Make the most of the late summer zucchini harvest with this easy zucchini fritter recipe. They make a great side dish to serve with entrees like grilled chicken or steak, but they can also be served as an appetizer (just make them smaller). Fresh basil is our favorite herb to include, but chives, parsley and tarragon are good choices too. Serve plain or with a marinara sauce for dipping.
PrintZucchini-Parmesan Fritters
These zucchini-parmesan fritters are flavored with fresh basil and can be served as either an appetizer or side dish along with marinara sauce for dipping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 fritters (3-inch diameter)
Ingredients
- 1 lb (about 3 medium) zucchini, coarsely grated
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour (see recipe notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chiffonade of fresh basil or other fresh herb (optional)
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini on the largest holes of a box grater. Wrap it inside two thicknesses of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese, eggs, flour, salt and pepper and mix well. The batter will be loose but shouldn’t appear watery.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add about 2 tablespoons of the zucchini mixture for each fritter, leaving plenty of room in the pan to turn them easily. Fry until golden brown and the edges of the fritters hold together fairly well when you try to flip them over, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. You may need to add more oil to the pan after a batch or two.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined platter and blot the excess oil. Serve with a warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
Because the amount of liquid that zucchini gives off can vary, it’s best to start out with a scant 1/4 cup of the flour in your mixture. Once your oil has heated, make a “test fritter” to see how much they spread. Drop about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil. If the fritter spreads out to much more than a 3-inch diameter, add 1 additional tablespoon of flour to your zucchini mixture.
Christine says
Loved these! I served them with a tablespoon or so of sour cream and some fresh chives. Delicious!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Christine,
So glad you enjoyed the fritters! Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Lil says
If you take the shredded zucchini and spin it in a salad spinner it will get rid of the excess water in the zucchini
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lil,
That’s an excellent idea. Thanks for sharing it with us.