Oh my goodness! Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters are easy to make, and a big hit with everyone! The spices are warmly complementary, and go perfectly with the recommended onion dip. And you want to know what else? No draining and squeezing out the zucchini! They are the epitome of fuss free!
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If you garden, you're throwing zucchini in everything you make around the end of June aren't you? And whether or not you garden, zucchini is a fabulous, cost effective vegetable, with a neutral taste, so you CAN toss it in most dishes!
This recipe for Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters is the perfect thing to make with that zucchini - and even works with that one you accidently left on the vine too long that got too seedy. Warm spices, nutty buckwheat flour, and delicious shredded zucchini all come together for a side dish you'll love.
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Heart Health Benefits of Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters
While your average zucchini fritter isn't the most unhealthy food you can eat, it's also not going to do your health a lot of favors. My recipe is different. I designed it specifically to be heart healthy - which is also healthy in general!
Let's start with the zucchini. I've mentioned in other zucchini posts that it isn't over the top in the nutrition department. It does contain a notable amount of vitamin C, which is important, especially heading into the winter months. But zucchini's real claim to fame is its high water content, which also means low calorie content - great for weight management, which is great for heart health. It's low cost (especially if you grow your own), extremely common, and mostly neutral in flavor - meaning that it can be used in a wide variety of recipes, both savory and sweet!
I've jacked up the nutrition in this recipe by using buckwheat flour, which is a higher protein flour, along with being high fiber. Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten free also. Despite what its name suggests, it is not wheat at all, so it is an excellent substitute for wheat flour. Buckwheat flour has a bit of a nutty flavor, which goes nicely with the other ingredients.
Another way I've made these crispy zucchini fritters heart healthy is in what I've omitted. Many zucchini fritter recipes use ingredients like eggs, cheese, loads of salt, and sometimes even mayonnaise. If you're eating for your heart, too much of any of those won't be helpful! So I've used none of them, and instead I've used the zucchini's own juices and chia seeds to hold them together with the buckwheat flour, and a fantastic variety of herbs and spices to amp up the flavor (and the antioxidant power!). Heart healthy zucchini fritter perfection!
Ingredients
Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters use a handful of basic ingredients:
- Zucchini
- Grapeseed oil
- Garlic
- Buckwheat flour
- Green onions
- Salt
- Ground chia seeds
- Cumin
- Cinnamon
- Black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This is a really easy zucchini fritter recipe! Check out these steps:
Combine the ground flax or chia in a bowl with the water, and set aside.
Shred the zucchini, and put it in a large mixing bowl.
Add the salt to the zucchini and mix.
Chop the green onions, and add to the zucchini.
Add the rest of the fritter ingredients.
Mix well, and allow to rest 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, if you don't have a thick batter, add water a tablespoon at a time until you do.
Score the batter so you can divide it into 8 equal amounts.
Heat the pan, add the oil, and scoop ⅛th of the batter into the pan for each fritter. Flatten with the back of the spoon if needed.
Cook for 5-7 minutes, and flip. Cook another 5 or so minutes until the fritters are cooked through. Remove from the pan to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with additional batter if needed.
Hint: buckwheat flour will yield a much darker result than regular wheat flour, so be prepared for that if you've never used it before!
Substitutions
Missing an ingredient or two? Try a substitute below.
- Onions - white onions, red onions, yellow onions, chives, and shallots will all work just as well in this recipe
- Flour - whole wheat flour is a great alternative if you don't need to eat gluten free, and you don't have buckwheat flour
- Chia/flax - one whole, beaten egg can be used in place of the chia or flax and water combo
Variations
Variations on this recipe have to do with the herbs and spices you use. Keep the same base recipe.
- Spicy - add a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce to the batter
- Italian - use Italian seasoning, or a mix of dried basil and oregano instead of cumin and cinnamon
- Breakfast - keep the cinnamon, and add a little maple syrup and vanilla extract to the batter
Equipment
To make gluten free zucchini fritters you will want a few special items, besides your basic measuring cups and spoons.
You'll need a grater or shredder of some kind. A box grater or cheese shredder will be perfect. I really like my All in One Chopper, Slicer, and Grater (affiliate link) for this, but whatever you have will work.
You'll also probably want a nonstick skillet. Otherwise, you will find yourself adding much more oil to the pan to keep the fritters from sticking. A cast iron skillet will work great, or you might want to try this Ninja NeverStick PossiblePan (affiliate link). I love this thing!
Storage
If you do have any of your healthy zucchini fritters left over, cool them completely to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container and refrigerate. It's important to cool them before sealing them in a container so condensation doesn't form in the container, which will make them soggy!
They can be reheated in a 450 degree oven for 5-7 minutes, or can be pan fried in a small amount of oil for a few minutes on each side - just long enough to reheat.
Technically you could heat them in the microwave, but they'll be soggy, and not crispy at all. I don't recommend this method.
Pro tip
These cook a lot like pancakes, so turn the heat down to medium when you add the batter to the pan so they don't burn on the outside before they cook on the inside.
FAQ
While I haven't tested this with another gluten free flour, I imagine it would work. This isn't a baking recipe that's relying on the flour for spongy texture. If you try it, let me know which flour you used, and how it turned out!
Technically, yes. But you won't get the crispiness, and they take quite a while to bake. If you want to, bake them at 400 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes, until they're browned and cooked all the way through. Flip them halfway through baking. I highly recommend the pan frying method though!
Soggy fritters are usually caused by too much liquid in the batter. In this recipe, we're careful to not add any liquid (unless absolutely necessary) other than what the zucchini naturally releases, but sometimes they seem to be ultra juicy! Your batter should seem very thick, and if it doesn't add a little more flour until it does.
You also want to make sure your pan is searing hot before you add the batter. If the pan isn't hot enough, the fritters will just absorb the oil and become greasy and sometimes soggy instead of starting to cook right away. You'll also find your fritters probably sticking to the pan!
Finally, you may have made the fritters too thick. If the fritters are not thin enough, the outside will start to burn while the inside remains uncooked and doughy.
If your fritters are already cooked, and soggy, and can bake them in the oven at 400 degrees at 5 minute intervals until they aren't soggy anymore.
This could be because there isn't enough liquid in the batter to activate the binding ingredients. In this recipe, we use ground chia seeds (or flax seeds) with buckwheat flour and let the zucchini release its juices into it to create a nice, thick batter. This takes some time, which is why we allow the mixture to rest about 10 minutes before cooking. If you can still see dry ingredients after that time, add a bit of water until it's all uniform.
Yes! After you cook them, allow them to cool to room temperature, and individually wrap them in plastic wrap, making sure to keep as much air out as possible. Freeze completely for up to 6 months.
When you want to eat them, allow them to thaw completely. They can be reheated in a 450 degree oven for 5-7 minutes, or can be pan fried in a small amount of oil for a few minutes on each side - just long enough to reheat.
Technically you could heat them in the microwave, but they'll be soggy, and not crispy at all. I don't recommend this method.
Related
Looking for other zucchini recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite sauces to serve with Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters:
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Ground Chia or Flax Seeds
- 3 tablespoon Water
- 4 cups Grated Zucchini
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Buckwheat Flour
- ¼ cup Chopped Green Onions greens only
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced (or 1 teaspoon minced garlic)
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- Ground Black Pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Grapeseed Oil
Instructions
- Measure the ground chia or flax into a small bowl, and mix with 3 tablespoon water. Set aside for a few minutes.
- Grate the zucchini, and put it in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt. Toss to coat.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, including the gelled chia or flax, and stir to combine everything together.
- Let rest for at least 10 minutes (the zucchini will release its liquid, and the mixture will become the consistency of thick batter).
- If the batter seems too dry at this point, add water, a tablespoon at a time, until you get a thick batter consistency.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the oil, and scoop ⅛th of the batter into the skillet and flatten into a thin circle (fritters that are too thick will burn on the outside while remaining raw on the inside). Reduce heat to medium.
- Repeat until your pan is full. Work in batches if necessary.
- Pan fry the fritters about 5-7 minutes on each side, until nicely browned and starting to crisp. Thinner fritters may take less time.
- Remove from the pan onto a plate lined with paper towels until the rest are cooked.
- Serve warm, with French Onion Dip, if desired.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour if the weather is hot)
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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