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.
Prep Time: 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 20 minutesminutes
Total: 50 minutesminutes
Servings: 4-6 servings, about 20 small fritters
Ingredients
Fritters:
2pounds(900 g, about 4-5 medium) zucchini or summer squash
2teaspoonsfine sea salt
2large eggs, lightly beaten (or try ½ cup Just Egg for a vegan option)
¼cupfinely chopped shallot (about 1 medium shallot)
1cup(130 g) chickpea flour
2teaspoonsbaking powder
2teaspoonsground coriander
1teaspoonground cumin
1/2teaspoonfine sea salt
¼teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
Ghee or sunflower oil, for frying
Yogurt Sauce:
3large garlic cloves, put through a press
1teaspoonfine sea salt
2cups(470 ml) whole milk Greek yogurt, labneh, or skyr
½cupchopped dill
½cupmint leaves, chopped
2tablespoons(30 ml) lemon juice
Topping Options:
chopped cherry tomatoes and/or cucumber
crumbled feta or goat cheese
flavorful olive oil
lemon wedges
Aleppo pepper
dill and mint leaves
Instructions
Make the Fritters:
Rinse and dry the zucchini. Trim the ends and grate them on the large holes of a box grater or with the shredder attachment of a food processor.
Place the zucchini shreds in a large bowl and toss with the salt. Let sit 15 minutes, then transfer to a large, clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can.
Put the shredded, dried out zucchini in a large bowl and stir in the eggs and shallot. Sift in the chickpea flour, baking powder, coriander, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir until combined.
Coat a wide skillet or griddle with a thin layer of ghee or oil and warm over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop ¼ - 1/3 cup scoops of batter into the oil and flatten slightly. I like to use a spring-loaded #24 ice cream scoop for uniform fritters.
Cook the fritters over medium-low heat until golden on the bottom, 2-3 minutes. Gently flip and cook on the second side until golden and cooked through. 2-3 more minutes.
Remove to a cooling rack while you cook the remaining zucchini cakes. When ready to serve, reheat the fritters in the skillet until hot.
Make the Yogurt Sauce:
In a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic and salt to form a paste. (Alternatively, put the garlic through a press and stir it and the salt into the yogurt.) Combine the garlic paste with the yogurt, dill, mint, and lemon. Taste, adding more salt or lemon if you feel the sauce needs it. The flavors will continue to emerge as the yogurt sauce sits. Chill until needed, up to 3 days.
Finish the Fritters:
Place a large dollop of yogurt sauce on a plate, top with warm fritters, and sprinkle with tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, olive oil, lemon juice, flaky salt, Aleppo pepper, and herbs. Serve right away.