Most people are probably familiar with the classic dish — Zucchini Fritters. I have nothing against it, but I wouldn't call myself a fan — in its classic form it's pretty bland and unremarkable, in my opinion. So today I'm sharing a refreshed, upgraded version of that dish. Instead of regular squash I used zucchini, which I find has a slightly more pronounced flavor, and the fritters come out a brighter color — though you can absolutely make this recipe with regular squash too! As mix-ins I used carrots and cheese (because everyone knows cheese makes everything better ?), and I also added spices — garlic, oregano, and basil. I highly, highly recommend the spices! I kept the flour to a minimum so these would be true vegetable fritters rather than floury pancakes with a few bits of vegetable hiding inside, which is often what happens with recipes like this. The result was so delicious I can't even put it into words — I absolutely loved them, and my kid kept asking for more, even though we all know how hard it is to get kids to eat their vegetables! So good! I got 12 fritters out of this batch.
Ingredients:
- 500 g zucchini (or yellow squash)
- 150 g carrots
- 50 g cheese
- 50 g flour
- 2 eggs
- salt, pepper
- spices to taste (I used dried garlic, oregano, and basil)
- ghee or vegetable oil + butter (for frying)
- Sauce:
- sour cream, heavy cream
- salt, pepper, garlic
How to cook zucchini fritters
Grate the carrots on the medium side of a box grater and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let the vegetables sit for 5–10 minutes to release their liquid.
Squeeze the vegetables thoroughly to remove the excess moisture. I work in batches, squeezing firmly with my hands, then transfer to a bowl.
Add the grated or finely chopped cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and spices. I used about ⅓ tsp each of oregano and basil, plus ½ tsp of dried garlic — fresh garlic works great too, of course.
Add the flour and mix well. You may need a little more or a little less flour, but try to keep it on the lower end — if you squeezed the vegetables well, you won't need much at all.
Heat the oil well in a skillet. I fried mine in ghee, but you can use vegetable oil, or a mix of vegetable oil and butter. I prefer butter-based fats — they add a lovely, subtle buttery flavor. Drop the fritters in and keep them on the thinner side; fry until golden on the bottom.
Flip and fry until golden on the other side, then cover with a lid and cook over low heat for another 5–7 minutes to cook through.
For the sauce, I mixed together sour cream, salt, pepper, and dried garlic, then thinned it out with a splash of cream for a more pourable consistency. Serve the fritters hot or warm. These zucchini fritters turn out incredibly tender and soft, with a light crispy crust and a rich, savory vegetable flavor and aroma. So delicious!
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