Zucchini Pancakes are the perfect way to enjoy the perfect vegetable, zucchini! Shredded zucchini is tossed with parmesan cheese, flour, and spices then fried into perfectly delicious bites.

Serve these veggie pancakes with a dollop of sour cream or marinara sauce for the perfect healthy appetizer or side dish!

Stacked Zucchini Pancakes

Zucchini Pancakes or Fritters

I love making all types of fritters and pancakes from Salmon cakes to mashed potato cakes. These zucchini fritters have officially joined the team.

I usually think of fritters as a crisp deep fried item, almost like hush puppies. Zucchini has a lot of moisture giving these zucchini pancakes a texture that is a cross between a pancake and a fritter; golden and crisp on the outside and soft and tender in the middle.

Zucchini is over 90% water so in these pancakes, I pre-cook the zucchini to remove the moisture and squeeze out any remaining moisture.  Many people salt the zucchini but I prefer the method of cooking the zucchini first (along with the white onion).

Easy Zucchini Pancakes with side of marinara sauce

How To Shred Zucchini

When you make zucchini pancakes, shredding the zucchini helps to keep it thin enough to shape them. I use the large side of a standard box cheese grater to shred zucchini.

You don’t need to worry about peeling zucchini before you shred it as the peel softens a ton when it is cooked. You will hardly notice it in your dish.

Stack of Zucchini Pancakes

How To Make Zucchini Pancakes

When making zucchini pancakes, cook the shredded zucchini first to eliminate some water. This keeps the pancakes from becoming soggy and helps to hold them together while they cook.

Mix your ingredients and drop about 1 ½ tablespoons into the hot pan. Cook ‘em for about 5 minutes on each side or until you see a beautiful crispy and caramelized exterior!

Serve zucchini pancakes with an array of dipping sauces like pico de gallo, sour cream, hot sauce… there’s no wrong answer here!

More Zucchini Faves

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
Stacked Zucchini Pancakes
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Easy Zucchini Pancakes

These zucchini pancakes are the perfect way to enjoy this colorful vegetable! Shredded zucchini is tossed with parmesan cheese, flour, and spices then fried into perfect zucchini pancakes. 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 12 pancakes

Equipment

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Ingredients  

  • 2 large zucchini or 3 small
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 2 eggs
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • Cook shredded zucchini in a non-stick pan until tender, about 5 minutes.  Cool and using cheesecloth or a tea towel, squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
  • In a medium bowl combine the flour, seasonings and cheeses. Add zucchini and egg.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium high. Drop zucchini mixture by large tablespoons into hot oil. Spread to 3" circles.
  • Fry about 3-4 minutes on each side flipping as needed.
  • Serve warm with sour cream or tomato sauce.
5 from 25 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 66 | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 191mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 9.7mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. They were fluffy. I used a zuchinni brocolli combination. The cheese added the creaminess. Served with plain Greek Yogurt.5 stars

  2. Your recipes are absolutely wonderful!
    I’m addicted to your pickle pasta salad.
    But then to be expected from a Canadian girl from Edmonton. I grow up ten blocks from your posted address.

  3. What if I don’t have a cheesecloth or a tea towel what can I use to squeeze out the liquid then? I want to definitely try and make these sometime. I’m not much of a cook so I wouldn’t know what to use.

    1. Hi Faith, you can also use a paper towel to try and soak up some of the moisture as well. Hope you enjoy it!

  4. I made it twice. The first time it was good but I thought it was missing something. The second time I added pesto and it was amazing…the missing ingredient!

    1. This will be approximately 2 cups of grated zucchini. I haven’t tried the recipe with frozen zucchini, but it should work if you make sure to squeeze out all of the moisture. Let us know if you try it Dorothy!

    1. I’ve only made the recipe as written, so can’t say for sure. Maybe another reader can help. Let us know if you try it Andrea!

  5. OMG made for years. These are way better, could eat the whole bunch. Nice instead of potatoes healthier too next Time will make a double batch had with sour cream Holly’s mom5 stars

  6. These were delicious and a huge hit! I didn’t have any mozzarella so used pepper jack cheese instead we like things a bit spicy so it was a good substitution for us. I also added about 1/4 cup of Italian seasoned panko crumbs for more binder. We even enjoyed them cold in the morning for breakfast! I’m already being asked to make them again!5 stars

    1. Hi Angelina, our nutrition information is based on one pancake = one serving! :)