Crispy Zucchini Fritters are a tasty way to get your veggies! A healthy snack that is quick and easy to make.
Healthy Snack
Who doesn't like a tasty snack? Something is appealing about eating snacks. There is almost the implication that a snack is tastier than a meal. Children learn about snacks at an early age. Snack time delineates the day and is eagerly anticipated.
But the promise of a snack implies a delicious little tidbit of food. Something extra special to nibble on and savor. And dare I say, healthy? Healthy snacks conjure up images of carrot and celery sticks, apple wedges, or orange segments. I think we can have healthy morsels that will satisfy our hunger pangs and that are full of flavor and texture.
Fritter
I find it curious that fritter, the noun, is a tasty snack that can be made with ingredients as substantial as meat or seafood, an assortment of vegetables, or sweet fruits. However, fritter the verb, suggests the act of wasting time or energy. You are definitely not wasting your time if you are indulging in fritters.
The satisfying crunch is all the reassurance you need that you are not frittering your time, especially if you are indulging in healthy snacks.
Quick and Easy
This crispy zucchini fritters recipe delivers the flavor. Zucchini is a mild-tasting vegetable so it benefits from a pairing with some zesty ingredients such as red onion, garlic, Fresno chiles, and fresh dill.
While this recipe is quick and easy it does have one special requirement. Shred the zucchini and red onion with a box grater, using the largest holes.
After prepping the vegetables, toss them with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. This accomplishes two things - it seasons the fritters. But also, the salt helps to leach out the water from the vegetables. As a result, the fritters will be much crispier and sturdier. Don't try to rush this step. It takes a good 15 minutes for the water to drain. It helps to push against the shredded veggies in the colander to remove some of the moisture. To remove even more water from the zucchini and red onion, after 15 minutes I pour the contents of the colander out onto several layers of paper towels. I like to squeeze the water out until it looks like the majority of it is removed.
Batter
Lastly, incorporate the diced chiles, minced garlic, and fresh dill into the vegetables. To give the fritters some structure and to bind the ingredients, add the flour and thoroughly mix. I like to add ¼ cup of flour. Beat one egg lightly and add to the ingredients. Mix until the beaten egg coats everything. If the batter looks too thin, add a tablespoon of flour. This is not a loose batter, but you should be able to see the ingredients are held together by the egg and flour.
Quick Fry
Heat vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. I test the oil by putting a shred of zucchini in the pan. Once it starts to sizzle, I know the oil is hot enough for the fritters. I like to add at least ¼ cup of oil to the pan. Once ¼ cup of fritter batter is added to the hot oil, I use a spoon to spread it into a 3 - 31/2 inch circle.
The fritters are pan-fried until brown and crispy. It takes about 3 minutes per side. Most of the surface of the fritter should be very crunchy and brown.
Serve em' hot
The fritters are best when they are just out of the pan, hot and crispy. I like to serve them with a creamy roasted walnut dip. Soy sauce, ginger, and rice wine vinegar provide the creamy walnut dip with a piquant flavor.
So when you feel the need to eat your vegetables but are looking for a satisfying nosh, this Crispy Zucchini Fritters recipe delivers. Quick and easy!
Crispy Zucchini Fritters
Equipment
- nonstick skillet
- colander
- food processor
Ingredients
Zucchini Fritters
- 3 zucchini 3 cups shredded (15 ounces)
- ¼ red onion ⅓ cup (2.5 ounces)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Fresno chile small dice(1 tablespoon)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- vegetable oil
Creamy Roasted Walnut Dip
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 slices ginger root
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Zucchini Fritters
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast walnuts for 9 minutes. Let cool.
- Shred the zucchini using a box grater. Add to the colander.
- Shred the ¼ red onion and add to the zucchini in the colander.
- Toss the vegetables with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Place the colander in a bowl or the sink. The vegetables will start to weep a lot of water. Press on the vegetables with your palm to help drain the liquid. Continue to drain for about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, lay the zucchini and red onion mix on a couple of layers of paper towels. Squeeze out any remaining liquid. This is an important step to have the crispiest fritters.
- Place the zucchini/red onion mix in a bowl. Add the garlic, dill, and Fresno chile. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the flour on top of the vegetable mix. Stir until the flour is incorporated into the vegetables.
- Lightly beat the egg. Add to the vegetable mix, stirring until everything is thoroughly mixed.
- Heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Place a strand of zucchini in the oil. As soon as bubbles surround the strand, the oil is hot enough for the fritters. Add ¼ cup of the vegetable mix to the hot oil. Use a spoon to flatten the batter into a 3 - 3½ inch circle.
- Fry the fritters for 3½-4 minutes until browned and crispy. Flip and fry for another 3½-4 minutes.
- Continue until all batter is used. Drain the cooked fritters on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve with creamy roasted walnut dip.
Creamy Roasted Walnut Dip
- While the salted zucchini and the red onion are draining, prepare the walnut dip.
- Add the walnuts and slices of ginger to a food processor, and pulse until they are creamy.
- Add the olive oil, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar to the walnuts and process until the dip is completely creamy. If the dip is too thick, add hot water, one tablespoon at a time until it is the consistency you prefer.
Notes
Nutrition
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