Garden Fresh Zucchini Fritters- I suppose it's a good problem to have, but when we grow zucchini in our garden, the harvest from it is almost overwhelming! Rather than just giving tons of them away, we've put on our chefs hats and gotten creative. These garden zucchini fritters are not only delish, but also a great way to "sneak" some vegetables into picky eaters diets.
These are always a sign that the fall is here, harvesting the garden, cooler weather on the horizon...
This was inspired by the recipe from Damndelicious.com , and pairs well with our Dijon salmon, although they are great with just about anything, or even by themselves.
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Easy Creamy Cheesy Mashed Potatoes!
Nothing beats the creamy texture of this easy cheesy mashed potatoes recipe! Whether you are making Christmas dinner or pork chops during the week, this delicious side dish is the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
- zucchini*
- all purpose flour
- garlic*
- eggs
- parmesan cheese
- parsley*
* Denotes items harvested from our Garden.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Shredding the Zucchini
Setting up to shred the zucchini. You can use whatever type of shredding device you prefer or have, we do a lot at once, so we use our Kitchenaid stand mixer attachment.
Love that action shot, Chris! And the finished product.
Making the Batter
Salting and squeezing the squash to remove excess water. Sometimes we omit this step, if you decide to do the same, remember to adjust your seasoning, make the fritters a little smaller, and cook a little longer to compensate.
Just put it all together and mix it up really well, easy-peasy!!
Frying
Make sure that your oil is good and hot, and work in small enough batches so as not to cool the pan down.
As with any fried food, make sure that it has a soft and absorbent landing pad. Fried food is divine, but greasy food is gross.
Chef Tip
There is a lot of attention given to "pre-heating", (it's really just heating, but whatever), an oven, but never really any to doing the same for a pan. While you are getting the batter ready, get your skillet on the stove ready. Put it on low heat, and that way when you get ready to fry, you won't have to wait as long to get it really hot!
Variations
There are many different flavors that can be applied here to mix things up a bit! Here's a few ideas.
- Cajun/Creole - add some Blackening Spice Blend to the batter.
- Italian/Mediterranean - adding some fresh basil, oregano, and some lemon zest
Use your imagination! If you have a variation that works really well, please share it in the comments below.
Storage
The finished fritters can be stored in a sealed container under refrigeration for up to 4 days.
Chef Tip
When cooking a wet batter in hot frying oil, it's important to be patient and observant. Watch the edges of each patty, and make sure not to play with them at all until you start to see them become less opaque and more firm. If you have any experience with pancakes, the method is almost exactly the same.
More Inspiration
Garden to Table
- Cheesy Zucchini Bake
- Apple Zucchini Bread Recipe with Walnuts
- Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe
- Bacon and Kale Potato Hash
Recipe
Garden Zucchini Fritters
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef Knife
- 2 Mixing Bowl
- 1 box grater or a grating attachment for your stand mixer
- 1 cheese cloth for squeezing out excess water from the zucchini
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Large heavy skillet
- 1 plate or baking pan lined with paper towels for soaking up the excess oil
- 1 kitchen spoon
- 1 strainer
- 1 Offset spatula
- 1 Measuring Spoon Set
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. zucchini shredded, about 3½ cups
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. garlic minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup olive oil for frying ( you could use less to reduce the calories) about a ½ cup
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 each salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Shredding and Preparing the Zucchini
- Cut off the ends of the zucchini and cut in half
- Carefully use a box grater to shred the zucchini into a mixing bowl (it can get rather messy if done directly onto your cutting board)
- If you are using the grating attachment for your stand mixer, set it up with a bowl underneath to catch the zucchini
- Place a strainer in a mixing bowl and line it with cheese cloth
- Place the shredded zucchini into the cheese cloth lined strainer and squeeze out excess water
Mixing the Batter
- Place the prepared zucchini into a mixing bowl
- Mince the garlic and chop the fresh parsley
- Add the garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, flour, egg, and salt to the zucchini
- Combine the mixture with a kitchen spoon until evenly combined
- Heat the skillet with the oil until a small amount of batter sizzles when placed in the pan (make sure the oil is hot, cold oil will not work)
- Place about a kitchen spoons full of batter in the oil (about 3 spoons fit at a time)
- If your pan is small don't force 3 in at a time, if you overcrowd the pan the oil will cool down
- When the fritters brown around the edges, carefully using an offset spatula turn them over and finish cooking
- Be mindful of the oil heat. To hot will burn them, and to cool will result in an oily finished fritter
- Remove fritters from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate or pan and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Continue cooking in batches until the batter is finished and Enjoy!
Notes
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw eggs
- Wash hands after touching raw eggs
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Jason says
I look forward to these all year long!