These crispy courgette feta fritters are so flavorful yet mild, but certainly perfect if you want to make a light lunch, vegetarian appetizer, or side dish. They’re so easy to make and you can eat them hot or cold with my best yogurt garlic tahini dip! Let’s do this!!! 😄
What you’ll love about this recipe
As I told you, my dear parents live on a farm and grow their own veggies and fruit. Courgettes (zucchinis) are in such abundance from May all the way to September. Throughout my young years, we were picking bumper crops of lightly green courgettes and they were so tender at the start of the season. That’s when we used to simply slice and salt them, pat them dry and simply dip in a flour and egg batter and shallow fry: absolutely to die for! But I feel this fritters recipe is more refined and brings so much freshness from the herbs and scallions, not to mention the cheese that makes everything better! 😍
- Crispy, Fresh and Flavorful: Courgettes (zucchini) take on salty and tangy feta and aromatic herbs and make such great pairings! They get crispy around the edges when freshly fried. YUM!!! 😋
- Quick and Easy to Make: With simple ingredients (if you can make use of seasonal produce that”s even better) and a little prep work you can make these fritters in just 30 minutes! Don’t you love that for busy weeknights?🤗🤗🤗
- Versatile: Feel free to swap the herbs and add spices if you want.
- Vegetarian: Perfect for meatless meals, as I encourage you to increase your veggies intake for your flexitarian meal plan.
- Great for leftovers: Enjoy them hot or cold with a Greek inspired yogurt dip!
Watch how to make courgette feta fritters
Ingredients you’ll need
- Courgettes (zucchini) – I used a few Zephyr courgettes among standard dark green ones, they have a wonderful creamy yellow skin with a delicate texture and a mild buttery flavor.
- Feta cheese – please please 🙏🙏🙏 find an authentic Greek feta if you can, you want it creamy but not too briny, as it will add too much wetness to the fritter mixture.
- Spring Onions (scallions) – they add a little bite and aromatic kick.
- Freshly chopped dill – I personally love dill so much with all the mildly flavored foods, but if you are not a fan, parsley can work too in this recipe. I tried it with marjoram as well, since it grows in abundance in my garden throughout spring and summer.
- Egg – to bind the fritters and keep them fluffy.
- Plain flour (all-purpose flour) – to prevent fritters from being too wet, also adds to the texture.
- Salt and black pepper
- Oil for frying – I use cold pressed rapeseed oil, but any vegetable oil will work such as canola or sunflower oil.
How to make courgette feta fritters (step-by-step)
Time needed: 30 minutes
These crispy courgette feta fritters are so easy to make! Eat them hot or cold with my best yogurt garlic tahini dip!
- Prep the courgettes:
Grate the courgettes on a coarse grater. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix it in thoroughly. Use your hands to squeeze out the excess moisture either pushing the grated veg through a nut milk sieve (fine nylon sieve). Or you can transfer the courgettes to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You can even use a strong kitchen paper towel.
- Make the fritters mixture
In a bowl, combine the squeezed courgette, crumbled feta cheese, chopped spring onions, chopped herbs, egg, and plain flour. Mix well until everything is evenly incorporated, but don’t over mix.
- Form the fritters and fry them
Heat enough oil (about 1/4 inch deep) in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, scoop out tablespoons of the mixture and gently flatten them with the back of a spoon into small patties. I find that 4 or 5 are enough for one batch. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Fry the fritters in batches, avoiding overcrowding the pan.
- Drain and serve
Transfer the cooked fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve immediately while hot or warm with a yogurt dip.
Pro Tips
- Squeeze thoroughly: You want to get as much of the moisture out of the zucchinis rather than add more flour. If you want to get crispy fritters that is!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Fry the fritters in batches to avoid them sticking together and ensure even cooking. They are easier to turn over too!
- Oil temperature: The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when you add the fritters (try adding a breadcrumb or hold the end of a toothpick in to see the sizzling bubbles), but not smoking. I tend to keep to a medium high to get crispy edges, but that depends on your cooker, you should get a good sizzle but no burning when you add the fritters in.
Preparation time
It takes around 15 minutes to grate and squeeze the courgettes.
I am being generous here, because I know myself (not always super organised 😉).
cooking time
It takes 3 minutes on each side to get golden crispy fritters.
Total time
This means in just 30 minutes you get heavenly crunchy courgette fritters.
Nutritional benefits
The abundance of veggies and fresh herbs makes this dish such a wholesome nourishing option, not to mention the protein additions from egg and feta cheese. But for me, the hero here are the courgettes (zucchinis), they are one of the best vegetables to support gut health (thanks to their soluble and insoluble fiber content). Feed those friendly gut bacteria happy!
Servings
This recipe yields approximately 3 portions, enough for a small family.
What to serve with courgette feta fritters
- I usually serve the courgette feta fritters with a yogurt tahini and garlic sauce with a sprinkle of sumac and a squeeze of lemon (let me know in the comments if you want the recipe 😊) .
- Or serve them as an appetizer with my tzatziki dip or a simple lemon wedge.
- Stuff them into pita bread or fold in flatbreads with some hummus for a proper lunch.
- Add leftover cold fritters to your next day work lunch salad.
variations and substitutions
- VEGETARIAN: This recipe is vegetarian, but if you want it VEGAN, swap the cheese for a vegan alternative or leave it out.
- Fresh Herbs: Feel free to use any fresh herbs you like! Parsley, mint, or oregano would all be delicious options. I would not use basil though, it will be too delicate for frying.
- Cheese: You can try goat cheese, or shredded mozzarella, ricotta might be adding too much moisture.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour.
- Spiced Up: Often I add an Italian seasoning that has a good amount of chili flakes.
These courgette feta fritters are a fantastic and healthy way to enjoy fresh summer vegetables and tangy cheese. This recipe is for a small family, but feel free to double it. Let me know if you make it, I’d love to hear from you! 😍😍😍
- If you make my recipe, take a snapshot for your Instagram
- Post and tag me @candyflosie😉🤗!
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recipe FAQ
The salt draws the moisture out of the courgette’s flesh and helps when squeezing it out. This step helps to have a workable mixture that can easily be shaped into patties and not too wet or sticky.
Yes 😁, as I live in England, I call them courgette, but Americans call them zucchini. They are all just a summer squash and come in many varieties.
Absolutely, the skin is packed with fiber for great gut health.
Yes, you can, let me know if you do! Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the patties with a little space between them. Brush them with a little oil. Bake for 20 minutes or so, flipping halfway through, or until golden brown and crispy.
Oh yeah!, brush them with oil or spray some oil on them and follow air fryer instructions.
Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them gently in a frying pan, oven or microwave until warmed through or eat them cold. They will not be crispy anymore though.
Courgette Feta Fritters Recipe
Equipment
- 1 grater
- 1 large bowl
- 1 frying pan
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium courgettes
- 100 g feta cheese
- 3-4 spring onions (scallions)
- 2 handfuls finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 medium egg
- 30-35 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- Oil for frying rapeseed oil or any vegetable oil
Instructions
Prep the courgettes:
- Grate the courgettes on a coarse grater. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix it in thoroughly. Use your hands to squeeze out the excess moisture either pushing the grated veg through a nut milk sieve (fine nylon sieve).
- Or you can transfer the courgettes to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. You can even use a strong kitchen paper towel.
Make the fritters mixture
- In a bowl, combine the squeezed courgette, crumbled feta cheese, chopped spring onions, chopped herbs, egg, and plain flour. Mix well until everything is evenly incorporated, but don’t over mix.
- You can add another pinch of salt, but feta should be salty enough already.
Form the fritters and fry them
- Heat enough oil (about 1/4 inch deep) in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, scoop out tablespoons of the mixture and gently flatten them with the back of a spoon into small patties.
- Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Fry the fritters in 2 batches of 5, avoiding overcrowding the pan.
Drain and serve
- Transfer the cooked fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve immediately while hot or warm with a yogurt dip.
