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Spiced Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters {grain-free, dairy-free option}

By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on Sep 26, 2019 (updated Aug 31, 2020) / 32 Comments

These healthy gluten-free zucchini fritters make an easy brunch, lunch, or dinner when summer squash are abundant. They get a falafel vibe from chickpea flour lightly spiced with cumin and coriander, all finished with an addictive garlicky yogurt sauce. Vegetarian, gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free options.

It's hot hot hot in San Francisco so I'm making the most of summer produce as long as possible. These savory little fritters were inspired by a trip to my cousin's family farm in Northern California earlier this month. We stopped by after a long-weekend camping trip to find zucchini the size of baseball bats taking over the garden. My little cousins Audrey (age 4) and Keira (age 7) delighted in cradling the mega-squash like babies, the giant vegetable-fruits dwarfing their tiny frames.

Zucchini-abundant recipes were in order. I craved a simplified version of these zucchini chickpea veggie burgers that I shared a few years back – one that could be eaten on their own, sans burger bun. I made some changes to the original recipe and these gluten-free zucchini fritters were born.

Ingredients for Zucchini Fritters

These gluten-free zucchini fritters start with 2 whole pounds of zucchini. The zucchini get shredded on the large holes of a box grater. The shredder attachment of a food processor makes quick work of them should you be so lucky. (I had to excavate mine from the bottom kitchen cupboard – it was the first time I ever used it and it was totally worth it!)
Minced shallot adds savory flavor
Chickpea flour absorbs moisture and helps the cakes hold together
Coriander and cumin spice the batter gently giving the fritters a falafel vibe
Baking powder gives them lift
Eggs hold the batter together. I tested a version with aquafaba in place of eggs for a vegan option, but it didn't work – the cakes never cooked through. I'm curious to try these with Just Egg and will update the post if I do.
A little bit of ghee or other high-heat cooking oil cooks these fritters. Ghee has one of the highest smoke points of any cooking oil which is why I choose it for pan-frying recipes such as this. Ghee is butter that has been clarified and cooked until it tastes sweet and nutty. It adds a bit of umami flavor to these gluten-free zucchini fritters.
Herbaceous garlic yogurt sauce makes the perfect accompaniment. And while not necessary, I like to top these with a confetti of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, herbs, olive oil, and Aleppo pepper to make the dish feel extra special.

How to Make Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters

The trick to firm, non-soggy zucchini fritters is to start by releasing excess moisture from the zucchini. Toss the grated zucchini with salt and let it sit. The salt breaks down the cellulose walls of the squash and draws out the liquid. Next, place the watery squash shreds in a clean kitchen cloth and squeeze the dickens out of it. The squash threads will reduce in volume considerably and most of the salt washes away.

Mix the now-dryish zucchini shreds with the remaining ingredients to form a batter. Then fry the cakes in a thin layer of ghee or oil until golden and crisp. I like to use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop to form even balls of batter. Drop these into the hot, oiled pan and flatten slightly. Cook over medium-low heat until golden, then flip and cook on the second side until cooked through.

You can eat the fritters fresh from the pan, or make extra to keep in the fridge for a quick meal. Just throw them in a pan with a touch more oil and heat until warmed through.

Healthy Zucchini Fritters Without Flour

These gluten-free zucchini fritters are made with chickpea flour, so they're also grain-free. They get loads of fiber and phytonutrients from zucchini, and protein from eggs and chickpea flour. They're dairy-free if you cook them in oil and use plant yogurt for the sauce. Top them with extra veggies and they make a perfectly nourishing lunch or dinner.

How to Serve Zucchini Fritters

A hefty dose of herbed, garlicky Greek yogurt sauce makes an ideal topping for these fritters. TBH I could eat this yogurt sauce on anything from crackers to roasted veggies to latkes to the aforementioned zucchini burgers. It compliments these fritters perfectly.

If you're after a dairy-free option, swap in an unsweetened plant-based yogurt. I tested this with cashew yogurt and it was delicious (if looser) than the Greek yogurt version.

If you like, throw some cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber on top of it all, drizzle with a thread of flavorful olive oil, feta, and a pinch of Aleppo pepper.

How do you like to use up excess zucchini? Let me know in the comments!

Looking for more fritters & pancake recipes? Try these:

Looking for more zucchini recipes? Try these:

*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make these gluten-free zucchini fritters, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*

Close up of Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters

4.88 from 16 reviews