Easy zucchini fritters is an easy breakfast recipe. You can easily make this for lunch boxes and it is full of flavor. It is a savory fritter or pancake which is quite easy to make. Traditional zucchini fritters are made with eggs. However, you can easily make zucchini fritters without eggs. Just use a flour of your choice. I personally prefer red lentil flour when making it as it is great for protein. I love eating gluten-free whenever possible but it has to be egg free. Chickpea zucchini fritter closely resembles one of the most popular Indian breakfast recipes, besan chilla. Chilla , childa, ghara or puda as we call it, which is slighter thinner and can be as big as a crepe. Probably I will call it ghara, which went abroad.
Zucchini is quite versatile. Apart from vegan zucchini patties, you can also use it in a different zucchini recipes. Use a spiralizer to make a raw noodle salad or air fried breaded zucchini. You can also make a muthiya dumpling. Make an easy zucchini curry , make air fried zucchini or add it to your veggie loaf. Make a zucchini boats with taco or pizza toppings or wrap it around asparagus and air fry them.
Zucchinis or courgette is a cool veggie too. You do not need to peel them so it's easy to use. You need to peel all other gourds so it takes bit longer. The taste is slightly sweet so you must always wash and taste them before you use it. It can stay outside for a day if you do not want to use it immediately. Hence, saves space in your refrigerator too. It is easily available abroad unlike turai / gilki/ ridge gourd and lauki/ bottle gourd which may not be locally available. Nowadays, you get it in India too.
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Equipment
- Sieve
- Cast iron pan / large skillet / air fryer / frying pan
- Food processor / grater
- Ice cream scooper (optional)
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- Zucchinis
- Red lentil flour/ besan/ chickpea flour
- Green chillies
- Olive oil
- Ginger
- Salt
refer to recipe card for details.
Instructions (for pan fried)
- In a large bowl, add shredded zucchini and salt. Keep it aside for 10 mins.
- Water will get separated and it is reduced to 2 cups. Remove the water from the bowl by straining it with a sieve. (You can use this water to make any curry or kneading dough , if cooking immediately.)
- Mix the remaining ingredients to this grated vegetable bowl so that you form a thick batter.
- Once the batter is ready, take a big scoop of batter and form a patty. You may optionally use a cookie or ice cream scooper to make even sized patties. Scooping from ice cream scoop helps me involve my son in cooking too. You can scoop and freeze them on a tray lined with baking sheet for later too. Cover it with cling film once all scoops are on the tray and freeze them. Fritter shape can be round of flat as per your choice.
- Heat a frying pan, place the fritters on the pan, add little oil, cook on medium flame
- Cook evenly on both sides with little oil, until golden brown.
- Serve hot with mint chutney and tomato ketchup. It also tastes great with a dollop of vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt for vegetarians.
Instructions (for air fried fritters)
Follow the above instructions to make a patty. Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer at 200 C| 390 F for 10 mins. Place the fritters without overlap in the air fryer basket, over a parchment paper and spray oil on it.
Air fry them at 200C| 390 F for 9-10 mins.
Later, air fry them for 4-5 mins at 170C| 330 F after removing the parchment paper.
Serve hot.
Related recipes
Substitution
The above recipe is a vegan gluten-free version. However, you can always add an egg if you love them. If you do not get it near you, replace it with lauki/bottle gourd or turai/ ridge gourd. You can also make this recipe with some whole wheat flour if not vegan. Adjust accordingly. This recipe can also be made in an air fryer but we will update that one soon so that you get a perfect low oil fritter.
Variations
You can add chopped bell peppers and red onion to this. You can also add grated carrots or chopped spring onions as a variation to this zucchini fritter recipe. Another variation is vegan zucchini and corn fritters. If you are not gluten free, you may make the recipe with whole-wheat flour or oats flour instead of chickpea flour. You can also add flax eggs to this recipe instead of traditional eggs. Flax egg gives help to bind as well as improves nutrition as a variation.
Top tips
Always cook this fritter on medium heat. It is best made on cast iron.
easy vegan zucchini fritters | Gluten free Vegan zucchini fritters recipe
Equipment
- cast iron pan or air fryer
- whisk
- spatula
- Mixing bowl
- Food processor / grater
- ice cream scooper optional
- parchment paper / baking paper with holes in it for air fryer version only
Ingredients
- 3 cups zucchinis grated thick
- 1.5 teaspoon salt or as per taste
- ½ cup red lentil flour / chickpea flour or besan
- 1 tablespoon green chillies or chilly powder / or as per taste
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated, or any spice (like oregano, parsley)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add grated zucchinis and salt. Keep it aside for 30 mins. Water will get separated and zucchini is later reduced to 2 cups. Remove the water from the bowl.
- Mix the remaining ingredients to this bowl so that you form a thick batter.
- Once the batter is ready, take a big scoop of batter and form a patty. You may optionally use a cookie or ice cream scooper to make even sized patties.
For pan fried zucchini fritters :
- Heat an iron skillet pan, place the fritters on the pan, add little oil, cook on medium flame
- Cook evenly on both sides with little oil.
For air fryer zucchini fritters :
- Preheat the air fryer at 200 C| 390 F for 5 mins. Place the fritters without overlap in the basket after placing parchment paper. Spray oil on them.
- Air fry them at 200C| 390 F for 9-10 mins.
- Later remove the parchment paper, air fry them for 4-5 mins at 170C| 330 F.
Serving suggestion:
- Serve hot with mint chutney and tomato ketchup.
Notes
FAQs
You can serve it with a loaf or bread and some sauce or mint chutney. Pair it with some easy corn soup for a complete meal.
If you have not squeezed out the excess liquid from grated zucchinis completely the batter will be loose and it will turn out soggy. Add some more chickpea flour to the batter in order to fix it.
You can add a spoonful of rice flour for nice crispy ones.
Yellow squash is same as pattypan squash it is short and round. It is also called as crookneck squash.Zucchini on the other hand is long and green. However, both are interchangeable in both cooking and baking recipe
Conclusion: Easy recipes like cooked fritters helps your family eat healthy. It is great when there are allergies to cater too. You can have vegan zucchini pancakes for breakfast or send your vegan zucchini fritter in bento box.
Please share your inputs..