This homemade Zucchini Fritters Recipe is oh-so-easy to make and you’ll get perfectly crispy fritters every time. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is. 

We love zucchini recipes from Crispy Fried Zucchini to Zucchini Casserole. If you are a fan of zucchini recipes, this Zucchini Fritter recipe is a must-try.

Stack of zucchini fritters topped with sour cream and scallions

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Zucchini Fritters Recipe

We love growing squash in the garden, from Yellow Squash to Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash. If you grow your own zucchini, you know they mass produce. We love them fried, baked, grilled, and even in Vegetable Stir Fry. We are always on the lookout for creative zucchini recipes like this one; fun, simple and so tasty!

Zucchini Fritters have been a family favorite for years and a staple in our home all summer long. As soon as our zucchini are ripe, there is a batch of fritters sizzling on the stove. Here’s why you will love this recipe:

  • Kid-friendly – Our children love zucchini fritters which makes me feel so good knowing they are getting a healthy portion of veggies.
  • Great texture – Crispy on the edges, tender in the middle, and never soggy.
  • Versatile – We enjoy them for breakfast as an alternative to hash browns, for lunch, and even as a snack when the craving strikes.

Zucchini Fritters Video Tutorial

Watch Natasha make this easy zucchini fritters recipe. It’s such a simple recipe but worth discovering.

Ingredients

Zucchini fritters have simple ingredients. If you have the zucchini and green onions, everything else is just pantry and refrigerator staples. Scroll down to the print-friendly recipe card for ingredient quantities.

  • Zucchini – While you can use large or medium, I find that medium zucchini is best because the seeds aren’t as big and the skin is a little more tender. This makes a difference if you’re grating by hand.
  • Salt – I prefer cooking with sea salt, but table salt will do.
  • Eggs – Lightly beat these in a small bowl.
  • Green onions – Also known as scallions. You can substitute chives for a milder flavor if you’d like.
  • All-purpose flour – Just enough to hold the fritters together.
  • Baking powder – Key to a nice, light texture.
  • Ground black pepper – For a bolder flavor, you can use fresh, coarsely ground peppercorns.
  • Olive oil – As much as you need for sautéing.
Overhead view of ingredients for zucchini fritters

Pro Tip: The trick to getting these crisp around the edges is to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You can do this with your hands over a colander or using a cheesecloth. Homegrown zucchini tend to hold even more water, so you may need to toss in an extra zucchini just in case it shrinks down too much after draining.

Shredded zucchini in food processor

How to Make Zucchini Fritters

  1. Prepare the zucchini – Grate zucchini on a box grater or in your food processor, transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss it with a teaspoon of salt.
  2. Drain – After 10 minutes, squeeze the zucchini over the sink or through a cheesecloth to release the excess liquid. You’ll need to measure 3 1/2 to 4 cups of zucchini once it’s drained.
  3. Add egg and green onion – Stir the green onions and eggs into the bowl
  4. Finish the batter – Whisk together the dry ingredients in a small bowl and stir into the zucchini.
  5. Cook the fritters – Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add a heaping tablespoon of batter to the hot pan for each zucchini fritter. Flatten slightly, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy, reducing the heat if needed.
  6. Serve – Plate the fritters and serve them warm with a dollop of sour cream.
6 photos showing process of making zucchini fritters

Pro Tip: I like to use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to easily scoop the mixture and create equal-sized fritters.

Common Questions

What are zucchini fritters?

Zucchini fritters combine shredded zucchini with flour, seasonings, and other ingredients to create crispy little cakes. In American cuisine, zucchini fritters rank up there with corn fritters and apple fritters as the most popular fritter recipes.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Yes, this zucchini fritter recipe is easily made gluten-free by using a measure-for-measure all-purpose flour substitute.

Can I substitute yellow squash?

Yes, yellow squash is interchangeable with zucchini in most recipes, and it works here, too.

Can I make this in the oven?

While you can make zucchini fritters in the oven, they won’t be as crispy, so I don’t recommend it.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, this recipe can be doubled. To make cooking faster, you can use two skillets for cooking instead of one.

Crispy zucchini fritters in cast iron skillet

To Serve

Our favorite way to serve Zucchini fritters is for breakfast or brunch, paired with:

  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt – dolloped over the fritters
  • Chives – a tasty and pretty garnish
  • Tzatziki Sauce – a great dip or topping
  • Marinara – warmed and served as a dipping sauce
  • Aioli dip – one of our favorite dips
Zucchini fritters on platter with cup of sour cream

Make-Ahead

Here are some tips to help you get a head start on your fritters.

  • To Refrigerate: You can grate the zucchini ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to a day. The finished zucchini fritters can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing: Freeze zucchini fritters in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
  • To Reheat: Reheat your fritters in a 350ºF oven until they’re warmed through, in a skillet over medium heat, or in the microwave.
Closeup of zucchini fritters in skillet

These zucchini fritters are a great way to use up a bumper crop of zucchini from your garden. They are easy to make, perfectly crispy, and even kids love them.

More Zucchini Recipes to try

If you love this zucchini fritters recipe, then you won’t want to miss these zucchini recipes.

Zucchini Fritters Recipe

4.96 from 301 votes
zucchini fritters served with sour cream
Zucchini Fritters have been a family favorite for years and are a staple in our home all summer long. We love the crisp edges, tender centers and how easy they are to make.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: 39 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people (makes 24 fritters)
  • 2 lb zucchini, about 2 large or 5 medium
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • olive oil for sautéing
  • sour cream, to serve

Instructions

  • Wash zucchini and trim off ends. Grate on the large holes of a box grater or use the grater attachment for the food processor. Place zucchini in a large mixing bowl, stir in 1 tsp salt, and set aside for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, squeeze handfuls of zucchini tightly over the sink to remove extra water. It helps to wring it out in a cheesecloth if you have one. It is impressive how much water comes out! You should end up with 3 1/2 to 4 cups of squeezed dry zucchini. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add 1/2 cups chopped green onion and 2 lightly beaten eggs.
  • In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup flour with 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. Add flour mixture into zucchini mixture and stir until well combined.
  • Place a large heavy-bottomed cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat* and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the zucchini mixture a heaping tablespoon at a time** and flatten out the tops slightly to make them pancake-shaped. Sauté for 3-5 minutes per side or until golden brown. If they brown too quickly, reduce the heat. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream.

Notes

*Cooking the fritters in 2 separate skillets will cut the cooking time in half.
**Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to easily scoop the mixture and create equal-sized fritters.

Nutrition Per Serving

107kcal Calories18g Carbs5g Protein2g Fat1g Saturated Fat0.5g Polyunsaturated Fat1g Monounsaturated Fat0.01g Trans Fat55mg Cholesterol617mg Sodium524mg Potassium2g Fiber4g Sugar466IU Vitamin A29mg Vitamin C71mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
107
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
2
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
55
mg
18
%
Sodium
 
617
mg
27
%
Potassium
 
524
mg
15
%
Carbohydrates
 
18
g
6
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
466
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
 
29
mg
35
%
Calcium
 
71
mg
7
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Zucchini Fritters, zucchini pancakes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 107
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
4.96 from 301 votes (135 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Kelly Hinson
    August 28, 2018

    Great recipe! I only had two medium zucchini so I bulked it up with some shredded carrots and used finely diced red onion as I didn’t have green onion on hand. They came out beautifully, I look forward to making these again.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 28, 2018

      What a great idea. I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Kelly!

      Reply

  • susan greenberg-yarmush
    August 15, 2018

    if I want to make these gluten free, could I use a different type of flour or oats as a filler? what do you think. my son is recently eating gluten free and I am figuring this all out.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 15, 2018

      Hi Susan! I think these would still work well with a gluten free baking flour. One of my readers reported using gluten free flour with great results. I hope you love the recipe!

      Reply

      • Abby
        August 15, 2018

        Hi- wondering what gluten free flour was used? Almond? Thanks!

        Reply

        • Natasha
          August 15, 2018

          Hi Abby, I believe it was a cup for cup all-purpose gluten free baking flour.

          Reply

  • Nadia
    August 6, 2018

    This recipe is KID FRIENDLY, thank you Natasha for another winner!!

    This is literally what my girls said when I served them the batch I had just made, (they are 4 and 6 and can barely stomach zucchini usually):

    ‘Delicious! I cant taste the zucchini, tastes like chicken nuggets. Because it smells like it. Mama this is delicious!! You can make more tomorrow!!!’

    And then. One sister to another: Do you want to eat them all?!
    Response: Ya

    Enough said. Thank you Natasha, my mothers heart is happy to feed my children veggies in a way they enjoy!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 7, 2018

      You’re so welcome Nadia! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that! I appreciate your thoughtful review!

      Reply

  • Tammy
    July 25, 2018

    Growing up my mom used to make the best zucchini bread, it was one of our family favorites, and I love to make an Italian style zucchini casserole. My dad and I would make a meal of just that. Also zucchini cakes, you name it, we love it just about anyway. I tried a zucchini and tomato pie that was also very good and very low in calories. Love my veggies, especially this time of year when they are fresh and home grown.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 26, 2018

      Hi Tammy! I agree! You can do so much with them also! Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • Marina Bigsby
    July 22, 2018

    LOVE these. Turned out great and very simple ingredients.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 23, 2018

      Thanks for the great review Marina!

      Reply

  • Donna Coakley-McGowan
    July 8, 2018

    Love these. What are the nutrition. Details?’

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 8, 2018

      So happy you enjoyed these, Donna! We are slowly working through all of our recipes to add nutrition info but it is a time consuming process as they have to be added one at a time. Thank you for being patient! 🙂

      Reply

  • Chris
    July 1, 2018

    I just made these fritters, using Brussels sprouts, instead of zucchini. (It’s what I had on hand.) Wow. Game changer. No salting or squeezing necessary, just shredded those little babies, then carried on per the recipe. (I threw in an extra egg, as it needed more moisture.) Serendipity!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 2, 2018

      That sounds so good! Thank you for sharing your version with us, Chris!

      Reply

    • Debi
      July 23, 2018

      I’m going to make them tonight! I am going to try adding them to a simple spaghetti sauce.

      Reply

  • Kateryna Padalytsya
    June 25, 2018

    Hi Natasha!!!
    I am obsessed! I absolutely love zucchini but I have not been able to find any good recipes out there. I found this one this morning and I had 2 zucchini laying around and I was like Heck lets try. To die for ! You never disappoint 🙂
    I tried many of your recipes and they are always a big hit!!!!!

    Thank you for being so amazing !!!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 25, 2018

      Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles!

      Reply

  • Luba
    June 22, 2018

    Hi Natasha just wanted to say thanks for this great recipe, although I make it in the oven but it turns out amazing as well I bake at 375f for 10 mins then flip and bake 10 more mins. My mother in law also loves this recipe and I know has given it to her friends as well!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 22, 2018

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that.

      Reply

  • aimee
    June 18, 2018

    Hi it’s Aimee and Kristina But mostly from Kristina how do you keep your waist so skinny? Do you exorcize at night?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 18, 2018

      I exercise my fingers as I eat a bowl of ceviche at night! lol. I try to exercise but definitely not a hard core workout person :). I’m thankful for a speedy metabolism and we try to make good choices in our food and enjoy things in moderation. We cook at home ALOT and don’t go out to eat too often.

      Reply

  • Shelly
    June 7, 2018

    Zucchini Fritters are awesome, great recipe! My family loved them. The only thing I did different was I added garlic to it. It was surprisingly refreshing and very filling.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 7, 2018

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Shelly! Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Nadia
    May 4, 2018

    Making it right now!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 4, 2018

      Awesome, please let me know what you think Nadia!

      Reply

  • Kseniya
    April 24, 2018

    These turned out great. Picky 3 y.o. asked for more! Wonder if I can make these with yellow squash too?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 24, 2018

      Hello Kseniya! I have never used yellow squash but recently a reader commented, “I had a yellow squash and a zucchini. When I grated the yellow I avoided the larger seeds and just kept the pulp. It was a hit, even with the picky eater. I will make these again, and again and again.”

      Reply

      • Kseniya
        April 24, 2018

        I went ahead and made them with the same amount of yellow squash (no zucchini) and added some grated carrot since I was also out of green onions. Tasted amazing! Thank you! My three year old son asked me to make them, and this was his dinner tonight. He was dipping them in ketchup!

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          April 24, 2018

          YAY! I’m glad to hear the recipe was such a success, thanks for sharing your great review! 🙂

          Reply

  • Deborah L Chesser
    February 28, 2018

    Another idea: Prepare zucchini per the recipe. Then use in place of crab in the Old Bay crab cake recipe. Hint: add a little extra Old Bay.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 28, 2018

      Great tip Deborah, thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  • Kiran
    February 25, 2018

    Hi,
    Can I bake these instead of frying them?If so, What would be temp/ duration used?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 26, 2018

      Hi Kiran, I honestly haven’t tried baking them so I could only guess and I’m not sure if they will form correctly in the oven. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.

      Maybe someone else has experimented in the oven? If so, please let us know and thanks in advance! 🙂

      Reply

  • Zenny Amancio
    January 14, 2018

    Just made this today and it’s awesome! This will be my new go to recipe. Thanks Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 15, 2018

      You’re welcome Zenny! I’m glad you love the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review!

      Reply

  • Tricia
    January 10, 2018

    These look so tasty! What could I use to substitute the flour? My hubby is allergic to wheat. Thx!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 10, 2018

      HI Tricia, I think these would still work well with a gluten free baking flour. One of my readers reported using gluten free flour with great results. I hope you love the recipe!

      Reply

  • Tayseersaleh
    December 24, 2017

    Lovely taste
    I liked it so much
    Easy to do and tasty

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 26, 2017

      I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your review!

      Reply

  • Tzivia
    December 13, 2017

    Made these yesterday for the first night of Chanukah added a bit of mayo to the mix didn’t have the recipe on hand and wow they came out really great these are such a winner girlfriend definitely making these again

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 13, 2017

      I’m happy to hear how much you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!

      Reply

  • Lana
    December 5, 2017

    What a great recipe! I made zucchini fritters before, but had never squeezed water out before frying, it makes a big difference, I also added fresh pressed garlic, and used self-rising flour. They came out light and delicious in no time. Thank you, Natasha!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 5, 2017

      You’re welcome Lana! I’m glad to hear the recipe is such a success! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review with other readers!

      Reply

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