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Crispy Zucchini Fritters

Crispy zucchini fritters with a crunchy, golden exterior and tender centers, plus a creamy dill sour cream dip. These zucchini pancakes use grated summer squash, squeezed dry, and pan-fried until deeply golden with visible green flecks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
(drawing out moisture) 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fritters
  • 3 zucchini (medium) About 3 cups grated.
  • 1 tsp salt For drawing out moisture.
  • 2 eggs (large)
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 0.33 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives or dill, chopped
  • black pepper To taste.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For frying; use 2–3 tbsp as needed.
Dill cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • salt To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep the zucchini
  1. Grate the zucchini and toss it with salt, then let it sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture.
  2. Squeeze the salted zucchini as much as possible using a clean kitchen towel until it feels noticeably drier.
Mix the fritter batter
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the drained zucchini with eggs, parmesan cheese, flour, minced garlic, chopped herbs, and black pepper until evenly combined.
Pan-fry the fritters
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Drop 1/4-cup portions of the zucchini mixture into the skillet and flatten into patties.
  3. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once, until deeply golden and crispy with visible green zucchini flecks.
  4. Work in batches, adding more olive oil as needed between batches, until all fritters are cooked.
Make the dill cream
  1. Mix sour cream, fresh dill, lemon juice, and salt to taste until smooth.
  2. Serve the hot zucchini fritters immediately with the dill cream on the side.

Notes

For crispier fritters, squeeze the zucchini very firmly—watery mixture is the main reason patties won’t crisp. Refrigerate leftover fritters in a covered container up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed and re-crisped. Freezing is not recommended because the texture softens after thawing. Dairy-swap: use a lactose-free sour cream for the dill cream if you need lactose-free.