If you’re looking for a way to use up your summer zucchini, try these delicious zucchini fritters with feta and dill. They’re light, crispy, and full of flavor, and they make a great vegetarian meal or appetizer with a dollop of tzatziki sauce and a fresh Greek salad. You won’t believe how easy they are to make!
What you need to make Zucchini Fritters
- Zucchini: You’ll need about 4-5 cups of grated zucchini, which you can do with a food processor or a hand grater.
- Salt: This helps to draw out the excess water from the zucchini, which is essential for making crispy fritters.
- Eggs: You’ll need two eggs to bind the fritter batter together.
- Scallions: These add a nice oniony flavor and some crunch to the fritters.
- Dill: Fresh dill gives these fritters a lovely herbaceous taste that complements the zucchini and feta.
- Feta: Crumbled feta cheese adds some tanginess and saltiness to the fritters. You can also use goat cheese if you prefer.
- Garlic: A clove of minced or pressed garlic adds some extra flavor and aroma to the fritters.
- Pepper: A bit of black pepper for seasoning. You don’t need much salt since the zucchini and feta are already salty enough.
- Flour: A quarter cup of all-purpose flour (or cornstarch) helps to thicken the batter and make it easier to shape and fry the fritters.
- Baking powder: A half teaspoon of baking powder gives the fritters some lift and makes them fluffy inside.
- Olive oil: You’ll need some olive oil for frying the fritters in a skillet. You can also use butter if you like.
How to make Zucchini Fritters
- Grate the zucchini and toss it with salt in a bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to release its water. Then squeeze out as much liquid as you can with your hands and blot it dry with paper towels. You’ll be surprised by how much water comes out!
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the zucchini, scallions, dill, feta, garlic, and pepper. Mix well to combine everything.
- Sprinkle the flour (or cornstarch) and baking powder over the zucchini mixture and stir until well incorporated. The batter should be fairly thick and sticky.
- Heat some olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the hot oil and flatten them slightly with a spatula. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp on both sides. Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Serve the zucchini fritters warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges and tzatziki sauce if desired.
Tips for making the best Zucchini Fritters
- The key to making crispy and light zucchini fritters is to remove as much water as possible from the grated zucchini. Don’t skip this step or your fritters will be soggy and heavy.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet when frying the fritters. Leave some space between them so they cook evenly and don’t stick together.
- If you have a lot of batter, you can keep the cooked fritters warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.
- You can also bake these fritters in the oven instead of frying them. Just place them on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
How to make Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki sauce is a creamy yogurt-based sauce that goes perfectly with these zucchini fritters. It’s also great for dipping fresh vegetables, pita bread, or grilled meats. To make it, you’ll need:
- Greek yogurt: Use plain full-fat Greek yogurt for the best texture and flavor.
- Cucumber: Peel and grate a small cucumber and squeeze out as much water as you can. You can also use an English cucumber that has thin skin and fewer seeds.
- Garlic: Use one or two cloves of minced or pressed garlic, depending on how garlicky you like
