What’s the best way to get vegetable haters (or dislikers) to eat their veggies? Vegetable Fritters. It’s science! But don’t just save these for the veggie resistant; these are delicious enough to make part of your regular rotation.
Vegetable Fritters are the best way to use up all the veggies in your fridge.
I recently put these on the menu for one of my cooking classes and in true Simone fashion, figured out to make them just a couple hours before class started. Luckily, they’re a lot like latkes, and I happen to be a latke expert. The general idea is the same- grated veggies, egg, and a little flour, fry it all up in some hot oil and bam: vegetables are suddenly a whole lot more delicious.
Before you turbo scroll to the recipe for these vegetable fritters, please read this:
If you have any veggies in your produce drawer, possibly looking a little sad, you can make these! You do not need to run to the store for the vegetables I used when I made them.
I used zucchini, carrot, and sweet potato. Don’t have those things? No problem. Just measure 4 cups of any grated or chopped vegetable after you do the following:
- For dry, starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes: Simply grate with a box grater or food processor
- For leafy greens, such as kale, collards, spinach: Blanch until bright green and then drain, cool, and remove as much liquid as possibly by squeezing in a clean kitchen towel.
- For high liquid veggies such as zucchini, summer squash: grate and toss in a colander with a big pinch of salt and allow the liquid to sweat out for about 30 minutes before squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
The chive sour cream (or dairy-free alternative) is optional, but highly recommended.
Printquick and crispy vegetable fritters
These vegetable fritters are really more of a template than a recipe – you can use any veggies you have on hand. Feel free to add fresh herbs and/or any seasonings you’d like as well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (depending on type of veg used)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 fritters
- Category: vegetables
- Method: pan fry
Ingredients
- 4 cups grated vegetables (I used 1 medium zucchini, 2 medium carrots, and a small sweet potato – see note)
- 1 large shallot, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup potato starch (or other starch or other starchy gluten-free flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling if desired
- avocado oil and/or olive oil for cooking (about 1/2 cup)
for the chive sour cream, combine:
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or full fat yogurt or dairy-free sour cream)
- 2 tablespoons minced chives (about 1 dozen chives)
Instructions
- Grate and prep the vegetables you’re using according to the type of veg. (see note)
- In a large bowl, combine the grated veggies, shallot, garlic, eggs, and potato starch, and salt, and mix to combine.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1/4 cup of oil – you want a decent layer on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add a big spoonful of the veggie mixture and flatten it with the back of the spoon. They don’t have to be perfectly round! In fact, irregular fritters will have more crispy bits.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until deep golden brown and then flip. Cook another 2 minutes or so until both sides are crispy and golden. Remove to a rack or paper towel-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture, adding more oil as needed.
Notes
- For dry, starchy vegetables, such as, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes: Simply grate with a box grater or food processor
- For leafy greens, such as kale, collards, spinach: Blanch until bright green and then drain, cool, and remove as much liquid as possibly by squeezing in a clean kitchen towel. Then finely chop.
- For high liquid veggies such as zucchini, summer squash: grate and toss in a colander with a big pinch of salt and allow the liquid to sweat out for about 30 minutes before squeezing out as much liquid as possible. (Do this with white potatoes as well!)
To test the mixture for seasoning before making the whole batch: Simply cook up a tiny one first and then adjust as needed.
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Jessica says
These are delicious! I had a pretty large zucchini which was the full 4 cups. They didn’t get super crisp (probably because zucchini only and maybe I could’ve gotten more water out?) but I’m definitely welcoming this as a new fun way to use up zucchini. I should’ve made a double batch because I did also have a sweet potato and carrots on hand and I’ve nearly finished these with just zucchini. The potato starch was a great binder. I topped with feta and I’m dreaming of all the ways you could change up the flavor (more garlic, Greek or ranch seasoning, dill, etc).
zenbelly says
So glad you loved them! And ya, zucchini doesn’t have enough starch to get crispy on its own, but next time if you make them with some sweet potato they’ll definitely be crispier. There are definitely lots of ways to mix these up!
Janeen says
Can you bake these instead of frying? Although they look delish, I stay away from fried foods.
zenbelly says
you could, but they won’t be crispy and will basically be baked shredded vegetables.
Cathryn says
Delicious! Great way of enjoying veges
zenbelly says
so glad you enjoyed!