It is a shame that for as long as I have been blogging I haven’t shared a baked zucchini fritter recipe. Because growing up, baked courgette fritters (as my mom called them) were one of those dishes that my mother made very often during the summer months.
After receiving requests from many people asking for her zucchini feta fritters recipe, I knew that it needed to be added to my collection of Turkish recipes. So today, this healthy zucchini appetizer recipe comes to you directly out of my mom’s handwritten cookbook.
Before I continue to explain the recipe, I want to clarify the terminology around it. Because if you do a quick search you will realize that people refer to this recipe in several different ways. Some examples are baked zucchini patties, baked zucchini latkes, baked zucchini cakes, baked zucchini puffs, zucchini bites, or baked zucchini pancakes. Essentially, they are all the same thing.
Got some extra zucchini to use? Check out our reader favorites Zucchini Noodles and Low-Calorie Zucchini Soup recipes.
Why I Love This Recipe:
Whether you refer to them as fritters, cakes, puffs, pancakes, or patties, they are good. Here are a few reasons why this recipe is better than any other:
- It is healthier compared to the classic fried zucchini fritters: If you were asking yourself, can I bake zucchini fritters? this recipe is your answer. There is no frying happening here. Instead, we mix everything in a bowl, portion them out on a sheet pan, and bake in the oven. And surprisingly, this healthy version is just as good in terms of taste.
- A great way to use leftover shredded zucchini: If you have some leftover shredded zucchini from making zucchini bread (like my Almond Flour Zucchini Bread or Vegan Zucchini Bread recipes), you can use the leftover zucchini to make these zucchini patties.
- The Perfect Side Dish: When summer rolls around and fresh zucchini is in abundance, these summery baked vegetable fritters make the best vegetable side dish to serve with breakfast eggs or chicken, meat, and vegetarian dinner recipes.
- Easy To Customize: My mom flavored her baked courgette fritters with dill and feta cheese but you can use other types of cheeses and herbs, ie. parmesan cheese and parsley.
- No Flour: This recipe uses breadcrumbs instead of flour, which gives it a nice body and texture. Also, if you are following a keto diet, you can use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs.
Ingredients:
As I mentioned earlier, this baked zucchini pancakes recipe has a lot of Turkish/Greek influences. The combination of zucchini-dill-feta is truly delicious and a very easy way to flavor what could otherwise be quite boring a baked zucchini appetizer. The rest is a bunch of simple ingredients you probably have in your fridge/pantry.
In terms of ingredients, you will need medium-size zucchini, fresh garlic, baking powder, large eggs, feta cheese, panko bread crumbs (or regular bread crumbs), scallions, and fresh dill.
Substitutions & Helpful Notes on Ingredients:
- Zucchini: You will need 2 1/2 cups (packed tightly) of shredded zucchini. I used 2 medium-sized zucchinis (about 1 1/2 lbs in total) but if yours are smaller or larger adjust the number of zucchinis you use accordingly. You do not have to peel them, especially if it is during the summer months when they are in season.
- Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs (aka Japanese breadcrumbs) that have a crunchier and lighter texture. However, you can use regular (or gluten-free) breadcrumbs as well. The texture will be a little bit heartier but still good.
- Baking Powder: I know that baking powder is an unusual ingredient here, but using a little bit of baking powder helps them keep their shape and also rise a bit.
- Feta Cheese: As it is with any recipe with feta cheese, make sure to taste the cheese before adding salt to the recipe. In this dish, I used only a ½ teaspoon of kosher salt to help extract the juices from the zucchini. My feta cheese was quite salty so I didn’t add any more salt. But if yours is less salty, adjust the amount of salt accordingly.
- Topping for Baked Fritters: I used my yogurt sauce, but you can also serve it with my easy tzatziki recipe.
How to Make Oven Baked Zucchini Fritters:
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the zucchini: Shred the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Place the shredded zucchini in the middle of a clean tea towel, collect it from the sides and squeeze as much liquid as possible. You should have about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of zucchini. Set it in a large bowl.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients: Add in garlic, olive oil, baking powder, black pepper, eggs, feta cheese, Panko bread crumbs, scallions (green onions), and fresh dill in the bowl with zucchini.
- Scoop onto a baking sheet: Using a spoon or medium-sized ice cream scoop, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the batter and drop onto the prepared baking sheet. Continue until you run out of the batter. Gently press each fritter with your fingers (or back of a spoon) to make flatten.
- Bake in the oven: Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or until they turned golden brown on the outside. Take it out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Make the yogurt sauce: If using, make the Greek yogurt sauce by mixing all ingredients in a bowl.
- Serve: Place a few of the freshly baked zucchini bites on a plate and top them off with the sauce. Serve.
Variations:
- Gluten-free: If you want to make them gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Use different kinds of cheese: You can change it up by using shredded cheddar or parmesan instead of feta cheese. I promise parmesan zucchini bites are just as good as its version with feta cheese.
- Low Carb Keto Zucchini Fritters: If you want to make this recipe low-carb/keto-friendly, use 1/2 cup almond flour or almond meal instead of 1 cup of breadcrumbs.
- Use different fresh herbs: The classic Greek zucchini fritters recipe uses dill, but you can swap dill with fresh parsley as well. And if you are not a fan or have no herbs on hand, feel free to omit using them.
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing Instructions:
- Make ahead: You can prepare all the ingredients in advance to save on time. However, I recommend mixing the batter right before baking so you won’t end up with soggy fritters.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can serve them cold or warm them up in a low-heat 280-300 degrees F oven for 5-7 minutes.
- Freezing Thawing: While I personally liked the freshly baked version the most, you can freeze these fritters. Before freezing, be sure to bring them to room temperature. Then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm up in a low heat oven until warmed thoroughly, 5-10 minutes.
Expert Tips:
- Do not skip the process of squeezing the juices out of the zucchini: I know it is extra work, but it is an important step to help fritters to hold their shape and not be soggy.
- Use an ice cream scoop for even fritters: An ice cream scoop is a really helpful tool to use here as it will help to get equal-sized zucchini balls, which in turn will help them bake at the same time and evenly. So if you have one, I would highly recommend using it.
- Use a box grater instead of a food processor: While a food processor might be easier and quicker to shred the zucchini, I find that grating it in a box grater does a better job. Mainly because the food processor makes the shredded zucchini pieces too thin.
FAQs:
Yes, you can. If you are used to eating the fried version of zucchini bites you might be surprised to hear that you can totally cook them in the oven with a few minor changes. And the baked version of this recipe is not only healthier but also doesn’t taste much different than its fried version.
If I am making it in the summer time during the zucchini season I do not peel the skin. I make sure to give it a through wash though. However, this is a personal preference. You can make this recipe both ways, with or without the skin on.
I would not recommend making this batter in advance. The reason is because of the high water content of zucchini. As the batter sits in the fridge, the shredded zucchini releases more of its juices and the excess water turns to batter into a very soggy mixture. I have tried this twice and in both cases thought that the end product was not ideal.
Yes, you can. However, I recommend baking them first. You also want to make sure that they are at room temperature before freezing. When ready to serve, simply place them in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. No need to thaw beforehand. I also recommend keeping a close eye on them as they bake because they warm-up (and burn) pretty quickly.
Yes, you can. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large 12-inch non-stick skillet. Scoop 3-4 fritters at a time making sure not to overcrowd the pan. They should be on a single layer without touching each other. Cook 3-5 minutes on one side and flip to cook the other side. Store the cooked zucchini pancakes in a low heat (200 F oven) while working on cooking the rest with adding more oil to the skillet after each batch.
Other Recipe Ideas for Shredded Zucchini:
Think about what else you can make with grated zucchini? I’ve got you covered. Here are a few more ideas to put that leftover shredded zucchini to good use:
Other Zucchini Recipes You Might Like
- 5-Ingredient Zucchini Noodles
- Zucchini Soup
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Zucchini Fettuccine with Kale
- Skinny Shrimp Scampi (with Zucchini Noodles)
Baked Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
For the Zucchini Fritters
- 2 medium-sized zucchini, (1 1/2 pounds) – 2 1/2 cups after shredded, peeled and grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 scallions, chopped thinly
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped – plus more as garnish
For the Yogurt Sauce: (optional)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the zucchini: Shred the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater. Place the shredded zucchini in the middle of a clean kitchen towel, collect it from the sides and squeeze as much liquid as possible. You should have about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of zucchini. Set it in a bowl.
- Mix together the grated zucchini, garlic, olive oil, baking powder, black pepper, eggs, feta cheese, Panko bread crumbs, scallions, and dill in a bowl.
- Using a spoon or medium-sized ice cream scoop, scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the batter and drop onto the baking sheet. Continue until you run out of the batter. Gently press each fritter with your fingers to make flatten.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden. Take it out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- To make the yogurt sauce: Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Serve zucchini fritters with the yogurt sauce and more dill on the side.
Video
Notes
- If you watch the how-to video above, you will see that I placed the shredded zucchini in a colander and sprinkled it with salt to get its juices out. You can use both the cloth method or the colander method. The reason why I changed it is that I want to make sure I am not adding too much salt into the recipe, especially because I am using feta cheese.
While you can use both methods to get the juices out, I highly recommend giving a taste to your feta cheese and adjusting the amount of salt you put in the recipe accordingly. - Make ahead: You can prepare all the ingredients in advance to save on time. However, I recommend mixing the batter right before baking so you won’t end up with soggy fritters.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can serve them cold or warm them up in a low-heat 280-300 degrees F oven for 5-7 minutes.
- Freezing Thawing: While I personally liked the freshly baked version the most, you can freeze these fritters. Before freezing, be sure to bring them to room temperature. Then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm up in a low heat oven until warmed thoroughly, 5-10 minutes.
- Can I pan-fry these zucchini fritters instead of baking them in the oven?Yes, you can. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large 12-inch non-stick skillet. Scoop 3-4 fritters at a time making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook 3-5 minutes on one side and flip to cook the other side. Store the cooked zucchini pancakes in low heat (200 F oven) while working on cooking the rest by adding more oil to the skillet after each batch.
- An earlier version of this recipe listed 2 tablespoons of ground oats in the list of ingredients. After testing the recipe a few more times, I decided that this recipe can also be made without oats. You can still add them but it is an optional ingredient.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Easy Baked Zucchini Fritters Recipe was originally published in 2016. It is updated with additional helpful information in June 2021. A few minor changes to the originally published recipe were made.
Excellent Recipes
Thanks Rose.
If I decide to use flour, would I use the same amount as the Panko and the oats? Or just the panko? In other words, how much flour should I use?
Thanks,
Judy
Hi Judy,
I have never made this recipe using flour before so it is hard to give you an exact measurement without actually testing it out. However, if I was testing I would start from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour in place of panko and oats. What I’d be looking for is for the fritter dough to come together (and not be runny) without falling apart. It should have a consistency that fills the scoop but also comes out easily.
I hope this helps.
This was so good! A huge hit with my kids!
So happy to hear that they liked it. Thanks Toni.
I am a big fan of zucchini fritters but used to fry mine! I love this healthier version—just as yummy!!
I used to fry them too, but this is a great alternative. So happy to hear that you liked it Liz. Thanks for stopping by.
Mouthwatering update Aysegul! And the video – Bravo! xo
I make zucchini fritters quite often, but have never tried baking them. Your video makes it look way easier than the frying method. Will definitely try it this summer.
I made this recipe over the weekend and it was great. I was able to get it ready in 10 minutes and put it on the table much quicker than its fried version. The clean up was a breeze and my family loved it too.
I don’t think that I will ever go back to the fried version. Thanks for the recipe.
I am so glad to hear that you liked it Carol. I am like you, I don’t fry them anymore. This is so much easier and healthier.
Thanks for letting me know.
I completely adore fritters of any kind, but I am quite partial to zucchini fritters. What a sweet ritual your mom had, preparing fritters from home grown veggies – the best kind. I love your inclusion of feta in this recipe, along with the panko… so much texture and flavor happing here. And that sauce? A perfect pairing! Gorgeous work, Aysegul. I’m always inspired when I visit your space. xo
Aww I feel the same way Traci. It was so SO hard to photograph this post. To be honest, while I was photographing this post I learned that fritters are not the most photogenic food. At first I wasn’t going to post it, but then I found a couple of photos and made it work. It was such a good recipe, I could not NOT share it. I am sure you know what I mean. :))
Done! I gave you a vote! Deserved!
Good luck!
Hugs from Argentina!
Marisa
Hi Marisa,
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your kind words.
Hugs from Atlanta. <3
I never tried zucchini fritters before, but hearing about your memories with your mother making it for you really makes me want to try it. The flavors sound wonderful and it is making me feel very hungry!
Thank you Amanda!