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These baked zucchini fritters are SO easy to make and require just 6 ingredients. They’re made in the oven, come together in about 30 minutes and they’re gluten free, too!Â
Ohhhh boy I’m excited to share this zucchini fritters recipe with you! They’re great because they can easily be enjoyed at lunchtime or as a side to almost any meal.
I first tried zucchini fritters a few years ago, but I remember frying them in a skillet. While that’s one way to go, I wanted to create a healthier baked version that uses a combination of almond flour and breadcrumbs to keep these gluten free.
Why you’ll love these zucchini fritters
- They’re made with almond flour, meaning they’re gluten free and therefore suitable for most dietary preferences
- They’re easy to meal prep and enjoy throughout the week
- These fritters are flavored with shallot and a little bit of cheddar cheese to keep things simple and delicious
Ingredient notes
- Zucchini: I know this is pretty obvious, but you’re going to need zucchini in order to make fritters. In the recipe card below, I recommend using 2 medium zucchinis, but if you can only find smaller ones then make sure to use 3 zucchini.
- Shallot: Can sub red onion
- Egg: The egg is used to bind the shredded zucchini together. You can try using a flax egg if you’re allergic to eggs (combine 1 tbsp flaxseed meal with 2.5 tbsp water, then wait 10 minutes for the flaxseed to absorb the water), but I haven’t tried this myself. If you can eat eggs, I say stick with an actual egg.
- Almond flour: In order to keep these gluten free, I used almond flour. Plus, it has a mild nutty flavor to it, which I think works out much better than using all purpose flour. Substitution: if you can’t find almond flour, simply omit the flour and use more breadcrumbs.
- Breadcrumbs: I love Panko breadcrumbs, so that’s what I recommend. They’re incredibly versatile, and most grocery stores sell a gluten free variety if you want to keep these gluten free.
- Cheddar cheese: The first time I made these I omitted the cheese, and the second time I added it in. Not surprisingly, I liked these much better with a little cheese simply because it adds more flavor.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Grate the zucchini. This is key! Slice the ends off of the zucchini, then use a box grater to grate the zucchini into a large bowl.
Step 2: Squeeze out the liquid. Pour the grated zucchini on top of a piece of cheese cloth, or place it into a nut milk bag. Then, use all of your strength to squeeze as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible. The more liquid you squeeze out, the crispier the fritters will be! This step may take a few minutes, and that’s ok.
If you don’t own cheese cloth or a nut milk bag, you can do this over several paper towels, though I do think cheese cloth/a nut milk bag works best.
Step 3: Add ingredients. Add the egg, shallot, breadcrumbs, almond flour, and cheese to the bowl with the zucchini and mix everything together really well. Add some salt and pepper as well.
Step 4: Bake. Grease a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper. Then, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out the zucchini and form it into a ball with your hands, placing it on a baking sheet. Use your hand to gently press down, forming the zucchini into fritters. Spray the fritters with nonstick spray beforehand (I use avocado oil spray), which will help them get crispy in the oven.
Bake the fritters for approximately 12 minutes, then remove them from the oven, use a spatula to flip them over and spray them with more nonstick spray before placing them back into the oven for 12 more minutes.
FAQs and Tips
- In order for these to be crispy, you HAVE to squeeze as much liquid out of the grated zucchini as possible. Otherwise, they will be soggy.
- Do NOT use your food processor to grate the zucchini — it just won’t work out as well.
- 4 1/2 cups grated zucchini should equal about 2 medium sized zucchinis.
What if I can’t find almond flour?
That’s ok! If you can’t find almond flour, I’d just use all breadcrumbs instead. So, instead of 1/2 cup flour and 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, use a little more than 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs.
Can you freeze these?
Yes! Once the fritters have completely cooled, you can place them in a plastic bag in the freezer and they should keep for at least a week. You can also individually wrap them in plastic wrap to help them hold shape.
What sauce pairs best with fritters?
Honestly? Pretty much anything, in my opinion. Mayonnaise, sriracha, any kind of hot sauce, or even Greek yogurt pair well with these.
Related recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below!
Baked Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups zucchini grated
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp shallot minced
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- pinch of salt and pepper
- nonstick spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Use a box grater to grate zucchini into a large bowl. Then, transfer the zucchini onto a piece of cheese cloth, or into a nut milk bag and squeeze as much of the moisture out as you can. I've found that these work best for getting the moisture out. You want to squeeze as much liquid out as you can; otherwise, the fritters will be soggy.
- Add the egg, shallot, almond flour, breadcrumbs, and cheese to the bowl and stir to combine, along with salt and pepper.
- Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, or line it with parchment paper. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the zucchini mixture into your hands, then form the mixture into balls and lightly press them down so they look like fritters. Spray nonstick spray (I used avocado oil spray) over the fritters, which will help them crisp up.
- Bake the fritters for 12 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a spatula to flip them over. Spray them with more nonstick spray, then bake for 12 minutes again.
- Serve them with a dollop of Greek yogurt or some hot sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in June 2019. It was updated with new text and photos in May 2020.
