These crispy zucchini fritters make a wonderful starter or side dish, and they’re a delicious way to use up summer zucchini, because Lord knows, you or your neighbors are likely swamped with it. Of course there is always the local farm market or grocery store…
The word fritter usually conjures up something heavy and deep-fried, but these zucchini fritters are as light as can be. Serve them as a light vegetarian meal or mezze (small plate) with tzatziki and a Greek salad, or as a side dish to any Mediterranean-style fish, chicken or lamb dish.
To eliminate all of the excess moisture in zucchini, shred on a box shredder, salt it and let it drain in a fine mesh strainer for 10 minutes. Finally you want to wrap it tightly in a clean towel and squeeze out any lingering moisture. Do not let the zucchini sit on its own for too long after it’s been squeezed dry or it will turn brown.
Bind the dried zucchini with eggs and a little flour which allows its delicate flavor to shine. In ATK’s The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook where we found this recipe, and the one I followed, it did not mention baking powder as an ingredient. However, online it shows adding 1/2 teaspoon, which makes sense so I listed it below.
Oh, and do yourself a favor and buy a good block of feta cheese, not the pre-crumbled varieties. Odyssey and Mt Vikos are two great brands that contain no preservatives, additives, or calcium chloride and are Non-GMO. Traditional feta is made authentically by small family dairies in central Greece using fresh milk from sheep and goats.
Zucchini Fritters with Feta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. zucchini (about 2 medium), trimmed
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 scallions, minced
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh dill
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or cornstarch)
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more if necessary
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
- Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk. Transfer the zucchini to a fine mesh strainer and set over a bowl. Toss the zucchini with the salt and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Put zucchini in a clean dish towel and fold and wring out real well with (you may need to repeat with another towel), then set aside.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the dried zucchini, scallions, dill, feta, garlic and black pepper. Sprinkle the flour (or corn starch) and baking powder over mixture and stir until uniformly incorporated.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Drop 2-tablespoon sized portions into the pan, then use the back of a spoon to gently press the batter into 2-inch-wide fritters. Pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat as needed.
- Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate. Add a bit more oil to the pan if necessary, then repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm or room temperature with lemon wedges.
By Jennifer Segal, adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Yogurt Cucumber Dill Sauce
Not a dill fan? Substitute cilantro, mint, parsley or tarragon instead. Sauce can be made one day ahead.
Yogurt Cucumber Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh dill
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and shredded
- Salt and Pepper
Directions
- Whisk yogurt, oil and garlic together in a medium bowl until combined.
- Stir in cucumber and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate covered. Take out and leave on counter for 30 minutes before eating.
Accounting for Taste 
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