Courgette Fritters are a healthy and delicious entry in a type of food that has become notorious for its fat content (though my carrot and coriander fritters are another notable exception). The stigma attached to fritters came to the fore with the arrival of the Mars bar fritter in a hazy, calorie filled moment around 10 years ago (correct me if I’m wrong). Essentially a deep fried Mars bar, these hunks of what is essentially just fat and sugar endowed the term ‘fritter’ with something of a bad name. Gladly, with health a growing concern for many the aforementioned fritter – we shall no longer speak its name – has rightly fallen from grace and out of vogue (except perhaps in Glasgow). Though some notable and respectable household chefs still seek to add fat and cheese to their fritters, the very best renditions are light and just a tad spicy – perfection in the summer months.
To my mind, there are two ways of cooking fritters – you can shallow fry them, or deep fry them. Either is good and if done properly deep frying doesn’t leave you with a fat soaked heap of a fritter. However, my personal favourite method is shallow frying – it makes less mess and is the healthier option of the two. I also find that with shallow frying you get a light crunch and crispiness, something that suits the profile of these fritters inimitably.
You can flavour these courgette fritters any way you please – they needn’t be spicy, but I would keep the base recipe roughly the same. Herbs work very well as they maintain the lightness of the ensemble, whereas cheese would work but create a heavier, fattier fritter that to my mind is best reserved for “burgers”. These are well served atop a mound of crisp salad, alongside pita bread and a little mango chutney, yoghurt, salsa or even hummus.
Could anything be more perfect for this warm weather than a courgette fritter? Is there anything you’d like to see me turn into a fritter?
Courgettes Fritter
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
• 2 courgettes, grated
• 4 tbsp gram flour
• 75-100ml water
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, mashed
• A large handful of fresh herbs, finely chopped
• 2 tsp cumin seed, freshly ground
• 1 tsp coriander seed, freshly ground
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• Salt and pepper
Method:
1. Toast your spices gently and add them to a large mixing bowl. Take your grated courgettes, squeeze most of the water out of them using a tea towel, add them to the bowl. Tip in the red onion, garlic, gram flour and herbs (coriander, mint, basil – whatever you please) and add water until you have a batter of good dropping consistency. Season.
2. Heat a generous amount of oil -preferably tasteless – in a pan and take a scoop of the mixture in your hand (around 1 tbsp or so). Place gently into the oil, patting it down a little. Cook 2-3 at a time until each is golden brown and crisp on either side. Serve as suggested above.
Cost: Courgettes are relatively cheap (2 for £1) and are made to go a surprisingly long way in this recipe. As such, this meal should set you back no more than £1.60.
50 replies on “Courgette Fritters”
I must admit, I have always kind of wanted to try a deep fried Mars bar for the novelty – but I would very happily tuck into a plate of these instead! I love zucchini and those Indian-ish spices sound wonderful 🙂
I tried one once, It was ok… Not as nice as these 😀
It could snow at the weekend, unlikely in Somerset in June, but I’m still going to try this recipe.
Please do! I’m in the same area and it didn’t snow here 😀
Lovely!
I made these a few years ago and completely forgot about them. Thanks for the reminder, I’m making it tonight!
Those are just lovely, Frugal. Bravo!
Nice recipe, Nick! Will stash that away for next year’s tromboncino harvest.. 🙂
Please do – hope you eventually like them!
Those look amazing, Nick! At the end of the summer when the markets are overflowing with zucchini (ha!), I forget that I can make fritters as well. Definitely will return to this one!
You better had, Daisy…
I will 🙂
Looks so good!
I don’t know about the bad rep for fritters only dating back from the Mars bar era! You should have seen the corn fritters we got at boarding school back in the 60s. OMG … now, if they’d served us these gorgeous-looking – and healthy – morsels we’d have been in heaven (instead of an indigestion-induced torpor!). 🙂
These look so amazingly crispy, love it! I can taste them now!
Lovely and very bhaji like! Delicious 🙂
Look very nice, I’m a big fan of fritters …
Amazing! I love any kind of fritter–potato, corn, zucchini. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
These look delicious. And I’m just beginning to learn how to use a camera so the photography has blown me away!
These look great. Why gram flour rather than plain flour?
It’s more flavourful and works a little better as a “glue”
Cool, I’ll have to try that — thanks!
This looks really lovely. Great job!
All I have to say is you can fritter me anytime LOL. I LOVE this. I am so hungry right now
Hah – I’ll bear that in mind!
Absolutely delicious looking and very tasty with the seasonings you used, I’m sure.
Thanks – they were very tasty indeed!
very tasty-sounding my friend! love a *healthy* veggie fritter and this fits the bill in a very savory summery way!
Looks scrumptious! I prefer the shallow frying technique too. Have a great weekend!
[…] And there we go: Frugal Feeding’s Courgette Fritters […]
We did shallow frying and they were fantastic. So simple as well. Thanks!
Wooaw! This looks delicious!
This might be the prettiest fritter I have ever seen. No courgette, or as we say, zucchini, in our parts yet, but when they come, they are abundant.
What a compliment. Thanks!
Ah cool these are perfect for me to make at uni! Cheap, quick and easy, can’t wait to cook them, makes a change from the sweetcorn ones I make sometimes too.
They look absolutely perfect, and your photography is stunning also!
I’m so glad you think so!
The photos are so mouth-watering…I’ve already eaten dinner tonight but I want those now anyways!
Thank you so much!
OMG I’m out for some courgettes
Gorgeous fritters, they look utterly yummo!
Do you have a potato ricer? I’m asking because mine is seldom used to “rice” cooked potatoes but is used often to squish the liquid out of grated raw veggies – courgettes, raw spuds for hash browns/rosti, cucumber for tzatziki etc……… It saves on washing teatowels and removes more moisture, just do give the ricer a good rinse straight after squishing raw potatoes because that potato starch really sticks!
I agree with you on allowing the flavors to shine. No need to bathe them in grease! (Although I live in the South where anything and everything is subject to frying.) Light, colorful, flavorful.
I’m not a huge fan of grease..
Oh yes please. These look fantastic. Too bad courgettes season has come to an end in New Zealand have shot back up to $8.99 a kilo.
Wow, love these little fritters. The batter is very versatile, you could add anything (smoked salmon,mushrooms, chicken, asian veg, anything). I substituted the 1tsp salt for 1 tsp Vegatta. Worked out wonderfully. Also added about 1/4 cup low fat grated cheese and used rice bran oil in the pan. Was great to have both my 5 yr old twin boys eat every fork full 🙂 Oh a note to add – I made the whole mix up about 2 hours before cooking and kept it in the fridge. Worked out great!
Love these so much … I did add a lot more garlic, but I am a garlic addict … the whole family enjoyed them … thank you!!
Thanks – more garlic is always good!
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