These French Style Zucchini Fritters are a great way to use up the abundance of zucchini available in late summer. They’re very popular across France, specifically in the South Eastern part of France. This region maintains strong Mediterranean influences and features many fried doughs, fritters and savory pancakes – all usually fried in extra virgin olive oil.

The particularity of these zucchini fritters is that they’re made with Gruyère, a hard mountain cheese, which lends a delicious flavor and texture.

This recipe requires 2lbs of zucchini (900g), which equals about 2 large zucchini or 3 medium size ones. These fritters are fairly easy and quick to make, especially if you have a food processor for grating the zucchini.

My tip for crispy zucchini fritters

A key to ensure the fritters will turn crispy every time is to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the grated zucchini. Especially when in-season and perfectly ripe, zucchini tend to retain a lot of water which can make the fritters soggy if not thoroughly squeezed out.

To do so, here are 2 simple techniques:

• Simply grab handfuls of the grated zucchini (with two hands), place your hands above the sink and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
• You can also place all the grated zucchini in a bowl lined with cheesecloth. Then grab the cheesecloth and squeeze as much liquid as you can into the bowl.

How to serve these French-style Zucchini fritters

One of the reasons why I love these fritters so much is because they are so versatile. You can enjoy them as a snack, or on their own – with just a simple pinch of salt. You can enjoy them as an appetizer or as a side dish. 

I personally love to serve them with a classic Stove-top Ratatouille, a Tomato Salad or sometimes with a bowl of Fresh Tomato Velouté Soup.  

You can also pair them with a dipping sauce for extra flavor: it can be a simple sour cream, crème fraiche or a Tartare sauce.

How to store these French-style Zucchini fritters

After making (and enjoying) these fritters – if you have any leftovers – you can store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

• In the refrigerator: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the fritters in a frying pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until crisp on the edges. I don’t recommend reheating them in a microwave as they will lose their crisp.
• In the freezer: store them in a (freezer-friendly) airtight container and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let them thaw in the fridge before heating them again in a pan.  

Common Questions

Can I substitute the Gruyère for another cheese?

Yes. Although I do prefer them made with Gruyère, these fritters can be made with another hard cheese such as grated cheddar or mozzarella. 

Can I use yellow squash instead of green zucchini?

Yes, absolutely. You can use yellow squash in the same quantity (1:1). Make sure to also wring out as much moisture as possible.

Why do the fritters falls apart when cooking?

This is likely because there is too much moisture in your batter or the pan isn’t hot enough. Make sure you wring out as much moisture as possible from the grated zucchini (see instructions above).

My cooking tips:

• It is very important the frying pan and the oil are well heated before you start adding the dollops of zucchini batter. This is essential to create crisp, browned fritters that release from the pan easily. Be sure to heat the pan at least 5 minutes before you start to cook.
• For making these French Zucchini Fritters, I strongly recommend using Gruyère. This hard, Swiss-made cheese is subtly salty with delicious nutty notes. It melts very well and creates great crisp edges too. In France, Gruyère is affordable and widely available. It often comes pre-grated, sold in individual pouches. In the US/Canada, Gruyère is a bit costlier than your average block of cheese, but well worth it to use in this recipe. As a more affordable option, you can opt for white or orange cheddar or grated mozzarella.
• The zucchini batter is loose. For shaping the fritters, drop heaping tablespoons of the batter into the sizzling pan and use a spatula to gently flatten them into patties. They don’t need to be perfectly round or even – little crannies create crisper edges! I don’t recommend making them any bigger or they won’t cook properly inside and will be harder to shape.

More late-Summer recipes to enjoy: 

• Classic French stove-top Ratatouille 
• Chilled Zucchini Mint Soup 
• Crustless Quiche with Summer Vegetables 
• Classic Vegetable Tian from Provence
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence
• Classic French Tomato Mustard Tart
• Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous) 
• Cod Provençal with Tomatoes, Capers & Olives

French-Style Zucchini Fritters

Print Recipe

Serves: Makes 12 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 18 Minutes 18 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.6/5

( 16 voted )

Ingredients

2 lbs zucchini (about 2 large)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 red onion (or 2 shallots), peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ cup (50g) Gruyere cheese, grated
½ cup (60g) all purpose-flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ to ½ cup (60ml to 120ml) extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Step 1 - Trim the zucchini ends and grate them on a grater or in a food processor. Pick up handfuls of the zucchini, place your hands above the sink and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can. Transfer the squeezed zucchini into a large mixing bowl.

Step 2 - Add the egg, the diced onion, the minced garlic, the gruyere cheese and black pepper. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add it to the zucchini bowl. Mix well. The mix may feel too dry at first but moisture will come out as you mix.

At least 5 minutes before you start frying, heat a large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons (30ml) of oil.

Step 3 - When the oil is sizzling, drop the zucchini mixture by the heaping tablespoonful into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Three or four dollops is plenty, at a time. Use a spatula to flatten the dollops of batter and fry until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes per side. 

Transfer the fritters onto a plate lined with paper towel. Lightly salt them to taste. Repeat until no zucchini mixture remains. When needed, add extra olive oil (up to 2 tablespoons) to “refill” the bottom the pan.

Serve fritters hot and crispy.

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