Perfect Zucchini Fritters: A Tula Cook's Recipe

Fluffy, tender zucchini fritters are, first, delicious on their own; second, an ideal side dish for meat; and third, much healthier than regular fritters. They are quick to make and taste great both warm and cold. In short, they are the perfect summer dish, especially when zucchini seems to come to you from all sides.

Tatiana, a reader of 71.ru, shared her recipe for zucchini fritters, which she regularly makes for her family.

Ingredients for zucchini fritters:

Zucchini (young) — 2 pcs. (about 500–600 g)

Eggs — 2 pcs.

Flour — 4–5 tbsp (heaped)

Onion — 1 small onion (optional, for juiciness; if you don«t like onion, you can omit it)

Garlic — 1 clove

Salt — 1 tsp (level, plus extra for drawing out liquid)

Black pepper — to taste

Dill or parsley — a small bunch

Vegetable oil — for frying

Wash the zucchini thoroughly. If they are young, there is no need to peel them. If the vegetables are older and tough, peel them and remove the large seeds.

Grate the zucchini on a coarse grater. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with salt, mix, and leave for 10–15 minutes. During this time, the zucchini will release juice. Pour off the liquid and squeeze the zucchini mass.

To the squeezed zucchini, add: onion, eggs, garlic, herbs, and pepper. Mix. Then gradually add the flour. The batter should be thick, like sour cream (a spoon should stand upright in it). If the batter is runny, add more flour, but don«t overdo it, or the fritters will become rubbery.

Heat a frying pan with oil over medium heat. Add enough oil so the fritters fry rather than stew. Drop the batter by the tablespoon, forming small patties. Fry on one side until golden brown (about 3–4 minutes), then flip, cover with a lid, and fry for another 3 minutes over low heat.

A few tips from an experienced cook:

Don«t add baking soda. If you»ve squeezed the zucchini well, you don«t need it — the fritters will be fluffy thanks to the eggs.

Remove excess oil. Place the cooked fritters on paper towels to absorb the excess fat.

For those watching their weight — replace half the flour with ground oatmeal and, instead of frying, bake the fritters without oil in the oven (20 minutes at 180°C/350°F).