These Parmesan Zucchini Pancakes (aka zucchini fritters) highlight the best vegetable of the summer- zucchini! They are made with Parmesan, fresh herbs, and lemon, then pan-fried until crispy. Serve alone or with a dollop of lemony yogurt for a stand-alone meal or a side dish for the perfect brunch!
Zucchini season is in full swing here in New Jersey and I'm making all things squash! Like this zucchini galette, or my trendy- zucchini pie. But today is all about the crispy fried zucchini pancakes (aka zucchini fritters)!
Parmesan zucchini pancakes are savory fritters, made with shredded zucchini, Parmesan cheese, herbs, and a hint of lemon. With a little help from flour, eggs, and some baking powder, they get formed into circular patties and then pan-fried in olive oil for the crispiest, most delicious fritter.
And no zucchini pancake is complete without a dollop of herbed lemony yogurt or sour cream. It makes the perfect brunch dish!
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Ingredient notes
Here is what you will need to make these savory zucchini pancakes.
- Zucchini- Look for them at your local farmer's market or neighborhood grocery store. Peak season is in the summer where they will be the freshest, but they are available all year round. I like to use green zucchini, but you can opt for yellow squash. Either way, zucchini is mostly water, and you will need to squeeze the heck out of either one to produce the crispiest pancakes (more about that in a bit).
- Parmesan- Freshly grated is the best, but you can use pre-grated cheese.
- Flour- All-purpose.
- Baking powder- Adds a little height to the pancakes.
- Fresh herbs- I always have way too many chives, so I love throwing in fresh chives as well as fresh rosemary.
- Salt and pepper- Flavors the zucchini.
- Lemon zest- Adds brightness to the dish.
- Olive oil- For frying.
- Yogurt or sour cream- For serving on top of the pancakes.
Step-by-step instructions
These Parmesan zucchini pancakes will require a little bit of prep work, but they are so worth it. The key to making crispy fritters is to squeeze out all of the water from the zucchini. If you skip this step, you will be left with a pile of mush (believe me I tried).
Step 1. Shred the zucchini. Step 2. Salt the zucchini for 30 minutes, then squeeze out all the water. Step 3. Add all the ingredients to a bowl. Step 4. Mix until combined.
Step 5. Form into circular patties, about 3 inches wide.
Step 6. Heat oil in a skillet over medium. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
Step 7. Remove from heat and let cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. You can use a paper towel to blot some of the oil.
I like to garnish the zucchini pancakes with flaky sea salt, right after they come off the heat. Serve them with a dollop of yogurt, mixed with fresh lemon and additional fresh herbs.
💡Expert tip
Use a tea towel or cheesecloth to squeeze the water out of the zucchini. Once you think you have squeezed all the water out, go in for another squeeze, (trust me, there's more). The more water you squeeze out, the crispier your pancakes will be.
Substitutions and variations
Missing an ingredient? Want to mix things up? Try some of these suggestions.
- Zucchini- You can use green or yellow squash. You can even mix and match both types of squash.
- Herbs- Use any combination of fresh or dried herbs. Dill, basil, oregano, or mint work well.
- Garlic- Try adding a minced garlic clove for added flavor.
- Add heat- Make it spicy with crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper.
- Cheese- Swap out the Parmesan for grated Locatelli or Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Feta- Use crumbled feta cheese instead of Parmesan.
What to serve with Parmesan zucchini fritters?
I think these savory pancakes are amazing all on their own. I serve them topped with lemony yogurt, along with a side salad for a complete meal.
Zucchini pancakes make a great side dish to any brunch food. Serve them with frittatas, breakfast hash, or quiche.
Storage
Parmesan zucchini pancakes are best eaten immediately when they are at their crispiest. However, they can be stored, and covered in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat them in the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes or until heated through.
To freeze, tightly wrap each cooled pancake in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Don't skip this step. It's crucial to get the pancakes to crisp up. Summer squash is about 95% water, so they need all the help they can get. Also, be sure to salt the zucchini first. This gives the zucchini a head start and naturally draws moisture out.
More summer recipes
Looking for recipes with summer produce? Try these reader favorites!
Did you make this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating with a comment right below the recipe card. If you snap a photo of your creation, don't forget to tag me on Instagram @brunchandbatter.
📖Recipe
Parmesan Zucchini Pancakes
Equipment
- food processor fitted with the shredder attachment or box grater
- large non-stick skillet
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 lb (about 3 medium) zucchini (or about 9 cups, shredded)
- 1 tsp Kosher or fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste (½ teaspoon for salting the zucchini, ½ teaspoon for flavoring the batter)
- ½ cup (60g) all-purpose-flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- 2 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2-4 tablespoon olive oil for frying can use any neutral oil like canola or vegetable
- Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Using a food processor fitted with the shredding attachment, or the large holes of a box grater, shred the zucchini (skin and all). You should wind up with about 9 cups shredded zucchini.2 lb (about 3 medium) zucchini
- Add the shredded zucchini to a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of salt, and mix well. Set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature. This will help draw the water out of the zucchini.1 teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
- After 30 minutes, wrap the zucchini in cheesecloth or a tea towel, and squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as possible. When you think the water is all out, give it one last squeeze for good measure. Your zucchini will have shrunk down considerably, but that's ok.
- To a large bowl, add the shredded zucchini, flour, parmesan, baking powder, chives, rosemary, salt, pepper, lemon zest and eggs. Mix until well combined (the mixture should come together and hold).½ cup (60g) all-purpose-flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives, 2 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 large eggs, lightly beaten, 1 teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
- Form the zucchini mixture into circular patties, about 3 inches wide. You should end up with about 8 zucchini patties.
- Heat about 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the zucchini patties, without overcrowding the pan. You will need to work in batches. Fry the zucchini for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and repeat cooking until golden brown.2-4 tablespoon olive oil for frying
- Remove the zucchini to a paper-towel lined plate (or wire rack) to cool. If desired, sprinkle sea salt on the fritters while they are still hot. Serve immediately plain, or with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream and a splash of lemon.Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving, optional
Notes
- Use a tea towel or cheesecloth to squeeze the water out of the zucchini. Once you think you have squeezed all the water out, go in for another squeeze, (trust me, there's more). The more water you squeeze out, the crispier your pancakes will be.
- You can use green or yellow squash for this recipe.
- Parmesan zucchini pancakes are best eaten immediately when they are at their crispiest. However, they can be stored, and covered in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat them in the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes or until heated through.
- To freeze, tightly wrap each cooled pancake in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition*
*Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Nutrition information can vary depending on many factors, such as products used, measurements and substitutions, therefore it is recommended that you obtain nutritional calculations based on your own finished recipe.
Veronica says
These were good! I think I could have squeezed out more water, but they still held together nicely. Next time I'll add some feta too.
Jennifer says
Yes, getting rid of as much water as possible really helps. Love the feta idea too!