Zucchini & Scallion Fritters
It’s the middle of summer, the weather is so unbearable that I can hardly step outside, and all I want to do is shove zucchini and squash into my mouth. As a zucchini stan, at least I think that’s what the kids are calling it these days, I’m constantly looking for new ways to devour this summertime staple (beyond bread, zoodles and the like) and I’ve found fritters to be the ultimate zucchini vehicle. After all, turning something inherently healthy into a bonafide guilty pleasure sounds like a win to me.
I’m sure there are some great fritter recipes out there, but to be honest, I’ve been underwhelmed by the immediate options. Pick your poison: you’re either biting into a zucchini hockey puck or watching your delicate fritter break into an oily, crumbly mess in the skillet. Neither of those options sound very appealing to me.
This recipe for zucchini fritters amps up the flavor with thinly-sliced scallions, incorporates both flour and cornmeal for a solid (but not dense) fritter that won’t break apart, and incorporates ricotta — resulting in a creamy, almost custard-like interior and a delightfully crunchy crust that is oh-so addictive. The herb-yogurt dipping sauce is a cool & refreshing complement to an intensely savory fritter. Feel free to double the recipe and pour it on everything you eat.
Life is too short to eat zucchini noodles every day. Treat yourself to some fritters.
Zucchini & Scallion Fritters
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs zucchini (approx. 3-4 small)
- 1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced (root ends removed, white parts and green parts separated)
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. medium or fine-grind yellow cornmeal (I love this cornmeal from Bob's Red Mill for the added crunch, but use what's available to you, as long as it's not coarse.)
- 1/4 c. whole milk ricotta
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c. freshly-grated parmesan
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- Canola oil, for frying (approx. 1/2 c.)
- 1/2 c. plain, unsweetened yogurt (not Greek)
- 1/4 c. mayonnaise
- Scallion greens (see above)
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- Juice of half a lemon
- Small handful basil leaves, torn (or any other soft, fresh herb of your choosing)
Instructions:
- Rinse zucchini under cool water, and remove both ends. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater over a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. kosher salt over the mixture, and mix with your hands. Set the towel inside a colander in the sink, and let rest for 10 minutes while you prepare the dipping sauce.
- In a food processor, combine all dipping sauce ingredients and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper as needed.
- In a medium bowl, loosely combine the scallion white parts, flour, cornmeal, ricotta, egg, parmesan, baking powder, salt & pepper. Fold and twist the towel around the grated zucchini to release any excess moisture, and add the zucchini to your batter. Thoroughly mix, and let rest for five minutes while you prepare your skillet. The mixture will seem a little dry at first, but will quickly hydrate as it sits.
- Pre-heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, pouring in just under 1 cm of oil — this is about 1/2 c. for me, but will depend on the size of your skillet. Prepare a cooling rack set over paper towels next to your skillet.
- When oil is hot but not smoking, thoroughly mix your batter once more, making sure everything is hydrated with no dry clumps. Carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, and gently press the top until they're about a 1/2" thick. I like to create 3" rounds, but feel free to adjust the size to your liking. Fry fritters in batches, as needed, to prevent crowding in the pan.
- About 1-2 minutes later, or when edges of the fritters are golden-brown, carefully flip and fry the other side for 1-2 minutes more. When both sides are evenly golden-brown, drain the excess oil from each fritter and remove to your cooling rack. Sprinkle each fritter generously with salt while still hot.
- Let cool for a few minutes, and serve while still hot & crispy with plenty of the Herb-Yogurt Dipping Sauce. Garnish with torn basil, or other soft herbs of your choosing.