Vegan Zucchini Fritters are crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and so easy to make in the oven! Add carrots and baby spinach for an easy side dish that's ready in less than 30 minutes.
VEGAN ZUCCHINI FRITTERS RECIPE
I'm always looking for new ways to use vegetables, and especially zucchini. These Vegan Zucchini Fritters are a great simple side dish packed with extra veggies. You can even serve them as an appetizer or light main dish, too!
This is my go-to recipe for using up all my garden zucchini.
Summer is made for zucchini corn cakes with sweet summer corn, but I make these baked zucchini fritters (or courgette fritters if you're in the UK) all year long! Want to keep the fritter game going strong? Try these Mashed Potato Fritters!
Double up on the veggies with some shredded carrots and baby spinach. Plus, I keep these zucchini patties gluten-free with chickpea flour.
Want more easy zucchini recipes? Try my recipe for gluten free pan fried zucchini, or make a simple zucchini bake with vegan cheese on top.
You'll also want to save this recipe for Vegan Zucchini Muffins!
INGREDIENTS IN VEGAN ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
Zucchini: This sweet green squash is great prepared in so many ways. Fried, baked, or sautéed, I love zucchini.
Carrots: My favorite sweet vegetable! Shredded carrots bring extra stability to the fritters and some sweetness, too.
Chickpea flour: I like to keep this recipe gluten-free with chickpea flour. You can also sub for all-purpose flour.
Nutritional yeast: I love the flavor of nutritional yeast! It's an acquired taste, but I totally recommend it for this easy recipe.
Ground flaxseed: This is totally optional but adds a great nuttiness to the mix. Highly recommend!
Baking powder: To get a little lift in your fritters, add some baking powder to the mix.
Baby spinach: For a little leafy binder, wilted spinach is the best. It also adds some extra green color to the fritters for the most vegetables possible.
Spices: The seasonings on these vegan fritters are totally up to you! I usually use sage, garlic powder, and chili powder plus a dash of balsamic vinegar. Some pre-made spice blends like Trader Joe's Citrusly Garlic or Chili Lime also work very well.
Salsa: I usually whip up an easy salsa fresca with tomatoes, jalapeños, red onion, basil, garlic, and lime juice. You can also use your favorite store-bought salsa, marinara sauce, or even a creamy Mediterranean sauce!
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
- First, blend the zucchini and carrots in a food processor briefly until it's all perfectly shredded. The size is up to you, but don't let it turn into mush.
- Then, mix the blended zucchini and carrots in a large bowl with the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, ground flax seed, sage, garlic powder, chili powder, baking powder, baby spinach, and balsamic vinegar.
- To form the fritter patties, form about ¼ cup of the mixture into a ball. Then, flatten the patty with your hand on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake the zucchini fritters until they're golden brown and perfectly crispy on the outside.
- While the fritters are baking, make the salsa!
- Reuse the food processor to blend the tomatoes, jalapeños, red onions, basil, garlic, and lime juice together. You can leave it chunky like pico de gallo or make a more liquid-based salsa. Your choice!
- Finally, serve the fritters topped with salsa.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH VEGAN ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
I always top vegan zucchini fritters with a great homemade salsa. Mix it up with a homemade ranch dressing or vegan avocado dressing for a new flavor profile!
A dollop of dairy-free sour cream is also delicious with these.
Pair these baked zucchini fritters with some simple vegan meatballs! Bake everything to keep the stovetop clean and clear.
CAN THESE BE MADE IN A SKILLET?
Absolutely! To keep them from sticking, you'll need a little neutral oil like olive oil or avocado oil. Cook them on medium to medium-low heat to keep them from burning before the inside is cooked.
If you make zucchini fritters on the stovetop, flip them after about 5 minutes to brown both sides.
CAN I MAKE ZUCCHINI FRITTERS IN THE AIR FRYER?
You sure can! Check out my Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters recipe for all the details.
WHY ARE MY ZUCCHINI FRITTERS FALLING APART?
To make the best baked zucchini fritters, I like to mix it all by hand like meatloaf so that I know that the ingredients are fully combined.
Be sure to use parchment paper so the fritters don't stick to the baking sheet! This is a surefire way to make them fall apart when serving.
Also, if you cook them in a skillet, be sure not to flip them too soon. If one side isn't browned yet, they can fall apart quickly. Always check before flipping!
MORE AMAZING SIDE DISH RECIPES
Make your own vegetarian baked beans in the pressure cooker in a flash. These no-soak beans have a sweet and smokey flavor that's way better than canned.
Looking for a sweet side dish? Banana chips in the air fryer are crunchy, healthy, and made with just 3 ingredients!
There's no better comforting, creamy side dish than vegan mashed potatoes. No one will ever know these are completely dairy free!
Ditch the potatoes and make these baked zucchini fries ASAP! They're super crunchy and can be made in the air fryer or the oven.
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Easy Vegan Appetizers : Featuring Vegan Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
Zucchini Fritter Ingredients
- 2 zucchinis medium
- 1 carrots medium
- 1 ½ cups chickpea flour or all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed optional
- 2 teaspoons ground sage
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar optional
Salsa Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes diced
- ½ jalapeño pepper
- ½ red onion small
- ¼ cup basil
- 1 lime juiced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C).
- Use a food processor to blend the carrots and zucchini briefly. Blending time will depend on your food processor and your chop size preference.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the blended zucchini and carrots with all other fritter ingredients. Mix well.
- Make the fritters by rolling ¼ cup of zucchini mixture into a ball. Flatten ball with your hand on baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until desired crispiness. Tops should be golden brown.
- While the fritters bake, use a food processor to make the salsa. Add all ingredients and blend until your desired smoothness.
- Place fritters on a place and cover with salsa to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make on the stovetop, use a little neutral oil and cook over medium heat. Gently flip after 5 to 6 minutes.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Just made this and it was so easy! I'm never frying veggie fritters again.
So glad you loved it!!