Crispy Keto Zucchini Fritters are one of my favorite ways to enjoy summer produce. I’ve been making this same recipe for ages and I look forward to them every year. Filled with melty cheese and seasonings, they take only 25 minutes to make. And they smell absolutely amazing while they’re cooking!
Like many home gardeners, my zucchini plants tend to go wild and I scramble to keep up. I give the summer squash away to friends and neighbors, and I make (and freeze!) batches of Zucchini Lasagna and Keto Zucchini Bread. These flavorful fritters grace my table several times a summer.
It’s fun to switch up the cheeses, herbs, and spices, too. Feeling a little more Mediterranean? Try the Feta & Green Onion. Prefer a Southwestern flair? Then the Cheddar Jalapeno Fritters are for you! Either way, they fry up to crispy, golden perfection.
Why you will love this recipe
No soggy fritters here! Squeezing out the excess moisture and stirring in pork panko and some coconut flour gives them the perfect tender-crisp texture.
Versatility: These fritters make an excellent keto side dish, but they can also be served as appetizers. And they are fabulous for breakfast or brunch with a fried egg on top.
Customizable: I’ve provided two flavor variations, but you can also strike out on your own. How about some Parmesan and a little Italian seasoning? You can also scale the recipe up to serve more people.
Low carb and gluten-free: Made without any gluten or grains, and each serving has only 3 grams net carbs.
★★★★★
Dawn says: “OMG! These were delicious. I doubled the recipe because I was sharing it with a neighbor. I can’t even begin to explain how delicious they were. Thank you for such an awesome recipe!“
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Zucchini: Make sure you squeeze it well to remove most of the moisture.
- Crushed pork rinds: You can also use almond flour.
- Coconut flour: This helps bind the fritters and soak up any excess moisture.
- Eggs: Eggs help hold the fritters together better.
- Fritter recipe option 1: Crumbled feta, green onions, ground marjoram, pepper and salt.
- Fritter recipe option 2: Shredded cheddar cheese, jalapeños, garlic powder, cumin and salt.
How to Make Keto Zucchini Fritters
- Prep the zucchini: Sprinkle the zucchini with salt and drain for 1 hour over the sink. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- Combine the dry ingredients: Whisk the pork rinks, coconut flour, and seasonings. Stir in the cheese and green onions or jalapeños.
- Add the wet ingredients: Mix in the zucchini and eggs, and form 6 even patties.
- Pan-fry: Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the fritters and cook until golden brown. Carefully flip over and cook on the second side.
- Drain the fritters: Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain a few minutes before serving.
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
Drain well and squeeze: The key to any successful zucchini fritter recipe is to reduce as much moisture as possible. Salt the shredded zucchini and let it drain for at least an hour. Then wrap it all up in a tea towel and make like a boa constrictor, squeezing it to death!
Keto fillers: Crushed pork rinds really make a difference to these keto zucchini fritters. Because they naturally contain collagen, they swell with added liquid, creating a thicker batter and better consistency. The fritters held together much better in the pan, especially when trying to flip them over.
Skip the butter: These fritters take a bit to cook through and butter browns too quickly. It leaves the outside too dark while the center is still a bit mushy. You want an oil that can withstand the high heat for 10 minutes without browning or burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Popular Keto Zucchini Recipes
Keto Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Green Onion
- 2 cups (248 g) finely shredded zucchini
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (28 g) crushed pork rinds
- 3 tbsp (21.3 g) coconut flour
- 1 tsp ground marjoram
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1 cup (150 g) crumbled feta
- 2 medium green onions, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 2 to 3 tbsp avocado oil, or olive oil
Cheddar Jalapeno Zucchini Fritters
- 2 cups (248 g) finely shredded zucchini
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup crushed pork rinds
- 3 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 cup (113 g) shredded cheddar cheese, (4 ounces)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 to 2 medium jalapenos, (finely minced)
- 2 to 3 tbsp avocado oil, or olive oil
Instructions
Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Green Onion
- Place the zucchini in a fine-mesh sieve and sprinkle with the salt. Toss a few times and let drain 1 hour, then tranfer to a tea towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pork rinds, coconut flour, marjoram, and pepper. Stir in the crumbled feta and green onions.
- Add the zucchini and the eggs and mix until the batter comes together. Using your hands, form the mixture into 6 even patties.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, add the fritters and let cook until golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip over and cook on the second side until golden brown.
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain a few minutes before serving. Delicious with sour cream or yogurt.
Cheddar Jalapeno Zucchini Fritters
- Proceed as above, replacing the marjoram with the garlic powder and cumin, and the feta and green onion with the cheddar and jalapeno.
Notes
Total fat: 14.1g;
Carbohydrate: 4.1g;
Total dietary fiber: 1.8g;
Protein: 16.4g
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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What a fun and delicious recipe! These will be great to serve with dinner tonight! My kids will love these!
SO yummy! Will be making these over and over!
These were fantastic! My kids ate them and had no idea they were eating zucchini!
Zucchini Time
The moisture can be greatly reduced by scraping out the seeks before shredding..
These are so good!
Those jalapeno fritters rocked my world! Such a great flavor and didn’t last long at our house. I will definitely be making these again.
These fritters are incredible! We served them up as appetizers and they were a huge hit! Thanks.
These sound amazing! I’m looking forward to trying them. I love pork rinds!
I tired the bread recipe I did add 1/4 c flax meal and replace Greek yogurt with ricotta and some cream ( weighed out).
so yes modified. bread rose well and I guess took out too soon. bread collapsed and bottom portion was wet.
so I cut bread part off and wet portion sliced and toasted in oven. dipping stick for hummus.
Can you tell me WHY the loaf fell.
Looked great and taste is fine.
These are the bomb!
HI,
What can I substitute for the pork rinds and keep it low carb?
Thank you.
Almond flour and 1 to 2 tbsp collagen powder.
I don’t eat pork either so I had wondered if almond flour might be a good substitute. so do you use the same amount along with the two tablespoons of collagen powder?
That’s what I’d suggest, yes.
Was trying to find a way to get my picky vegetable eater son to eat other things besides green beans or riced cauliflower… BRILLIANT– grate them into FRITTERS! I made the cheddar ones but not jalapeño just used ground spices of ancho chile, garlic& onion powder, cumin, ground chipotle pepper, tajin seasoning, and subbed in Lupin flour for the almond flour. Also added Nutritional Yeast flakes for the health benefits/Omega3/VitB, etc. Made 10. Were GREAT, he had 3., I could see these being made with almost any water removed minced/diced Keto friendly vegetable. Getting water out of veg is key– thanks again for the work done to aid our KETO journey!
So glad he liked them!!!
Is there something I can substitute the pork rinds with? These look so good, but I don’t eat pork and am not sure if they will stay together without that.
Almond flour and maybe a tbsp or two of collagen.
I made the Cheddar and Jalapeno Zucchini Fritters for lunch today and really enjoyed it! I will enjoy having one or two for breakfast or lunch.
Hi Carolyn, I have been wanting to make zucchini fritters. They sound so good, especially the feta ones. But, I have to be dairy free and it is easier to buy the dairy free cheddar. My other problem is I am allergic to eggs also. Do you think a flax egg sub would work in these fritters? Thanks for your help. It is so hard to bake and cook egg free!
I honestly do not think they would stay together very well with anything other than real eggs. Sorry.
I don’t have ground flaxseed on hand but would like to make these today. Any substitute?
Just more almond flour.
I’ve mad these twice. The first time I thought that the ratio of flax meal made it a little bitter. The second time I adjusted it by cutting the flax in half and using almond flour for the other half. I also add a bit more zucchini because I wanted it to be more veggie structured. I used an air fryer. and if you haven’t tried that yet, I’m saying run, don’t walk to purchase one!!! OMG!! I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect fritter, and I’ve tried them on the stove, but the air fryer takes it up to a completely different level!! To die for!!
Hi, Sandy! Can you tell me for how long and at what temp you did these in the air fryer? Thank you so much!