These Italian Zucchini Fritters with mozzarella and lots of herbs are simple to make and great tasting. If you are looking for healthy summer recipes for dinner, these zucchini cakes are for you!
Right around this time of the year, you can’t help but notice all of the fresh produce, the vibrant colors and the incredible variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that can be found in farmers’ markets.
It’s also that time of the year when anyone with zucchini growing in their backyard garden is willing to share their produce. That’s because zucchini is one of the easiest plants to grow. There is an entire day dedicated to giving it away.
It’s true!
Did you know that August 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini Into Your Neighbor’s Porch Day? So, if you have some extra zucchini and are tired of making zucchini rolls, baked zucchini sticks and eating zucchini muffins, you know what to do!
Here are some other fun facts about zucchini:
Fun fact #1: Did you know that the zucchini is considered a fruit botanically speaking? I guess that’s why this “vegetable” is so popular.
Fun fact #2: Did you know that the flower of the zucchini plant is edible? Whether baked, stuffed, crisped, or even fried, these blossoms are indeed a special treat. You will want to pick the male flowers. Those are the ones with the long stems, just like the flower pictured above, on the left.
Fun fact #3: Did you know that zucchini is 95% water? How much water can get squeezed out of a grated zucchini is something that continues to amaze me. (If you would like to learn more fun facts about zucchini, you can visit this site.)
Apart from these fun facts, zucchini is incredibly versatile. They can be used in savory dishes (appetizers, side dishes, or main meals), as well as in desserts (recipe for a moist zucchini chocolate loaf on the way!). As you can probably guess, I love to cook and bake with zucchini.
I’m excited to show you how to make these easy summertime vegetable fritters. Are you ready?
Instructions
The first thing we are going to do is prep our zucchini. So begin by properly rinsing the zucchini and drying it with a tea towel. Next, we need to remove the little stump where the flower was growing. Do not remove the part attached to the plant, as this will make grating the zucchini easier -which is the next step.
Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the zucchini. Toss with about 1 teaspoon of salt and transfer to a colander set over a medium bowl. As was previously mentioned, zucchini is 95% water, so this step will help draw out some of this moisture. This process needs about 30 minutes, so let’s chop up some herbs while we wait.
As you can see, we will be using fresh herbs in these zucchini cakes. Parsley, oregano, chives, and basil are some of my favorites, plus I have them growing in my backyard, so it’s convenient and economical for me.
Feel free to use any combination of fresh herbs you like. For this recipe, combine 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh chives, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil, and about 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano.
By this time, we are now ready to squeeze the zucchini.
There are a couple of ways you can remove the excess moisture from the zucchini:
- Place the grated zucchini in a clean dish towel and wring out the liquid;
- Use a potato ricer (like we did when we made our hash browns) OR
- Just squeeze them hard, as I did.
So much liquid! Isn’t it unbelievable!!!
Okay, so now we can add the rest of the ingredients and make some zucchini patties.
In a large bowl, lightly whisk 2 eggs and add the chopped fresh herbs, the grated and drained zucchini, the grated cheeses (¼ cup of Romano cheese and ½ cup of grated Mozzarella), one minced garlic clove and pepper to taste. Combine these ingredients well together.
Please note that I will not add any additional salt to this mixture. The added cheeses, along with the salting of the zucchini, provide the perfect seasoning. Feel free to adjust to your taste.
Next, add ⅓ cup of flour and ½ teaspoon of baking powder. Combine well together. If the mixture appears too wet, add another tablespoon or so of flour.
It’s time to make some healthy zucchini cakes!
Over medium-high heat, in a large pan, drizzle about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, drop 1 heaping tablespoon of batter and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Alternately, you can use a medium-sized ice cream scooper. You can make them larger or smaller. It is up to you.
Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper-lined plate or a wire rack and repeat this process with the rest of the batter.
I’ve been making these zucchini fritters for decades. Here are some tips and tricks I would like to share with you so that you can make the best zucchini fritters ever!
How to make fritters crispy?
- Start with a heavy-bottomed pan and make sure it is nice and hot. You need to hear that sizzle when you drop the zucchini batter in the pan;
- Avoid overcrowding the pan and fry the cakes in batches;
- Remove the excess moisture from the zucchini -first by salting and then by squeezing the grated zucchini.
What goes with zucchini fritters?
- They are great as a light lunch, served with an Italian tomato-cucumber salad.
- Enjoy them plain or with a dollop of yogurt sauce when serving as an appetizer.
- They make the perfect side vegetable for grilled meats or fish.
- Serve them alongside eggs as part of a healthy breakfast.
By the way, if you are wondering about the picture with the parsley stalks, I will freeze them and add them to my vegetable soups -they provide an incredible amount of flavor.
Recipes using zucchini
If you are looking for more zucchini recipes, take a look at these zucchini pancakes with sweet corn or this tasty and easy-to-make zucchini frittata with ricotta. They are also perfect for brunch or an easy summer dinner. Another family favorite is this zucchini bread. Made with whole wheat flour and the right amount of sweetness makes it the perfect breakfast on the run. If you like Italian appetizers, you must give these marinated grilled zucchini a try!
Recipe origins
Growing up Italian meant my Mom would create all kinds of recipes using the zucchini growing in the backyard -thanks to my Dad, who was a fantastic gardener.
These Italian Zucchini Fritters, often at the supper table, were usually fried in a generous amount of oil. Needless to say, they were tasty.
Since we should all be making an effort to eat a little healthier, I do not fry my fritters in inches of oil. Instead, I use a non-stick pan and barely drizzle the pan with some olive oil. The results are just as good and much healthier.
I’ve also made these Zucchini Fritters with different cheeses (for example, feta) and herbs and they always turn out amazing! Today, I wanted to document and share my mom’s recipe, minus the extra olive oil.
Getting your daily dose of green vegetables is easy with these healthy Italian Zucchini Fritters. Use a non-stick pan to make them even more nutritious. Enjoy!!!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made these zucchini patties recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini about 1 lb
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup chives fresh, chopped
- ¼ cup parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano fresh, chopped
- 2 tablespoons basil fresh, chopped
- ¼ cup Romano cheese grated
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese grated
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup flour all-purpose or whole wheat
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4-6 tablespoons olive oil separated for stir-frying
Instructions
- Grate zucchini using the large holes of a box grater; place in a colander over a medium bowl.
- Toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for approximately 30 minutes (in the meanwhile, chop up the herbs).
- Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. See Recipe Notes.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Add the grated zucchini, chives, parsley, garlic, oregano, basil, and cheeses. Mix properly.
- Stir in baking powder and flour.
- Heat about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.
- Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of batter per fritter. Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate or cooling rack and repeat until all batter is done.
- Serve immediately, plain or with a dollop of yogurt.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on August 9, 2015, and republished on July 27, 2018, with updated content and photos. Thanks for sharing!
Nella
I have 5 huge freshly-picked from our garden zucchinis waiting for me in the fridge.
This will be a perfect recipe for me to do tomorrow night with some pizza.
Have you ever tried to bake them? I’m tempted to try but not sure it will give the same results.
Maria
Yes, they can be baked however, they will not have the same texture. If you use a non-stick pan, there is no need to use more than a few tablespoons of olive oil-at most. They really are light and tasty. Thanks for stopping by Nella ♥
Marcellina
Zucchinis are so plentiful even here in North Queensland! A perfect dish! I’ll be making these this week! Thanks for sharing!
Maria
So glad to hear Marcellina! Hope you enjoy them. Thanks so much for stopping by ♥
Ann Chiacchiaro
Maria
I made these without flour (doing low carb). Just the egg, cheeses, onion, garlic and herbs. They came out great and are delicious. They are a perfect side, even just some bone broth and fritters.
Thank you for all your recipes. My Mother fried the flowers and they were delicious also.
Maria
My pleasure Ann 🙂 What a great variation! Appreciate you taking the time to comment, thanks so much!
Diane Galambos
Maria, can always count on you for great recipes. This will be great now – and especially once our gardens begin to produce a bountiful harvest. Thx to you and your mom!
Maria
Thanks Diane! I can’t wait for our backyard gardens to come to life. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Diane
Quelle délicieuse recette! J’ai cuisiné ces zucchinis ce soir, avec une petite salade et un peu de yogourt. Un plat santé et léger. Toute ma famille a apprécié. Merci Maria 🙂
Maria
Merci Diane pour le commentaire et merci de me suivre 🙂
Maria
Hi Mary!
Love how you updated this traditional recipe by making it into a healthier version for our generation!
: )
Maria
Hi Maria! Sometimes, less is more…Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂
Enrico
Looks delicious!
Maria
Thanks Enrico! Appreciate the comment…enjoy. 🙂
Sonia and mom
Mary very yummy, Sonia loves them. I made cutlets and added the fritters on top then added sauce and stuck them in the oven. So good,yummmmmmy! Thanks
Maria
I think you guys might be on to something!!! Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂
Nanette
great zucchini recipe.
Maria
Thank-you Nanette! Appreciate your comment. 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche
I have a lot of zucchini in the fridge at the moment and these fritters look like the perfect recipe for me to use it up on. Looks divine.
Maria
Hi Thalia, sounds like a plan. Enjoy!!! Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂