Bacon Zucchini Fritters

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5 from 8 votes

These crispy Bacon Zucchini Fritters combine fresh vegetables with savory bacon for an irresistible appetizer or side dish that's ready in minutes — a delicious way to use up summer zucchini!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Servings: 2-inch fritters

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Melissa Griffiths

Ingredients

2 zucchini medium
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cheddar cheese shredded (I prefer sharp cheddar.)
5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
2 large eggs lightly beaten
2 green onions finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili paste optional
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour (Or gluten-free all-purpose flour if desired.)
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons oil for frying

Instructions

Grate the zucchini with a box grater or food processor. Place into large bowl, add 1 teaspoon salt, wait 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, wrap zucchini in a cloth and squeeze dry with as much force as you can. You will likely get over ½ cup of liquid. Discard the liquid as it will be too salty to use.
Return pressed zucchini to bowl, and add cheese, bacon, eggs, green onion, chili paste, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add the flour and baking powder and stir to combine. Stir kind of gently so it's all mixed together but not smashed down and compacted too much! This will help the fritters be lighter and less dense.
If the batter is too thick you can add water or milk or another egg; if too wet add more flour. It should be thick and should not flow when placed onto the frying pan.
Preheat a frying pan (cast iron is best) over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and wait until it shimmers.
Place dollops of batter, about 2 tablespoons each, into the pan, spacing them apart. With the back of a spoon smooth out each dollop to about 2 inches wide. Don't make the fritters too thick! You should get 3-4 fritters in an average-sized skillet.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, flip, then fry the other side about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Repeat for the remaining batter, adding additional oil as needed.
Place cooked fritters into a 200°F oven on a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet to keep warm as you cook the other fritters.
Serve hot with a little additional salt on top as needed.

Notes

Tips For Making Patties:

Don't over-mix the ingredients the resultant mixture will be heavy and dense.
Make all the patties the same size so they will cook at the same rate. To get even-sized patties, use measuring cups or spoons to measure out your mixture.
Dampen your hands when shaping patties so the mixture won't stick to your fingers.
If the fritter mixture doesn't seem like it's wanting to hold together, try letting the patties sit in the fridge up to an hour to firm up.

Frying Tips:

Check the temperature of the oil by placing a few breadcrumbs into the pan they should take 30 seconds to brown.
Do not overload the frying pan which allows steam to be trapped near the cooking food which might lead to the patties being steamed instead of fried.
If you need to soak up excess oil place the patties on a rack to drain, do not place onto paper towels since steam will be trapped which can make the patty soggy, if you need to just press off the excess oil with paper towels then place onto a rack.

Storing Leftovers: Always wrap patties and store in an airtight container, as they can dry out if left in the fridge uncovered.

Freezing Zucchini Fritters: Place cooled fritters in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment paper between layers. They'll keep for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through and crispy.

Nutrition