Crispy Cheesy Zucchini Fritters

Crispy Cheesy Zucchini Fritters, Pancakes, Patties or Bites are so tasty, baked or fried, with parmesan or feta, this appetizer or side recipe is amazing!

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Cheesy Zucchini Fritters

Although zucchini is considered a vegetable, it’s really a fruit! It’s origins came from Central and South America, then the infamous Christopher Columbus introduced it to Europe and Africa. 

The types of zucchini we see today came from Italy and finally made its way to North America by Italian immigrants in the 1920s.

Low in calories and vitamin packed, zucchini can be enjoyed in countless ways and these cheesy zucchini fritters are one tasty example!

If zucchini is plentiful and you’re a lover of it, these cheesy zucchini fritters are such a delight, they’re almost too good to be true.

I make these cheesy zucchini fritters all year long and any old excuse will do.

My supply of zucchini seems endless and that’s not a complaint!

In addition to these cheesy zucchini fritters, I have listed a number of my incredible zucchini recipes that I’m hoping will give you nothing but pleasure.

I can’t decide which recipe I enjoy most and for the record, my husband can’t make up his mind either! 

Although my son doesn’t live with us anymore, I’m pretty sure he’d say the same thing.  

Let me know what your favorites are. I’d be really interested in hearing them.

Even though I have a lot of zucchini recipes, I’m always on the hunt for more and my door is wide open to the possibilities!  So, stay tuned. 

Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Making sure you get as much water out of your zucchini as possible is the most important issue.

This easy technique works really well, as long as you don’t rush it. Cutting corners will hurt the end result and you don’t want that.

Salt the zucchini and sit it in a strainer for as close to 30 minutes as you possibly can.

Toss the zucchini two or three times throughout that time period. 

The less moisture, the greater the chances your cheesy zucchini fritters will hold together well.

Knead or press grated zucchini (repeatedly) against the bottom and sides of the strainer to push the water through.

Use paper towel to squeeze the zucchini until there is almost no more water left.

When making crispy zucchini fritters for the the first time, grate the zucchini instead of shredding it. Makes it so much easier to work with and your zucchini pancakes will turn out amazing!

Depending on the moisture level in the zucchini, more bread crumbs or almond flour (if keto) might be needed to help bind these crispy zucchini fritters.  

Bottom line is: the less moisture, the better formed your zucchini fritters will be. 

Then making them will be nothing but smooth sailing!

 

Zucchini Pancakes 

When making zucchini pancakes, first decide whether you want to grate or shred your zucchini in a food processor or with a good old fashioned box grater..

Many assume grating and shredding are the same thing but they’re not as the look and texture is entirely different.

The only common denominator between grating and shredding is that the infamous box grater can easily do both! 

Shredding is generally achieved by using the side of the box grater that has the bigger sized holes. This results in long, smoothly cut strips that cook quicker than diced.

Grating creates short, very tiny pieces that is accomplished with the side of the grater that has tiny holes.

My love and desire to share this recipe was so great, it was one of the first ones I published. The world needed to hear about it!

The photo below shows these zucchini pancakes were made with grated zucchini (not shredded).

Grated zucchini gives these zucchini cakes a much smoother texture. If you prefer a coarser look and feel, shredding is the way to go.

Whether you decide to shred or grate zucchini, the flavor is never lost as both ways taste absolutely fabulous! 

Each picture in this post shows these cheesy zucchini fritters were shredded, except the one above this sentence.

The zucchini is featured more prominently here. Can you see the difference? I bet you can now!

Zucchini Pancake Recipe

Again, grating the zucchini the first time you make this zucchini pancake recipe is highly recommended as it so much easier to get water out of smaller pieces. 

That being said, both methods will work well and taste is what really matters most.

Once more, grating or shredding can be achieved by using the food processor or with the good old reliable box grater. 

My box grater is so old, I’m ashamed to mention its age. Still works like a charm though each and every time!

My husband and son never cared whether I shredded or grated the zucchini. Eaten both ways, they still disappear with lightning speed!

Wonderfully crispy on the outside, these tasty treats will become part of your regular rotation!

Zucchini Fritter Recipe

Patience is definite requirement when making this super simple and delicious zucchini fritter recipe.

When my son first made zucchini fritters for himself, patience wasn’t at the top of the list and he made the mistake of not allowing the zucchini to dry out enough. 

He may have gotten his impatience from me as I’m not good at waiting either. But in this case, I had to make an exception.

Remember to knead and press your grated zucchini firmly against the bottom and sides of the strainer to push the water through the holes.

Squeeze the remaining water out of the zucchini by using napkins or paper towel.

Again, if  there’s too much water left in your zucchini, add more bread crumbs (or almond flour if keto) so the zucchini fritters will maintain their shape during the cooking process.

Patrick helped me countless times over the years with other zucchini recipes, like this Meaty Zucchini Casserole. 

If you enjoy casseroles, the zucchini crust or base is DEFINITELY WORTH A LOOK .

I was shocked when my son told me how much trouble he had making the zucchini crust. He’s been my trusted assistant making this recipe so many times, I figured he could have done it in his sleep! 

Boy oh boy was I wrong. Then again, it came down to patience or the lack there of.

But I digress. Back to zucchini fritters. 

 

Baked Zucchini Fritters

Why I always fried rather than baked zucchini fritters is not clear. When I posed this question to my husband, he said, “aren’t they supposed to be fried?”.

It’s so true as I often fry these Butternut Squash Potato Cakes and Cheesy Zucchini Potato Pancakes.

Although rare, I have baked zucchini fritters before and I remember we thoroughly enjoyed them! 

Baking saves on calories and you’re not sacrificing on taste. So, there’s no good excuse.

Keep an eye when baking these zucchini fritters as the timing will depend on the size.

Everyone has their own interpretation of what a medium zucchini looks like and for that reason, they will be slightly different. 

Brown the zucchini fritters to your liking.

Remove baked zucchini fritters from the oven and serve hot, warm or cool; with or without cheese or a dip!

The fritters in the photo look at little dark for some, but that’s how we like them. After shooting this video, they disappeared with warp speed!

They always do.

Ingredients in Cheesy Zucchini Fritters

• zucchini
• salt
• onion (regular or green)
• Parmesan or feta cheese
• egg
• crumbs (panko or bread) or almond flour if keto
• parsley
• pepper
• oil for frying

How to make Cheesy Zucchini Cakes

Grate zucchini, place into a strainer and sprinkle with salt.

Let sit for at least 15 minutes (30 minutes is ideal), to get the moisture out. Toss zucchini a couple of times.

Knead or press zucchini against the bottom and sides of the strainer pushing the water through.

Use paper towel to squeeze the zucchini until there is almost no more water coming out.

In a large bowl combine zucchini, feta or Parmesan, garlic, onion (regular or green), parsley, crumbs and egg.

Season with salt and pepper.

Depending on the amount of water left in your zucchini, you might need to add more crumbs to form the mixture into “cakes” or “burgers”.

Fry

Place a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, over medium to medium high heat.

Wait until the oil shimmers or when a drop of water flicks and dances.

Gently place “burgers” or “cakes” in oil until golden brown; about to 6 minutes.

Remove from skillet and place on paper towels.

Bake

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spray with cooking spray.

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, flip and bake for another 10 – 12 minutes. 

Make these cheesy zucchini cakes as big or as small as you like. I usually end up with between 12 and 14 of them, unless I make them small, like our Broccoli Tots.

Timing is everything, so watch them closely. 

Remove from the oven.

To Serve

Add Parmesan or feta to top of “cakes” while hot (if desired).

Serve hot, warm or cool with Greek yogurt, sour cream or a sour cream based dip.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Parmesan Bites

Zucchini and Parmesan cheese are beyond best friends as the evidence shows in these Zucchini Parmesan Bites. If you need a reason to use Parmesan cheese (more specifically, Parmigiano Reggiano) it has numerous advantages.

Parmesan cheese is much higher in protein compared to other cheeses and contains minerals, Omega 3 and Vitamin K. The latter is known for bone health and the reduction of osteoarthritis. Parmesan cheese has little lactose and digests better than other cheeses.

Learning what Parmesan cheese can do for you is one thing. Trying these zucchini Parmesan bites is quite another! Although other cheeses will work well in this recipe, the creaminess and nuttiness of the Parmesan cheese will bring quality to these bites like no other!

 

Zucchini and Vegetable Appetizers 

Zucchini and Vegetable Appetizers can be such a party hit, snack or side dish and you get to choose the shape or size you want them to be.

Speaking of vegetables, if you’re a broccoli fan, don’t miss out on these Easy Cheesy Broccoli Tots.

If you let these Cheesy Zucchini Potato Pancakes pass you by, you don’t know what you’re missing! It’s just one of the fantastic zucchini recipes listed below.

Another excellent vegetable fritter option are Butternut Squash Potato Cakes that are out of this world delicious! 

Each recipe is delicious, healthy and unique in its own way. Although they take a little time to prepare, they’re definitely worth the effort!

Finish them off with a dip of ketchup, Greek yogurt, sour cream or your favorite sour cream based dip. 

The Best Zucchini Recipes

Granny’s Easy Zucchini Casserole

Our Favorite Zucchini Casserole

Easy Zucchini Pizza Bites

Mom’s Zucchini Casserole

Baked Italian Zucchini Casserole

Cheesy Zucchini Potato Cakes

Pork Chop Zucchini Casserole

Meaty Zucchini Casserole

Fabulous Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Crispy Parmesan Zucchini

 Easy Zucchini Pizza Boats

Crispy Cheesy Zucchini Fritters Video