How to Make Crispy Zucchini Fritters with Broccoli (Vegan Recipe)

This recipe for crispy zucchini fritters is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. These savory vegetable fritters are vegan and low calorie. They are easy to make and freeze well, so they are perfect for meal prepping. Keep reading to discover how to make vegan zucchini fritters with chickpea flour and get tips for cooking fritters along with serving suggestions.

Vegan Zucchini Fritters

Each year from mid to late summer, I’m looking for creative ways to use zucchini. Luckily, this summer squash is versatile. These chickpea flour vegan zucchini fritters are perfect for any meal and make delicious vegan zucchini recipes.

Make these delicious, crispy zucchini fritters as a healthy breakfast idea for your family. This vegan recipe for vegetable fritters is made with garden fresh zucchini and broccoli for a nutritious way to start your day. These healthy veggie fritters are perfect for a savory breakfast or brunch. They can also be enjoyed as a healthy snack, lunch or dinner.

They freeze well, so make them while zucchini is in season, then you can pull your eggless zucchini fritters from the freezer for a low calorie dish with zero prep work. I make them on the weekends and save them for busy weeknights when I know I won’t have time to cook.

Are These Zucchini Fritters Gluten Free?

You can easily adapt this recipe to make these zucchini fritters gluten free by substituting the all purpose flour with gluten free flour. I recommend using almond flour for best results. (You can learn how to make veggie fritters with almond flour here.)

How Do You Get Water Out of Shredded Zucchini?

Zucchini is over 90 percent water. For crispy zucchini fritters, you’ll have to remove some of the excess water. Otherwise, your vegetable fritters will be soggy and mushy.

To remove water from shredded zucchini, wash the zucchini and dry with a clean towel. Then trim off the ends. Grate the zucchini on the larger side of a box grater. When it’s all shredded, use your hands to squeeze out extra moisture over a bowl.

You can also place the shredded zucchini in a colander over a bowl. Then use the back of a spoon to press firmly to remove excess water.

Alternately, you can also use salt to remove excess water from zucchini. This method takes more time, but it really helps to make crisp zucchini fritters. Add a teaspoon of coarse salt to the shredded zucchini and stir. Let it sit for 10 minutes to draw the moisture from the zucchini. Then squeeze the zucchini by hand or in a colander as directed above.

Why Are My Zucchini Fritters Falling Apart?

These chickpea flour vegan zucchini fritters can fall apart if there’s not enough binder in the recipe. Usually, a vegetable fritter uses an egg as a binder. However, we are using 2 chickpea eggs or flax eggs. Do not use less egg substitute than called for in the zucchini fritters recipe.

These healthy zucchini fritters can also fall apart if they stick to the pan. Make sure that you use enough oil in the pan and use a nonstick pan. Don’t flip them too soon or too often. Cook them until golden browned on one side and then flip.

Why Aren’t My Fritters Crispy?

For crispy zucchini, make sure you remove as much water as you can from the shredded zucchini. The hot oil will work to remove the water instead of cooking the vegan zucchini fritters, which can result in soggy fritters.

The eggless zucchini fritters batter should also be fairly thick. If the batter seems too thin or your first fritters are soggy, then add a little more flour as needed to thicken the batter.

To reduce breakage, I recommend using a fish spatula for making this vegan chickpea flour fritters recipe. It’s made for delicate foods, and it can reduce the chance of your fritters breaking.

Tips and Tricks for Cooking Vegetable Fritters

To make the best vegetable fritters with zucchini, follow these cooking tips and tricks:

• Squeeze out extra water from the shredded zucchini before making this recipe for zucchini fritters.
• Make sure you use enough oil and use a nonstick pan. The oil should be hot enough so the chickpea flour vegan zucchini fritters sizzle when you place them in the pan.
• Add more oil between batches as needed. Let it come to temperature before starting the second batch.
• Flatten these healthy zucchini fritters to ½ inch height. If they are thicker, they may not cook evenly.
• Try to only flip the vegan zucchini fritters once during cooking.

How Do You Make Fritters Less Greasy?

If you fry foods in hot oil, the outside forms a crust. That crust prevents excess oil from reaching the inside of these vegan zucchini fritters. Make sure that your oil is hot and let it reheat between batches if you add more oil. Do not overcrowd the pan because this will decrease the oil temperature.

When the chickpea flour vegan zucchini fritters are done cooking, let them drain on a wire rack. You can set a cookie sheet on a pan or use a crisper pan. Don’t let the eggless zucchini fritters sit on paper towels because that will not let the extra oil drain.

How Do You Know When Fritters Are Done?

Your chickpea flour vegan zucchini fritters are done when both sides are browned and crispy.

Can I Bake Eggless Zucchini Fritters?

Yes, you can bake these vegan chickpea flour fritters rather than frying them. Here’s how to bake these easy eggless zucchini fritters in the oven:

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with oil.
• Place two tablespoons of eggless zucchini fritters batter on the pan and flatten to about ½ inch thick.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Flip carefully and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until crispy on the outside.

Vegan Zucchini Fritters Serving Suggestions

These vegetable fritters taste great when served with vegan sour cream and green onions on top. You can also serve them with one of the following depending on your dietary needs:

• Roasted potatoes
• Vegan baked beans
• Caesar salad
• Vegetables and hummus
• Rice
• Ranch dressing
• Cilantro lime dressing
• Avocado ranch
• Dairy Free Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Crispy Zucchini Fritters Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need to make crispy zucchini fritters:

• Broccoli florets
• Shredded zucchini
• Tofu
• All purpose flour or almond flour (or use your favorite gluten free flour for gluten free fritters)
• Chickpea egg or flaxseed egg
• Garlic cloves
• Olive oil (or avocado oil)
• Red onion
• Nutritional yeast
• Red bell pepper
• Sea salt, fine ground
• Ground peppercorn powder

How to Make Vegan Zucchini Fritters With Chickpea Flour

Here is how to make vegan zucchini fritters using chickpea flour (made from chickpea flour and water) for eggless vegetable fritters:

1. Begin by chopping the broccoli head into smaller sized florets. Then cook broccoli in a vegetable steamer until it is fork tender. (You can also use a steam basket.) Once the broccoli is cooked and tender, mash it with a fork.

2. Next, cut the ends off the red onion and cut in half. Remove the peel, then dice the onion. Cut the red bell pepper in half. Then remove the stem and seeds. Chop into pieces. Now peel and mince the garlic.

3. Heat a large frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and pepper. Then saute until the onion is translucent and the pepper is tender.

4. Remove from heat, then combine the sauteed vegetables in a large bowl along with the shredded zucchini and mashed broccoli. (You can use a spiralizer to quickly and easily shred the zucchini.) Stir to combine the vegetables.

5. In a separate bowl, mash the tofu until it looks like ricotta cheese. You can use an immersion blender if needed to help with the process. Then add the mashed tofu to the broccoli and zucchini mixture.

6. Now make the chickpea egg for the vegan veggie fritters. To do this, whisk two tablespoons of chickpea flour with four tablespoons of water. Then add the salt, ground pepper and nutritional yeast to the chickpea egg.

7. Next, add the chickpea egg to the zucchini mixture. Stir well to combine. Then add the all purpose (or gluten free) flour to the fritter batter. Mix until it forms a smooth paste.

8. Your zucchini and broccoli fritters are now ready to cook. To do this, heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.

9. While the pan heats, use your hands to shape the healthy zucchini fritters into patties. Flatten them so they are about ½ inch thick.

10. Once pan is hot, cook the fritters over medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Then flip and cook the other side until golden brown. (It should take about 3 minutes to cook each side.) Then serve hot.

How to Store Vegan Zucchini Fritters

Enjoy right away for crispy zucchini fritters. However, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, cook in the oven or in an air fryer at 350 degrees until crispy and warm..

You can also freeze this recipe for zucchini fritters. Let them cool completely and then place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. You can reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees or until warm.

Refrigerator Storage

To store these vegetable fritter in the refrigerator, place them in a covered container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven or an air fryer until warm and crispy.

How to Freeze Veggie Fritters

If you’d like to freeze these vegan fritters, first cool cooked fritters completely. Then place in a freezer friendly bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, place directly in the oven or air fryer until warm and crispy.

Yield: 8 servings

Zucchini Fritters Recipe

Print

This vegan zucchini fritters recipe is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Made with fresh zucchini and broccoli, these crispy vegetable fritters are low calorie & eggless, and can be made with almond flour for a healthy gluten free alternative.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 broccoli head, cut into florets
• 2 Cups shredded zucchini
• 1 Cup of tofu
• 1 Cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Chickpea eggs
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ Red onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ½ Red bell pepper
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• Ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Chop the head of broccoli into florets. Cook broccoli in a steamer until it is fork tender. Then mash it with a fork.
2. Dice the onion, chop the red bell pepper and mince the garlic into small pieces.
3. Saute the garlic, onion and pepper in a hot pan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook until the onion is translucent and the pepper is tender.
4. In a large bowl, combine the sauteed vegetables, mashed broccoli and shredded zucchini. Stir to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, mash the tofu until it looks like ricotta cheese. Use a stick blender if needed. Add to the broccoli and zucchini mixture.
6. Make the chickpea egg by whisking 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour and 4 tablespoons of water. Add the salt, ground pepper and nutritional yeast and mix to combine.
7. Add the chickpea egg to the zucchini mixture and stir well.
8. Fold in the flour and mix to make a smooth paste.
9. Heat a skillet and drizzle olive oil in it.
10. Use your hands to shape the healthy zucchini fritters and flatten them to about ½ inch thick.
11. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Then flip and cook the other side until golden brown.

Notes

To make these eggless zucchini fritters gluten free, substitute the all purpose flour with either almond flour or another gluten free flour of your choice.

You can also substitute the chickpea egg with flaxseed egg, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 211Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 168mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 7gSugar: 4gProtein: 12g

Variations

If you’d like to try a variation on these veggie fritters, then also be sure to try my keto cauliflower fritters recipe. While not vegan, these low carb veggie fritters are made with cauliflower, almond flour egg and cheese for a vegetarian dish. They also make an excellent savory breakfast or snack.

More Zucchini Recipes

If you love this vegan twist on veggie fritters, then be sure to try these other delicious and healthy zucchini recipe ideas:

• Vegetarian Zucchini Boats
• Zucchini Ravioli Recipe
• Crispy Zucchini Chips
• Zucchini Egg Cups Recipe
• Vegan Zucchini Brownies Recipe
• Flank Steak Tacos with Zucchini

Or try these other amazing vegan recipes for meals free from dairy, meat and other animal products.

This recipes for healthy zucchini fritters originally appeared on Becca Ink.

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