It’s a fun challenge to continuously find new ways of preparing the abundance of produce that appears this time of year.

After trying zucchini fritters recently, I’ve realized that they’re nothing new to kitchen pros, but they were new to me and now we’ve already made them several times. They’re delicious and a great way to use up some of that extra zucchini.

Here’s how you can get started with your own Zucchini Fritters!

Yield: About 10 2 1/2 inch fritters

Ingredients
1 pound (~3 medium) zucchini (see photo below – that was a pound)
1 tsp. coarse salt, extra to taste
2-3 Tbs. chopped onion or scallion
1 egg, lightly beaten
Black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose or other flour of your choice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Olive or another oil of your choice

Optional Dressing
1 cup plain, full-fat yogurt (or sour cream would work)
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinches of salt
1  minced or crushed clove of garlic
Herb of your choice for added flavor (I used about a tablespoon of fresh dill)

After trimming the ends, grate the zucchini into a bowl using the large holes on a box grater.  Toss the salt in with the shreds and let sit in a colander for 10 minutes to extract some of the zucchini’s moisture.  After 10 minutes you’ll want to get even more moisture out by squishing the zucchini against the holes of the colander with a spoon or your hands.  Don’t worry if your zucchini pile appears a lot smaller after this step – this will save you from soggy fritters.

Return the zucchini to a bowl and add the onion, egg, and pepper.  Mix the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl before adding it in with the wet ingredients.

In a large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat and add spoonfuls of the zucchini batter, flattening them a bit with the back of a spatula.  Cook the fritters for about 3 – 4 minutes on each side, or until golden. Reduce heat if this is happening too quickly.

When they’re golden, let them sit on a towel to catch any excess oil.  You may want to have your oven preheated to 200* so you can keep the first ones warm while you repeat the process outlined above with the remaining batter.

To make the topping, just whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and any herbs you’d like to include.

Yum!

How are you preparing your zucchini this summer?

Have you tried these zucchini-blueberry muffins yet?