Healthy zucchini fritters recipe

This courgette or zucchini fritters recipe is an adaptation of a very popular starter called “kolokithokeftedes” in Greece (which translates as “zucchini meatballs”), which is also known in Turkish as “mucver.” The main difference with the classic recipe is that it will not be necessary to deep-fry the fritters in a huge amount of oil, which is much healthier.

The ingredients and quantities in the recipe are indicative and not absolutely strict. It is possible to do without onion or spring onion, use herbs according to availability and even opt for chickpea flour if we want a gluten-free option. The most important thing is to follow the instructions to obtain a mixture that is not too liquid, so that the fritters do not lose their shape when cooking.

Prepare the zucchini fritters:

Wash the zucchini, discard the ends and cut them into small pieces. Grate them or grind them in a food processor (do it at quite low power, otherwise we will obtain a puree). Place the grated zucchini in a bowl and salt. Let it rest for at least half an hour, after which we will proceed to get rid of the liquid that will have drained.

Mix the zucchini with the cheese, egg, onion and chopped herbs. Add the flour little by little while mixing, until the mixture reaches a consistency that is thick enough. Season with ground pepper (depending on how much cheese we have added, it is probably not necessary to add more salt).

Cook the zucchini fritters:

If you have doubts, it is best to start with just one fritter, to check that it does not fall apart during the cooking. If that happens, adjust the quantities, you may possibly need to thicken the mixture with a little more flour.

Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. To form a fritter, portion out a tablespoon of the mixture and fry it for a few minutes on each side. When it is golden brown on both sides, remove and set aside. Add more oil to the pan if necessary, and continue with the rest of the mixture.

How to serve the zucchini fritters:

These kolokhitokeftedes, mucver or zucchini fritters are often served with Greek yogurt or tzatziki on the side. Another option, much more caloric but actually very delicious, is to accompany them with a some mascarpone cheese.

Tips and tricks:

1. The onion and herbs are optional, but they bring a lot of flavor and freshness to the final result, so they are worth adding. In Turkey it is also common to add a little grated carrot to the “mucver” mixture.
2. The previous step of salting and draining the zucchini is necessary, otherwise the excess of moisture would force us to increase the amounts of egg and flour. If you are looking for a quick option, you can skip the salting and resting process by pressing the grated zucchini firmly until you get rid of the liquid. The advantage of this process is that we will obtain a natural zucchini juice, which is delicious and healthy. But attention! If you opted for the salting method, do not try to drink that juice as it will be too salty.
3. If you decide on the “deep-frying” option (that is, frying the fritters by submerging them in plenty of oil), I recommend always doing it in extra virgin olive oil, since it is the healthiest option for our body. Also, the oil should be around 180 degrees. At lower temperatures, the fritters absorb too much oil, while above 210 degrees the oil begins to burn.