Herbed Zucchini Fritters with Salted Yogurt
When you have a surplus of summer veggies, these zucchini fritters are a crunchy, herby treat. Especially served with lemony yogurt sauce.
Herbed Zucchini Fritters with Salted Yogurt
Photo Credit : Christine Han“There is only so much zucchini you can roast, shave, and bake with before you start to tire of it,” Kat Ashmore writes in Big Bites. Enter the zucchini fritter, a crunchy, herby treat, simple as pancakes, but dinner-worthy when served with a simple lemony yogurt sauce. “Don’t skip the flaky salt at the end,” she warns. “Fried foods need a dash of salt to make them sing.”
This recipe from Kat Ashmore first appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Yankee Magazine. Kat’s first cookbook, Big Bites: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes That Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun, is a New York Times bestseller.
Yield:
18 frittersFor the fritters
Ingredients
3–4 medium zucchini, grated (about 1 pound, or 6 cups)
½ small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup gluten-free or regular all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon
Neutral oil, for frying
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Instructions
Place the grated zucchini and onion in a colander over a bowl or sink and sprinkle with the salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes to drain before transferring it to a thin kitchen towel and squeezing over a bowl or sink to remove as much liquid as possible. You will have about 4 cups of vegetables now.
Now, make the yogurt sauce (below).
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the grated zucchini and onion, garlic, dill, basil, pepper to taste, flour, baking powder, and lemon zest. Mix with a rubber spatula to combine well. If the mixture seems too loose, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Line a plate with a paper towel and set aside. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. It should sizzle when a drop of water hits it.
Working in batches, drop 2-tablespoon portions of batter into the pan. Flatten each slightly with the back end of the spatula into a little pancake. The fritters should be nice and thin so they cook evenly. Cook, flipping once, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Transfer to the plate and sprinkle with flaky salt. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding 2 tablespoons of oil before each batch. Serve immediately with the yogurt sauce on the side for dipping. Fritters can be reheated under a broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.
For the yogurt sauce
Ingredients
1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
Kosher salt
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of kosher salt and refrigerate until ready to serve.
