These zucchini fritters have a wonderful texture from the cornmeal and are served with a fresh, tangy dill yogurt sauce for dipping.
This is the time of year where many people find themselves with an abundance of zucchini. I don't have a garden but I've seen some huge garden zucchini on social media lately and I must say I'm a bit jealous.
Store-bought zucchini are still incredibly delicious but they aren't nearly as large as fresh garden zucchini. Wherever you get your zucchini, these fritters are the perfect way to get good use out of them!
There are a ton of zucchini fritter recipes out there and all of them are incredible in their own right. I love this recipe because it features cornmeal to help bind them instead of flour. The cornmeal adds wonderful texture and flavor to these tasty little fritters.
These Zucchini Fritters are served with a simple and bright yogurt dill sauce - the perfect compliment to the perfect summer appetizer. Oh, and there are also two secret ingredients that take these fritters up a notch - keep reading to find out what they are!
Making Cornmeal Zucchini Fritters
Start by grating two rinsed medium zucchini with the large holes of a box grater.
Squeeze the excess moisture from the grated zucchini by wrapping them in a clean dish towel and gently pressing the extra liquid out.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Transfer zucchini to a large bowl and add egg, cornmeal, salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder, and the two secret ingredients - red pepper flakes and honey. Trust me on this one. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate all ingredients.
Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to transfer fritter batter to a heated skillet. Press down into patties. You may have to cook fritters in batches. Allow fritters to cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until browned and crispy on the other side.
Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dill. Using a fork or small whisk, stir until all ingredients are incorporated.
Serve fritters warm with the dill yogurt sauce on the side for dipping.
A Few Notes for Perfect Cornmeal Zucchini Fritters
It is very important to squeeze the excess liquid out of the shredded zucchini. This ensures your fritters will hold together.
Make sure your skillet and oil are hot enough before adding fritters. This ensures you don't end up with soggy fritters.
Don't flip the fritters before they are browned on the bottom. Ideally, you only want to flip these fritters once, but make sure you flip them a few times as possibles. This helps ensure they get a nice crispy crust. You can lift a corner of a fritter with your spatula to check the underside if you aren't sure they're brown enough.
The honey and red pepper flakes are totally optional but I love the extra flavor and kick they provide. If you aren't sure about this combination, only add it to the last two or three of your fritters to see how you like it!
You Will Also Love This Southern Fried Okra Recipe!
📖 Recipe
Cornmeal Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini - grated
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Dill Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Grate two rinsed medium zucchini with the large holes of a box grater.
- Squeeze the excess moisture from the grated zucchini by wrapping it in a clean dish towel and gently pressing the extra liquid out.
- Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Transfer zucchini to a large bowl and add egg, cornmeal, honey salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder and red pepper flakes. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate all ingredients.
- Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to transfer fritter batter to heated skillet. Allow fritters to cook 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until browned and crispy on the other side.
- Transfer cooked fritters to paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
- In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder and dill. Using a fork or small whisk, stir until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Serve fritters warm with yogurt dill sauce on the side for dipping.
Share Your Thoughts!