Italian Zucchini Fritters Recipe with Zucchini Flowers

Italian zucchini fritters, also known as frittelle di zucchine, are a delicious and easy antipasto that will impress your friends and family. Made with fresh zucchini, these little pancakes are perfect for showcasing the versatile vegetable in a new and exciting way. Whether you have an abundance of zucchini from your garden or just want to try a new zucchini recipe, these fritters are sure to become one of your favorite appetizers.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Zucchini Fritter Variations
• Serving and Storage
• Tips
• The Best Zucchini
• More about zucchini flowers
• Recipes with zucchini you might also like
• 📋Italian Zucchini Fritters Recipe with Zucchini Flowers

One thing that sets these little zucchini pancakes apart from other variations is the inclusion of zucchini flowers.

These delicate blossoms add a unique flavor and beautiful presentation to the dish.

Paired with a cheesy batter, these crispy fritters make a perfect starter.

Your dinner guests will love these delicious zucchini fritters not only for their irresistible flavor but also for their lovely presentation.

Serve them at your next gathering or simply enjoy them as a tasty treat to celebrate the summer season.

No matter the occasion, easy zucchini fritters are sure to become a staple in your appetizer recipe repertoire.

For more zucchini recipes you can check: Shrimp Zucchini Pasta, Zucchini and Mushroom Quiche, Stuffed Round Courgettes, Fried Zucchini Flowers Recipe

Ingredients

To make these cheesy zucchini fritters, you'll need the following key ingredients:

• Zucchini with flowers: Choose smaller zucchini with flowers if possible. Larger zucchini tend to have a higher water content, which can result in a watery batter. If you cannot find the zucchini flowers, you can make these zucchini cakes without them. You can either use grated or shredded zucchini

For the fritter batter

• Large eggs
• Garlic
• Parmigiano cheese (parmesan cheese)
• Shredded mozzarella
• Fresh Herbs: fresh basil, fresh parsley, oregano or thyme. Use either one not all together
• All purpose flour (gluten free flour can be used too)
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Consider adding other Italian ingredients like Pecorino Romano to enhance the flavors of your fritters.

Sometimes, some bread crumbs and other Italian cheeses like fontina can be included for variation.

Instructions

Cleaning the flowers

Zucchini flowers are easy to clean as the entire flower is edible:

1. Cut the flower sepals (the small green mini leaves that covers the base of the petals)
2. Open the flower to make sure there are no insects inside
3. Wash the flowers with running water
4. Lay them upside down in a colander to drain out any water from inside the flower

Making the zucchini mixture

1. Cut the flowers in slices along the petal
2. Rinse the zucchini and either shred them or slice them very thinly. Best to use a shredder

Hint: if you are using large zucchini, squeeze out any excess moisture from the shredded zucchini. This is essential to avoid a watery batter and ensure crispy fritters. You can use cheese cloth or a clean kitchen towel for this process.

3. Mix the flowers and the zucchini with all the ingredients for the batter in a large bowl
4. Stir thoroughly until all the ingredients are combined

Frying the fritters

1. In a large frying pan, add some olive oil
2. With your hand, shape the small frittata patty and fry for about 10 minutes
3. Turn over to the other side until golden brown
4. Lay on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil

Zucchini Fritter Variations

Cheese Options

There are several cheese options you can try when making Italian Zucchini Fritters.

Typically, you'll find recipes using grated Parmigiano cheese for a rich, salty flavor.

However, you can also experiment with other Italian cheeses like mozzarella or ricotta for a creamier texture.

Another option for a more tangy taste is adding crumbled pecorino Romano cheese to your fritter mix.

Gluten-Free Alternatives

For a gluten-free variation, simply replace the all-purpose flour in the recipe with a gluten-free flour blend or almond flour.

Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the amount of liquid added to the batter for proper consistency, as gluten-free flours can be more absorbent.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can customize your Italian Zucchini Fritters to suit your taste and use the ingredients you have on hand.

Here are some ideas for ingredient substitutions:

• Herbs: The recipe often calls for fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, or mint. Feel free to mix and match your favorite herbs or use dried herbs if you don't have fresh ones available.
• Spices: Add some extra flavor by experimenting with additional spices like paprika, cayenne pepper, or even garlic powder.
• Baking Powder: While not always included, some recipes may call for a small amount of baking powder. You can skip this ingredient if you prefer your fritters to be denser and less fluffy.
• Meat: If you're looking to make your Italian Zucchini Fritters more filling, consider adding some already cooked and crumbled bacon or Italian sausage to the fritter batter.
• Zucchini: If you don't have zucchini available or prefer another type of squash, you can substitute with yellow squash or even grated carrot.

Remember to properly adjust your prep and cook times depending on the substitutions you make.

Once cooked, transfer the fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil and allow to cool slightly before enjoying.

Serving and Storage

Serving Suggestions

Italian Zucchini patties make for a fantastic appetizer or side dish, especially with their cheesy and flavorful profile.

To serve them as an appetizer, you can plate them alongside a dipping sauce of your choice, such as greek yogurt or garlic aioli.

If you prefer to enjoy them as a side dish, they pair well with a variety of proteins like grilled chicken, fish, or steak.

For a meatless main course, you can place a few fritters on a bed of fresh greens and top with a fried or poached egg.

For the Summer it can also be served as a light lunch with a salad on the side.

I find them very handy since I planted zucchini in my garden.

If I don't know what to make for lunch, I can always go to my vegetable patch and fetch some fresh zucchini and flowers and lunch is ready.

When you're preparing to serve, be sure to transfer your cooked fritters to a large bowl lined with a paper towel or a cooling rack to help reduce any excess oil.

Tips

• Buy medium / small zucchini as they have fewer seeds
• I cut the zucchini in thin slices as my zucchini Trombetta are very thin. If you are using regular zucchini you may want to shred them with a julienne cut to make sure the zucchini cooks thoroughly and frittata keeps its shape
• When making your fritters, don't overcrowd the frying pan; thoroughly drain and remove excess moisture from the grated zucchini to ensure a crispy fritter.
• If you want to make it low fat, you can cook it in the oven in a silicon mould as I did for these baked frittatas
• If you cannot find zucchini flowers, the frittata is also good with just zucchini

The Best Zucchini

I am using Zucchini Trombetta for this recipe, which I am growing in my garden this year.

Zucchini Trombetta are long and curved zucchini shaped like a trumpet and they are typical of the Italian Ligurian region.

They are crunchy and have a distinctive flavor and if you want to know more about it you can read my article: The Amazing Zucchini Trombetta Albenga.

In the article, you will find additional zucchini recipes and you can make them with any regular zucchini.

If I cannot find zucchini Trombetta, I always buy small zucchini as they have fewer seeds and they are not too watery.

More about zucchini flowers

Zucchini flowers are a common ingredient in Mediterranean countries during the summer where they are in season.

You can find them in most supermarkets, but they can be expensive and you have to use them the same day.

That is why I like to have my own zucchini plants in my vegetable garden.

I can pick them early in the morning on the same day that I want to prepare them.

I pick them early in the morning as the flower is still open and I can check that no insects are inside.

After only a few hours the flower will close.

That is why I like to have my own zucchini plants in my vegetable garden. I can pick them up early on the same day I want to prepare them.

For more information about zucchini flowers you can read the recipe: Fried Zucchini Flowers Recipe

Recipes with zucchini you might also like

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