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Home » Italian Zucchini Fritters

Italian Zucchini Fritters

Written on July 28, 2015

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italian zucchini fritters recipe parmesan herbs

This is just one of several ways I’ve been trying to use up our plentiful harvest of zucchini.  And by plentiful I mean the first crop was 20 pounds!! Second crop was 14 pounds and I haven’t even picked the third round yet!

We had a little extra room left in our garden and I thought to myself, “why not?”, and so I planted a few extra zucchini plants.  So here’s the thing, “why not” is perfectly fine as long as you’re prepared to deal with the consequences of enough zucchini to feed your village.  Was I prepared?  Well, let’s just say I’ve been hard at work finding clever ways to use the stuff!

And so I’ve been putting it to use making various kinds of zucchini bread, soups, fritters, AND I even prided myself on the creation of a grand deception:  I peeled the skin off so there’d be no flecks of green and pureed the zucchini to make an “Alfredo sauce” for my kids’ pasta.  There they were, my 3 and 5 year olds scooping up and devouring this zucchini sauce…and they had no clue!  It was brilliant!

For those of you who grow zucchini or just like to cook with it, what do you do with all of it?  I still have more coming and am looking for ideas!

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-1

The key to getting these Italian Zucchini Fritters good and crispy is to get as much of the moisture out as possible.  Otherwise they’ll be mushy.  And I don’t know about you, but mushy zucchini is about the last thing I’m in the mood for.

But if they’re nice and crispy, I’ll gladly take several!

italian zucchini fritters recipe parmesan herbs

To do that you put the shredded zucchini in a bowl and toss it with salt.  That will draw the liquid out of the zucchini.

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-2

After about 30 minutes you’ll see just how much water those zukes pack in ’em!  You now want to thoroughly rinse and drain the shredded zucchini in a colander.

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-3

Next wring it out as best as you can.  Probably the most effective way is to put it in a clean dish towel and squeeze the bejeezers out of it.  Just keep squeezing and wringing, wringing and squeezing until it’s as dry as you can get it.

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-4

I call these “Italian” zucchini fritters because they not only use Parmesan cheese but also a variety of fresh Italian herbs.  Nothing beats fresh herbs.  Nothing.  You can use whatever you have on hand.  I grabbed some parsley, rosemary, oregano and basil from my garden.

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-5

Add the chopped herbs to the mixture along with the garlic, onion and eggs.  Stir it to combine.

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Next stir in the flour, Parmesan and spices.

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-7

You’ll end up with a very moist – but not sopping wet – mixture.

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-8

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.  Once hot drop about 3 heaping tablespoons’ worth of batter per fritter into the skillet and fry on both sides until nicely browned.  Place the fried fritters on a paper towels to drain.

Zucchini-Fritters-prep-9

Serve immediately while the fritters are still crisp.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a little sprig of fresh parsley or other herb for garnish.

Enjoy!

italian zucchini fritters recipe parmesan herbs

italian zucchini fritters recipe parmesan herbs

Italian Zucchini Fritters

Kimberly Killebrew
These easy-to-make fritters are an absolutely delicious way to enjoy zucchini!
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Appetizer, Entree
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 12 fritters
Calories 51 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 pounds zucchini washed and grated and tossed in a bowl with 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian herbs basil, rosemary, oregano, etc
  • 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour GF: use gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Oil for frying

Instructions
 

  • Let the grated zucchini tossed with the salt sit for about 30 minutes, then thoroughly wring out as much liquid as you possibly can (key for achieving crispy fritters). One method is to place the grated zucchini in a clean dish towel and wring out the liquid that way.
  • Stir in the eggs, onions, garlic and herbs. Then stir in the flour, Parmesan and spices.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot drop about 3 heaping tablespoons of batter per fritter in the skillet and fry on both sides until nicely browned. Place the fried fritters on paper towels to drain. Serve immediately while crispy. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of fresh herb for garnish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1fritter | Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword zucchini fritters
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

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italian zucchini fritters recipe parmesan herbs

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Topics include: Affiliate, All Recipes, Disclosure, Food, Gluten Free, Italy, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Western Europe as well as: fritters, gluten free, Italian, Italy, vegetarian, zucchini, zucchini fritters39 Comments →

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39 Responses

  1. michael bullers says

    October 9, 2019 at 11:54 pm

    Thanks for your response
    Didn’t see the recipe rating Before hence this email
    Michael

    Reply
  2. michael bullers says

    October 8, 2019 at 2:31 am

    Loved the courgette (zucchini) pancakes. Is there a reason I can’t get the ingredients in metric?
    Michael

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      October 9, 2019 at 3:23 pm

      Hi Michael, I just updated this – under the list of ingredients you can now click on the blue “metric” to automatically convert the ingredients. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  3. Susan says

    July 29, 2019 at 2:30 pm

    I’m getting 2 pounds of zucchini with my imperfect produce order tomorrow. I’m going to fry half the batch and roast the other half, just to see what happens. I’ll let you know. Thanks for your quick response. Signed up for your newsletter.

    Reply
  4. Susan says

    July 28, 2019 at 1:42 pm

    These taste great! I’m wondering if you’ve ever roasted them in the over vs. frying. If so, how did they turn out?
    thanks.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 29, 2019 at 9:25 am

      Thank you, Susan, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I haven’t tried oven roasting and am not sure how well they’d hold together. If you give it a try please let us know how it goes!

      Reply
      • Susan says

        August 18, 2019 at 1:57 pm

        Well, I roasted them. They still tasted wonderful. However, they weren’t crispy on the outside and lacked a certain fritter-ness. I’m going back to frying them.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          August 18, 2019 at 9:57 pm

          Thanks for the feedback about roasting them, Susan. Agreed, you can’t beat the texture of fried fritters.

          Reply
  5. Oliver says

    March 29, 2018 at 9:09 am

    Just finished eating these for supper. Really yummy. Adding these to my recipe book fo sure.
    Next time I’ll spice them up with some curry powder/garam masala and pre-sweat the onions.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 29, 2018 at 9:51 am

      That sounds great, Oliver, and I’m so glad you enjoyed them, thank you!

      Reply
  6. Kerry says

    August 15, 2017 at 5:18 am

    Can you share the recipe for the zucchini Alfredo sauce you made for your kids? I have a 3 year old and twin 20 month olds who would rather die than eat something green.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 15, 2017 at 8:46 am

      Hi Kerry! You can either add a bunch of pureed zucchini to this Alfredo Sauce recipe or make an even simpler version just by pureeing a large zucchini (you can remove the peel if you don’t want the sauce to be green) along with a little cream (milk curdles when heated) and then simmering it in saucepan, adding a dollop of butter and melting in the Parmesan and some salt and pepper as needed, then thickening it with a bit of cornstarch dissolved in water. I make the same kind of veggie sauce using sweet potatoes as well, which my kids also like.

      Reply
      • Kerry says

        August 17, 2017 at 3:43 pm

        Fantastic, I will definitely try it. Thanks so much!

        Reply
  7. Paula - bell'alimento says

    August 12, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    I love make fritters out of my garden zucchini!

    Reply
  8. Krista says

    August 6, 2016 at 8:13 pm

    What a great way to use up zucchini!

    Reply
  9. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says

    August 3, 2016 at 8:19 pm

    I have a ton of zucchini, definitely will be making this soon!

    Reply
  10. Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says

    August 3, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    These fritters will disappear really quickly in our house! I can’t wait to make them!

    Reply
  11. Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says

    August 3, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    I have a ton of zucchini from my garden this year and more keeps popping up! I like the idea of fritters because everyone seems to go straight for zucchini bread ;P

    Reply
  12. Jessica - The Novice Chef says

    August 3, 2016 at 2:18 pm

    I love fritters! These look amazing!

    Reply
  13. Loretta says

    August 1, 2016 at 11:57 am

    An update…I made these and they were fantastic! We had them with a slice of tomato from the garden, topped wth fresh ricotta cheese and garnished with fresh basil…delicious.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 2, 2016 at 10:57 pm

      That sounds heavenly, Loretta, thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
  14. Joy DeNicola says

    July 26, 2016 at 3:58 pm

    I made these yesterday and they were FANTASTIC! Everyone loved them. I made them with fresh organic zucchini from my garden.

    My husband placed my cast iron frying pan on our preheated outdoor grill because I didn’t want to fry them indoors. I didn’t want to have to clean the stovetop afterwards and it was also a hot day. Cooking outside was the better option. When the oil was very hot we added the fritters and closed the lid on the grill. When they were deep golden brown and very crispy we served them immediately!

    There was one fritter left over so the next day it was made into a sandwich. Served cold with a slice of red onion, and crisp romaine lettuce and mayo! Unbelievably delicious sandwich.

    I am going to make as many of these as possible once I have a more zucchini from my garden later in the summer! I plan to freeze them and have them throughout the winter! ❤️❤️❤️

    ThNk you for this amazing recipie

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 26, 2016 at 4:08 pm

      That’s so awesome, Joy, I’m thrilled to hear it, thank you! We have zucchini growing in our garden, too, and I’m going to make them on the grill next time – it sounds fantastic! And I love the idea of eating them on a sandwich. I’ve always loved grilled veggie sandwiches so these sound like a great option. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!

      Reply
  15. Loretta says

    July 24, 2016 at 7:17 am

    Can these be frozen?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 24, 2016 at 2:34 pm

      Hi Loretta, yes they can but let them thaw and drain completely and pat them dry before frying.

      Reply
      • Loretta says

        July 24, 2016 at 5:14 pm

        Can they be cooked and frozen, or should I freeze them uncooked? Your answer seems to indicate they are uncooked.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          July 24, 2016 at 11:03 pm

          Absolutely, they can be cooked and frozen. Keep in mind that when you thaw them they’ll no longer be crispy so I’d either pop them in the oven for a quick broil and maybe even pop them in the toaster.

          Reply
  16. Cori Landon says

    August 5, 2015 at 1:41 pm

    I made these last night and they were wonderful! I practically strangled the shredded zucchini to get as much water out as I could and the fritters were nice and crispy at the edges. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 5, 2015 at 2:02 pm

      Fantastic, Cori, thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  17. Des @ Life's Ambrosia says

    August 3, 2015 at 9:25 pm

    I adore zucchini fritters and these look wonderful! I am SO intrigued by the alfredo sauce though. That sounds all kinds of amazing!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 3, 2015 at 10:19 pm

      It was such a deliciously deceptive way to get my kids to eat zucchini, Des!

      Reply
  18. Ashlyn @ Belle of the Kitchen says

    August 3, 2015 at 6:42 pm

    These look so good! I am obsessed with zucchini right now and am trying to make it all kinds of ways. I need to make these soon for sure!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 3, 2015 at 8:57 pm

      Thanks, Ashlyn! My obsession is kind of forced right now with a gazillion pounds of zucchini growing out of our ears! :) But these are super yummy and I’ll be whipping up several more batches before the season is over.

      Reply
  19. Valerie says

    August 2, 2015 at 12:38 pm

    Could you dry the zucchini in a salad spinner effectively? I just got one and wondering about how to use it outside of lettuce.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 2, 2015 at 3:07 pm

      Hi Valerie! I haven’t tried it with a spinner so I honestly can’t say. Give it a try and then once you’re done squeeze it with your hands and see if there’s still more liquid that needs to come out.

      Reply
      • Valerie Bryan says

        August 14, 2015 at 7:00 pm

        Ahh, it was too dense for the spinner, it didn’t do anything, just stuck to the side. I wrung out as you recommended. Oh, wow, they were tasty. I’m not a giant zucchini fan but I’m always looking for new ways to get my vegetables, and these delivered. Fresh herbs make all the difference. Thanks again for another terrific recipe, Kimberly.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          August 14, 2015 at 9:28 pm

          Awesome, I’m truly happy to hear that, Valerie! I agree, I’m generally not a huge zucchini fan either so I’m always looking for ways to to incorporate it into dishes that make it taste good. Thanks so much for the feedback as well as letting us know how your attempt went with the spinner! :)

          Reply
  20. Sam @ PancakeWarriors says

    July 29, 2015 at 11:10 am

    Yes I just love these! Anything zucchini is good in my book!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 31, 2015 at 10:47 am

      They’re definitely a great way to enjoy zucchini, Sam!

      Reply

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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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The Daring Gourmet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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