Easy Sourdough Zucchini Fritters
Easy Sourdough Zucchini Fritters are the perfect way to use up extra sourdough starter and fresh zucchini. Packed with cheese, green onions, and sourdough goodness, these fritters make an excellent breakfast, snack, or side dish.
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Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter, so don’t throw it away! Instead, use it in delicious Sourdough Discard Recipes where it adds moisture and amazing sourdough flavor. I use 100% hydration sourdough discard in discard recipes.
Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like Easy Sourdough Discard Bread and younger, fresh discard in sweeter recipes like these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
It’s that time of the year when our counters are filled with a ton of zucchinis. They’re coming quicker than I know what to do with them.
Of course, it’s a must that I make sourdough zucchini bread, and for a decadent treat, my family loves sourdough chocolate zucchini bread. Adding zucchini to quick breads imparts moisture and is the perfect way to incorporate more vegetables. I love sweets, but it’s also nice to use extra zucchini and sourdough in a savory dish. Cue the zucchini fritters! Whenever I make these, my family gobbles them up!
Filled with cheese and onion, these sourdough zucchini fritters are packed with rich, nutty umami flavor. Pan-fried until crispy and golden brown, they have a perfectly crisp exterior while the inside stays soft and slightly chewy. They’re simply delightful, and I know you’ll love them just as much as we do.
More Sourdough Zucchini Recipes
- Sourdough Zucchini Bread
- Sourdough Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- One Bowl Sourdough Zucchini Muffins
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Zucchini Fritters
- Easy – Made with simple ingredients and ready in minutes, this easy zucchini fritters recipe is a delicious summer side dish.
- Zucchini -This recipe makes use of lots of zucchini and is the perfect way to enjoy your summer veggies. Have lots of zucchini? Make a double batch and snack on the leftovers or freeze for later.
- Flavor – Zucchini is a bit of a chameleon and takes on the flavors of whatever it’s mixed with. The cheese, onion, and garlic flavors shine while the zucchini adds volume and moisture.
Ingredients
- Zucchini – Grate the zucchini with a large box grater. No need to peel or deseed the zucchini before grating.
- Eggs – Binds all of the ingredients
- Sourdough Starter – I made this recipe as a way to use up sourdough discard, however, you can use active sourdough discard too. Just be sure to measure by weight, and not volume for accurate measuring. Older discard will have more sour flavor. I like to use discard that’s been fed within the past 7-10 days for the best flavor.
- Cheese – Grate Asiago cheese for a savory flavor.
- Green onions – The delicate flavor and texture of green onions adds a subtle onion flavor. Using white, red, or yellow onions will give the fritters a stronger onion flavor.
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour to bind all of the ingredients.
- Seasonings – Simple seasonings like salt, garlic powder, and black pepper flavor the fritters.
- Baking powder – Just a touch leavens the fritters for an airy fritter
- Oil – Use a neutral oil like lard, olive oil, or avocado oil for frying. I suggest staying away from seed oils, like canola, soybean or corn oil.
For Serving (Optional):
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt – The tangy flavors cut the richness of the fritters.
- Fresh herbs – have fun and use whatever herb you enjoy! Dill, parsley, or chives are excellent choices.
- Lemon wedges – Similar to the sour cream or Greek yogurt, the lemon adds a bit of acidity to brighten the fritters.
Sourdough Zucchini Fritter Recipe Variations
- Herb Fritters: Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like dill, parsley, basil, or cilantro to the batter.
- Spicy Fritters: Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or a diced jalapeno pepper to the mixture.
- Corn and Zucchini: Replace ½ cup of the grated zucchini with fresh or frozen corn kernels.
- Cheese Options: Substitute feta cheese, cheddar, or goat cheese for the Asiago.
Tools You’ll Need
- Kitchen scale
- Box grater or food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Strainer or clean kitchen towel
- Frying pan
How to Make Sourdough Zucchini Fritters
Prepare the Zucchini
Grate the zucchini using a box grater or food processor. Place the shredded zucchini in a large bowl, stir in 1 tsp of salt, and rest. After 10 minutes, you’ll begin to see the water the zucchini released at the bottom of the bowl.
Transfer the zucchini to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial for crispy fritters. You should be able to extract about ¼ to ½ cup of liquid.
Mix the Batter
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter discard, flour, baking powder, eggs, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Chances are, most of the salt was removed when you squeezed the water from the zucchini. Taste the zucchini. If it still tastes salty, no need to add any more. If not, stir in ½ tsp of salt.
Next, to the bowl, add the Asiago cheese, green onions, and squeezed zucchini. Stir everything together until well combined. The batter should be thick but scoopable. If it seems too wet, add another tablespoon or two of flour.
Heat the Oil
Heat about 1 T of oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. The oil is ready when a small drop of batter sizzles immediately upon contact.
Fry the Fritters
Scoop about ¼ cup of the zucchini mixture and carefully place it in the hot oil. Gently flatten each fritter with the back of your spoon to about ½ inch thickness. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side. The fritters should be crispy and golden on both sides.
Drain and Serve
Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, fresh herbs, and lemon wedges if desired.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F/191°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes to restore crispiness, or reheat in a skillet with a little oil. Avoid microwaving, as this will make them soggy.
You can also freeze cooked fritters for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 375°F/191°C for 12 to 15 minutes.
Easy Zucchini Fritters Tips for Success
- Remove Excess Moisture: The key to crispy zucchini fritters is removing as much excess water as possible from the zucchini. Don’t skip the squeezing step.
- Starter Consistency: This recipe works best with unfed sourdough starter discard that has been fed a 1:1:1 ratio. You may need to adjust the amount of flour based on your feeding ratio.
- Oil Temperature: Keep the oil at medium-high heat. Too hot and the fritters will burn on the outside before cooking through. Too cool and they’ll absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Size Matters: Keep fritters relatively thin, about ½ inch, so they cook through properly and develop a nice crispy exterior.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the fritter batter up to 2 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. Stir before using.
FAQs About Zucchini Fritters
Do I Need to Peel the Zucchini Before Grating?
You can if you like, but you don’t need to for flavor or texture. The thin zucchini skin cooks just like the rest of the zucchini, so you can’t tell the difference. Plus, I love the green flecks of zucchini skin throughout the fritters. Pretty!
Do I Need to Use a Kitchen Scale?
No, but I find that a kitchen scale makes it easy to get consistent results. They’re inexpensive and a worthy tool to have in your kitchen. I highly suggest investing in one, especially if you’re going to be baking with sourdough.
I’d love to hear from you! If you made this Easy Sourdough Zucchini Fritters Recipe and loved it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Enjoy!
Easy Sourdough Zucchini Fritters
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Equipment
- box grater
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth
- large mixing bowl
- cast iron fry pan
- kitchen scale or measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
- 500 g zucchini 3 cups, grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 125 g sourdough discard ½ cup
- 94 g all-purpose flour ¾ cup
- 2 large eggs
- 100 g asiago cheese 1 cup, grated
- 35 g green onion ½ cup, diced
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- oil for frying
Instructions
Prepare the Zucchini
- Grate the zucchini using a box grater or food processor. Place the shredded zucchini in a large bowl, stir in 1 tsp of salt, and rest. 500 g zucchini and 1 tsp saltAfter 10 minutes, you'll begin to see the water the zucchini released at the bottom of the bowl. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial for crispy fritters. You should be able to extract about ¼ to ½ cup of liquid.
Mix the Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter discard, flour, baking powder, eggs, black pepper, and garlic powder. 125 g sourdough discard, 94 g all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 large eggs, ⅛ tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powderChances are, most of the salt was removed when you squeezed the water from the zucchini. Taste the zucchini. If it still tastes salty, no need to add any more. If not, stir in ½ tsp of salt. Next, to the bowl, add the Asiago cheese, green onions, and squeezed zucchini. Stir everything together until well combined. The batter should be thick but scoopable. If it seems too wet, add another tablespoon or two of flour.100 g asiago cheese and 35 g green onion
Heat the Oil
- Heat about 1 T of oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. The oil is ready when a small drop of batter sizzles immediately upon contact.
Fry the Fritters
- Scoop about ¼ cup of the zucchini mixture and carefully place it in the hot oil. Gently flatten each fritter with the back of your spoon to about ½ inch thickness. Don't overcrowd the pan – work in batches if necessary.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and crispy. Flip carefully and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side. The fritters should be crispy and golden on both sides.
Drain and Serve
- Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, fresh herbs, and lemon wedges if desired.
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F/191°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes to restore crispiness, or reheat in a skillet with a little oil. Avoid microwaving, as this will make them soggy.
- You can also freeze cooked fritters for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 375°F/191°C for 12 to 15 minutes.
Notes
Tips
- Remove Excess Moisture: The key to crispy zucchini fritters is removing as much excess water as possible from the zucchini. Don’t skip the squeezing step.
- Starter Consistency: This recipe works best with unfed sourdough starter discard that has been fed a ratio of 1:1:1. You may need to adjust the amount of flour accordingly if your feeding ratio is different.
- Oil Temperature: Keep the oil at medium-high heat. Too hot and the fritters will burn on the outside before cooking through. Too cool and they’ll absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Size Matters: Keep fritters relatively thin (about ½ inch), so they cook through properly and develop a nice crispy exterior.
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the fritter batter up to 2 hours in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator. Stir before using.
Sourdough Zucchini Fritter Recipe Variations
- Herb Fritters: Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like dill, parsley, basil, or cilantro to the batter.
- Spicy Fritters: Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or a diced jalapeno pepper to the mixture.
- Corn and Zucchini: Replace ½ cup of the grated zucchini with fresh or frozen corn kernels.
- Cheese Options: Substitute feta cheese, cheddar, or goat cheese for the Asiago.