Valentina's Corner
If you’ve ever had zucchini fritters, you know how packed with flavor they are! These breakfast fritters have a light crisp that pairs incredibly with the soft center. Take your zucchini fritters up a notch with the addition of shredded cheese, making for an irresistible bite when topped with the refreshing sour cream dip!
Zucchini fritters are similar to breakfast zucchini pancakes, yet fritters have a crispier crust. The crunch alone makes them a must-try!
Like a standard fritter, these zucchini fritters are freshly grated zucchini beaten with eggs. However, this recipe elevates the simple fritter by adding cheese and sliced ham. The texture is out of this world, and the flavor profile is incredible!
Looking for another healthy zucchini snack? Baked zucchini fries are the perfect treat, and the homemade avocado dip makes it even better!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy breakfast. These delights come together in less than twenty minutes, making for a quick and easy breakfast!
- Tasty and nutritious. Getting vegetables in where you can is a great way to get your nutrients in, whether you’re getting them in through fritters or chocolate zucchini bread.
- Meal prep. These fritters can be made ahead of time for an easy breakfast for the week.
- Pantry staples. This recipe uses pantry staples, making it easy to whip up.
Ingredients for Zucchini Fritters
The ingredients for these fritters are so simple anyone can try this recipe!
- Zucchini – grated zucchini with as much liquid strained out as possible.
- Eggs – large eggs beaten.
- Ham – finely chopped ham, can also be used in baked hot sandwiches!
- Shredded cheese – a blend of cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese.
- Hot sauce – your favorite hot sauce or sriracha.
- Dip – a sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and seasoning mix.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Prep Zucchini Like a Pro:
>Grate and strain liquid through a sieve or squeeze through a cheesecloth. This will significantly reduce the volume of zucchini.
How to Make Zucchini Fritters:
1 – Add grated zucchini, eggs, garlic, ham, cheese, hot sauce, and salt in a large bowl.
2 – Mix well before adding in flour and combining.
3 – Heat a large pan with olive oil. Use a ¼ measuring cup to get even scoops of the mixture and fry them in the pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients.
4 – Wait until the bottom of the patties gets golden brown and crispy before flipping. This should take approximately 2-3 minutes. Let the bottom cook thoroughly before removing the fritters from the pan. Top with a dollop of the sour cream dip!
Expert Tip for the Perfect Fritter:
Use a measuring cup for even-sized fritters to allow them to cook evenly.
Substitutions and Variations:
All add-ins, substitutions, and variations to the recipe you want to make.
- Protein: Swap out sliced ham for sliced turkey, rotisserie chicken, or even bacon!
- Cheese: Use a blend of your favorite cheese. We recommend colby jack, sharp cheddar, or monterey jack.
Toppings for Fritters:
- fresh dill
- chopped green onion
- hot sauce
- shredded cheese
Serving Suggestions
- Savory breakfast: Serve these fritters with air-fried bacon for a perfect savory breakfast.
- Sweet and savory breakfast: Pair these fritters with a sweet treat like our lemon ricotta pancakes.
- Appetizer: These fritters will make an incredible appetizer or even a side dish for a delicious dinner.
Recipe FAQs
Grate the zucchini using a cheese grater or a box grater.
Use a very thin, clean kitchen towel to get the liquid out.
This could result in your batter being too runny from excess moisture from the zucchini not being strained out. Check out our expert tip on how to get the most water out of the zucchini!
Add sauteed mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, and even shredded carrots to the fritter batter to elevate them.
Put leftover fritter batter in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm up leftover fritters on the skillet over low heat or in the air fryer for a few minutes.
- Freeze. Lay cooked fritters out on a baking. Separate them using parchment paper so they don’t stick, and freeze. Once fully frozen, store fritters in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat: Thaw fritters in the fridge overnight, then warm on the stovetop for a few minutes.
More Breakfast Recipes
If you enjoyed this zucchini fritter recipe, be sure to try our other popular savory breakfast recipes, here are some of our favorites:
If you tried this zucchini fritters Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
fritters-
- 3 cups grated zucchini, liquid removed
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped ham
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese**
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp Sriracha or hot sauce
- 2 Tbsp oil, frying
dipping-
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp whole milk
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- dash salt and pepper
Instructions
- Strain liquid out of grated zucchini using a sieve or a cheesecloth.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in zucchini, eggs, garlic, ham, cheese, hot sauce, and salt. Mix together before adding in flour and stirring together.
- Heat oil on a large skillet. Pour the batter into the pan to create small fritters.
- Wait until the bottom of the fritters get golden brown and crispy before flipping. Wait a couple of minutes for the other side to get golden and crispy.
- Once done, remove fritters from the pan and finish cooking the batter.
- In a small bowl, combine sour cream, milk, garlic, lemon juice, and seasoning.
- Top fritters with sour cream dipping sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a ¼ measuring cup to portion out even fritters.
- Store leftover fritters in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftover fritters on a skillet or in the air fryer.