch of salinity and tang.

While some gardeners dread the onslaught of zucchini that arrives every summer—our senior culinary editor, Leah, describes harvesting her zucchini as a "game of wack-a-mole"—I look forward to it with glee. I stew zucchini, incorporate the gourd into pasta, and make loaves and loaves of zucchini bread. I slice zucchini for salads, add it to lasagna, and bake slices of it into crisp fries. When I want an easy snack or appetizer, I make these Greek zucchini fritters, which are especially delicious served with tzatziki.

Plate of fritters next to a bowl of dip with a spoon — Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

The recipe for these fritters comes from former Serious Eats editor Carrie Vasio Mullins, who first published it on the site in 2011. Over the years, these fritters have become a summertime staple in my kitchen; they are almost always the first thing I make when zucchini pops up at our farmers market. Fresh dill brings a herbaceous kick, a touch of ground nutmeg adds a hint of warmth, and crumbled feta gives the fritters a wonderfully salty, tangy flavor. Though there are many fantastic ways to cook with zucchini, this remains one of my favorite methods. If you find yourself with more zucchini than you know what to do with, start here.

April 2011

This recipe was developed by Carrie Vasio Mullins; the headnote was written by Genevieve Yam.

The Crispy, Cheesy Zucchini Fritters I Make Every Summer

Prep 18 mins

Cook 10 mins

Resting Time 30 mins

Total 58 mins

Serves 6 servings

Makes 13 pancakes

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

For Fritters:

3 cups packed grated zucchini (13 1/4 ounces; 375 g), see notes
1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
6 tablespoons dill (about 1 ounce; 28 g), chopped
8 scallions (5 3/4 ounces; 163 g), white and pale green parts finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta (6 ounces; 170 g)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour (4 1/2 ounces; 128 g), plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Tzatziki, homemade or store-bought, for serving

For the Fritters: Place zucchini in a colander set over a sink or large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. Using a flexible spatula, press zucchini against the sides of the colander to extract liquid. Wrap vegetables in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze to remove excess liquid.

Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja
Place drained zucchini in a large bowl with dill, scallions, nutmeg, and feta. Toss to combine. Add eggs, stirring to combine. Add flour and, using a flexible spatula, fold to incorporate. If dough is too wet to form a patty, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough can be shaped into a patty. Using your hands, form dough into patties about 3 to 4-inches in diameter.

Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja
In a large cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary, place patties into skillet, spaced 1/2 to 1inch apart. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip pancakes and cook until bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining patties. Serve with tzatziki.

Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

Special Equipment

Colander; flexible spatula; clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth; cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel skillet

Notes

Zucchini can be grated using the large holes of a box grater or shredded in a food processor fitted with a grating disc.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in an oven, air fryer, or microwave until warmed through.

To freeze cooked fritters, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet tray. When frozen, transfer to a zip-top bag. Fritters can be reheated from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven or air fryer until warmed through.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
365	Calories
23g	Fat
27g	Carbs
16g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	365
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g	29%
Saturated Fat 9g	43%
Cholesterol 159mg	53%
Sodium 745mg	32%
Total Carbohydrate 27g	10%
Dietary Fiber 4g	14%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 41mg	207%
Calcium 280mg	22%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 943mg	20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The Crispy, Cheesy Zucchini Fritters I Make Every Summer

Why It Works

April 2011

The Crispy, Cheesy Zucchini Fritters I Make Every Summer

Special Equipment

Notes

Make-Ahead and Storage

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