Crispy, golden zucchini fritters with creamy ricotta and fresh herbs. These quick and easy fritters are perfect as an appetizer, light lunch, or side dish!
Ingredients
2medium zucchinis, about 7 ounces each, coarsely shredded
Grate the zucchini using a box grater or food processor with the shredding attachment.
Toss the grated zucchini with about 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Let it sit for 15-20 minutes in a colander to allow the salt to draw out excess moisture.
Transfer the zucchini to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze it very well until dry. This step is crucial for achieving crispy fritters.
In a large bowl, combine the prepared (squeezed) zucchini, thinly sliced garlic, scallions, fresh herbs, whole-milk ricotta, eggs, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Stir everything together until well combined.
Add the flour and stir just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
Before you start frying the fritters, line a large baking sheet with paper towels for draining the cooked fritters.
In a large skillet, heat about ¼ inch of olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Working in batches, add 2-tablespoon mounds of the fritter batter to the hot oil, spreading them gently to form 3-inch fritters.
Fry over medium-high heat, turning once, until browned (deeply golden) and crisp, about 4 minutes total.
Transfer the cooked fritters to the prepared baking sheet to drain excess oil.
Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
Serve the fritters right away with lemon wedges for squeezing.
Pair with a hearty mustard sauce and garnish with extra fresh herbs and a sprinkle of flaky salt, if desired.