4.9 from 17 reviews

Spiced Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters

Name: Spiced Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds (900 g, about 4-5 medium) zucchini or summer squash; 2½ teaspoons fine sea salt, divided use; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; ¼ cup finely chopped shallot (about 1 medium shallot); 1 cup (130 g) chickpea flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Ghee, sunflower, or avocado oil, for frying; yogurt sauce; chopped cherry tomatoes and/or cucumber; crumbled feta or goat cheese; flavorful olive oil; lemon wedges; Aleppo pepper; dill and mint leaves

By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on Sep 26, 2019 (updated Jul 27, 2024) / 38 Comments Jump to Recipe

These healthy gluten-free zucchini fritters make an easy vegetarian main dish 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.

zucchini fritters are arranged on a plate with yogurt sauce and fresh herbs — Serve these spiced zucchini fritters with yogurt mint sauce for a Mediterranean vibe.

These savory little fritters were inspired by a trip to my cousin's family farm in Northern California. 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. In addition to gluten-free zucchini bread, these gluten-free zucchini fritters were born.Joelle and I both have made these every summer since. They make a delicious not-boring gluten-free breakfast, and they're equally at home at brunch, lunch, or dinner. They can be made ahead of time if you like. I hope you'll love them too!

Summer squash in a bowl — Make these fritters with zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, or any other summer squash.

Ingredients

These gluten-free zucchini fritters start with 2 whole pounds of zucchini or summer squash, which are interchangeable here. 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 dill 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

These fritters take about 50 minutes to make, start to finish, turning out about 20 small fritters, or 4-6 servings.

shredded summer squash has been tossed with salt to sweat out the moisture — 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.

moisture has been squeezed from the zucchini — 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.

Dried zucchini has been seasoned with shallot, the dry ingredients and egg are on the side waiting to be added — Mix the now-dryish zucchini shreds with the remaining ingredients

Ingredients have been stirred together to form a thick batter — Mix to form a thick batter.

cooked fritters are on a cooling rack — 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.

a stack of Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters is on a plate, shown from the side — 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.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters with yogurt sauce — The fritters are great on their own, but you can make them a meal with yogurt mint sauce, cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta.

Healthy Zucchini Fritters Without Flour

These gluten-free zucchini fritters are made with chickpea flour, so they're also grain-free. 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

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!

Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free zucchini fritter recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.

Close up of Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters

4.89 from 17 reviews