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.
By Yankee Magazine|Jun 26 2024|
Herbed Zucchini Fritters with Salted Yogurt
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 zucchini fritters, 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 fritters
For 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.
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.
