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I’ve tried many a recipe for gluten-free Baked Zucchini Fritters. I think with this recipe I finally succeeded in making a baked zucchini fritter that not only tastes delicious but also holds together and gets nice and crispy in the oven. And without breadcrumbs.

What Is A Fritter?

A fritter, according to Encyclopedia Brittanica, is pretty much any food that you can bread or dip in batter and deep-fry. Technically, this means that this recipe doesn’t qualify as a fritter since it is, after all, baked and not fried. You can also call these oven fried fritters, similar to my Oven Fried Green Tomatoes recipe.

However, I’m still calling them fritters, regardless of the definition. Because these gluten-free bites are everything you want in a fritter. They’re crispy and golden on the outside, tender on the inside.

Why Zucchini Fritters?

I grow zucchini every year and always need to come up with new recipes. This one is amazingly delicious! Do you grow zucchini, or know someone who does? If so, then you know that you can never have too many zucchini recipes. This recipe is one more to add to your zucchini repertoire.

A Key Ingredient: Parmesan Cheese

Besides zucchini, Parmesan cheese is a star ingredient in these fritters. Parmesan makes them cheesy and delicious, and because it always crisps up so nicely in the oven, it contributes to the crisp golden exterior of the patty. It’s important to use a good quality, freshly grated Parmesan for best results in any dish. I like Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Why Are My Fritters Soggy?

There are a few reasons that you could end up with soggy fritters.

The main reason is not removing excess water. Zucchini squash has very high water content, so it’s important, for this recipe, that we remove as much water as possible from the grated squash. I like using cheesecloth and I keep it around for making jelly and lots of other recipes.

I’ve tried pressing the water out over a sieve with the back of a spoon, but it just doesn’t work as well as squeezing. If you don’t have cheesecloth, you can use a clean, thin kitchen towel to squeeze out as much water as possible.

Another reason for soggy baked zucchini fritters may be about oven temperature. You need a high oven temperature to successfully make this recipe. I use an oven temp of 400° because I’m using parchment paper. You should aim for that temp if you’re using parchment paper, like me. Any hotter is not really recommended when using parchment. However, if you omit the parchment and use a little more oil, you can bake them in at 425°. Just watch them carefully as the baking time will be reduced.

How To Eat Baked Zucchini Fritters

These are fritters are delicious either hot or cold, and make a perfect game day appetizer with a dipping sauce like sriracha mayo (I used wasabi mayo here). Some other delicious ways to enjoy them:

• As a meal, topped with sour cream and served with a salad.
• As a base for bruschetta.
• Topped with a poached egg and hollandaise for a gluten-free benedict.
• As a veggie burger patty

Can I Make these Fritters Ahead?

Yes, you can make these ahead. They taste even better the next day. They will keep for a couple of days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. If you want to reheat them, just put them in the oven for a few minutes until heated through.

You can also freeze them and defrost or reheat them from frozen. To freeze, cool completely, then freeze them on a tray until firm. Pack them in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Need More Zucchini Recipes?

Here are a couple more for you. Try Vegetable Zucchini Noodle Soup or Zucchini Tomato Bake

Baked Zucchini Fritters

Colleen

Cheesy baked zucchini fritters are delicious fresh out of the oven or served cold with your favourite dipping sauce.

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 24 mins

Total Time 39 mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American, Canadian

Servings 12

Calories 78 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini unpeeled, about 12"
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 small onion finely diced
• 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°
• Line a 16" x 12" baking pan with parchment, and brush or spray the parchment with olive oil
• Using a food processor or a box grater, shred zucchini and sprinkle it with salt.
• Put the grated zucchini in batches in the center of a couple of layers of cheesecloth, or use a clean kitchen towel. Form a "bag" around the zucchini and really squeeze as much water as you can from it. You want the zucchini to be as dry as possible. Let the zucchini sit in a strainer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. When as much moisture as possible is removed, you should have about 2 cups of zucchini, but a little more or less will be fine.
• In a large bowl combine eggs, Parmesan, garlic, onion, basil and pepper
• After giving the grated zucchini one more squeeze, in batches, add it to the Parmesan mixture and stir well to combine.
• Stir in the chickpea flour, combining thoroughly
• Form the batter into 12 balls (each ball will be a little less than 1/4 cup)
• Put the balls, evenly spaced, on the prepared baking sheet and flatten with the back of a spoon to form patties
• Bake in the center of the oven for 12minutes
• Flip the patties and bake 12 more minutes
• Garnish with parsley and serve hot or allow to cool and refrigerate.

Notes

If you're using a food processor, it's handy to grate the Parmesan first, set aside, and then grate your zucchini.

If gluten is not an issue for you, you can substitute all-purpose flour for the chickpea flour. However, you may want to give the chickpea flour a try. It adds a slightly nutty flavour and great texture. It's also much more nutritious, being high in protein and low in calories.

Because I used parchment, it may seem like the oil is unnecessary, but its purpose is to help crisp the fritters and turn them golden, so be sure to use it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 78kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 5gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 246mgPotassium: 109mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 155IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 1mg

Keyword courgette recipes, parmesan cheese, zucchini recipes

Tried this recipe? What changes did you make?Let us know how it was!