I was a really adventurous eater as a kid. I would eat foods that many other kids would turn their noses up at – seafood and mushrooms were no problem for me. But the one food variety that I couldn’t stand was squash, and zucchini was definitely a no-go. Thankfully, my tastebuds continued to mature over the years, and zoodles became a thing just as I was starting my adult life. Sauteed zoodles became one of my favorite meals in my early twenties. Because of those developments, I can now enjoy these zucchini-Parmesan cheese fritters, which are to die for.
Anyone with a vegetable garden knows that they’ll end up with an abundance of zucchini near the end of the summer. It’s difficult to figure out what to do with all of it, but this recipe takes care of that problem. These zucchini-Parmesan cheese fritters are the perfect summer comfort food. They’re filling but not too heavy, and they make use of an in-season vegetable.
Reminiscent of the German potato pancakes you might eat at an Oktoberfest, these zucchini-Parmesan cheese fritters manage to be both comforting and fresh. Since they’re made mostly of zucchini, you don’t have to worry too much about downing a few (or a lot) of these fried treats.
Zucchini-Parmesan cheese fritters are the perfect starter for a summer dinner or even a side dish for your next backyard barbecue. All of your guests will be begging for this recipe and impressed that it’s so easy to make! Enjoy these tasty cheese fritters and try not to down them all at once!
Zucchini-Parmesan Cheese Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large zucchini
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the batter:
- 1 egg
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour (can substitute gluten-free if necessary)
- 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 quart oil, for frying
Toppings:
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
- ¼ cup sour cream
Directions
- Grate the zucchini. Combine it in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes so the salt can draw the water out of the zucchini. Pour the zucchini-salt mixture into a cheesecloth or clean dishcloth. Squeeze the cloth to drain completely. Be diligent about this step because reducing the amount of water in the zucchini will make the fritters easier to fry and prevent them from becoming soggy.
- Whisk the egg in a medium-sized bowl. Add the flour, Parmesan cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ground black pepper. Whisk the ingredients together until they are fully combined, without lumps. Stir in the drained zucchini.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the batter to the oil in heaping tablespoons, keeping the cooking fritters from touching each other. Fry the fritters until they are golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes each. Transfer the fritters to a paper-towel-lined dish and allow them to drain while you finish frying the other batches.
- Transfer the fritters to a serving dish. Sprinkle them with salt and Parmesan cheese. Serve the fritters while warm with sour cream on the side.
