Fry

Middle Eastern Zucchini Fritters

by:
April  3, 2021
4
6 Ratings
Middle Eastern Zucchini Fritters
Photo by James Ransom
  • Makes 16
Author Notes

These crisp fritters are full of herby goodness. —Anne's Kitchen

Test Kitchen Notes

These were incredible! Pretty easy to pull together and a clear, accurate, and well-written recipe. The zucchini cooked to a silky texture and there was just enough saltiness from the feta and heat from the chili. Plus, my toddler absolutely devoured them as though they were the last food on earth. I appreciated that the batter wasn't wet and sloppy, which meant that not only could the fritters be easily formed into patties, but there wasn't a grease explosion when I dropped them into the oil. All in all, a solid recipe—will definitely be making this one again. —Omeletta

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 500 grams zucchinis
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 200 grams carrots
  • 3 scallions
  • 1 small onion
  • 3 tablespoons dill, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 100 grams feta cheese
  • 140 grams flour
  • 1 egg
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 200 grams Greek yoghurt
Directions
  1. Wash the zucchinis and finely grate. Put into a fine sieve, mix with 1/4 teaspoon salt and leave to drain for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, peel and finely grate the carrots. Squeeze out any excess moisture with your hands and put into a large bowl.
  3. Wash, trim, and finely chop the scallions. Add to the bowl.
  4. Peel and finely chop the onion and add to the bowl, followed by the chopped dill and parsley.
  5. Finely crumble the feta into the bowl.
  6. After 20 minutes, squeeze out any excess moisture from the zucchinis and add to the bowl. Then add the flour, egg, a bit of pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the chili flakes, and mix until everything is well incorporated.
  7. Pour enough olive oil into a pan so it covers the entire base. Heat the oil and test if the oil is hot enough by dropping in a tiny bit of batter—if it starts bubbling, you’re good to go. For 4 fritters, drop 4 tablespoons of the zucchini mix into the pan. Flatten them slightly and fry on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Proceed with the remaining batter.
  8. Just before serving, season the yoghurt with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper and serve each portion of zucchini fritters with a dollop of yoghurt.
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12 Reviews

John
John March 13, 2021
These are easy and delicious. We have them at least twice a month.
 
lyamagata
lyamagata February 5, 2021
Delicious! I added a bunch of garlic powder to the fritters, and spiced up the yogurt sauce with the leftover dill and meyer lemon juice. Definitely will be making this again!
 
delicia.sampson.7
delicia.sampson.7 August 16, 2020
I used this as a guideline for making mushroom zucchini cakes. The method of salting and draining the zucchini after you cut them was very effective. I think I'll do that as a general practice now. Browns much nicer and takes away the bitterness.
 
Michele K.
Michele K. August 12, 2020
For what it would cost to buy a scale I can just have dinner in a restaurant. So, no can do. It would be nice to have cup measurements too.
 
Caitlin C.
Caitlin C. August 12, 2020
An average scale costs approximately $12.00-$15.00, so you'd make your money back quite quickly while expanding the kinds of recipes you're able to make. Likewise, there are plenty of wonderful free apps to make weight conversions simple. It'd be a shame to miss out on delicious recipes like this one.
 
Vlad G.
Vlad G. April 26, 2020
Thank you for the recipe. I really enjoyed it. I tried it twice and tried to follow it exactly, but for some reason the batter inside remains mushy. I transferred them to the oven for 15 minutes hoping they would cook through. It made the vegetables softer but no change to the batter. What should I do? Thanks in an advance.
 
delicia.sampson.7
delicia.sampson.7 August 16, 2020
I used an electric skillet at 350 degrees F to pan fry, and flattened the mounds for thinner cakes.
 
MK
MK July 27, 2019
Made this last night as the squash crop is coming in full force! The batter was a bit loose on the first batch in the pan so I used some cornbread breadcrumbs to coat the fritters and that made them perfect. As with Caitlin C., my measuring probably could have improved the batter's texture, but they were still great. Added to my culinary repertoire! Thank you.
 
Alex K.
Alex K. July 18, 2017
Thank you, Anne! I recently came into an awful lot of zucchinis. Could I make this recipe with just zucchini (instead of the zucchini-carrot mix), or are the carrots necessary for sweetness and / or structural integrity?
 
Caitlin C.
Caitlin C. April 21, 2017
I made these for a couple girlfriends the other night, along with a golden beet panzanella and a green salad with shredded chicken. The fritters are filling but light, and I love the tanginess of the yogurt with the crispness of the fritters. I did a very loose metric conversion, so they might've been even better had I been more careful, but they were delicious and easy, very well-received, and a definite repeat recipe.
 
La P.
La P. September 22, 2016
I love love love fritters. They are so simple and the possibilities are endless. I recently made some and added in hemp seeds for an extra protein boost!!! Thanks for sharing 🍐
 
boulangere
boulangere August 10, 2015
It's zucchini season!