Tender Zucchini Fritters With Mozzarella are a fantastic idea for a delicious and healthy breakfast, as the dish takes no more than half an hour to prepare. Zucchini fritters are effortless and tasty; after squash caviar (a savory vegetable spread), it's probably the second most popular dish made from this accessible and affordable vegetable. Did you know that zucchini was brought to Europe from Mexico back in the 16th century, but for a long time was grown solely as an ornamental plant for its large, vibrant flowers? Today, this vegetable is a true superfood, rich in potassium and vitamins.
It's best to fry the fritters in a non-stick skillet or a well-seasoned cast-iron pan, ideally one with a heavy bottom. Fritters with mozzarella turn out incredibly tender, and you can add a sharp kick by mixing a minced garlic clove and a bit of Parmesan into the batter.
Golden zucchini fritters with a tender melted mozzarella center make for an ideal breakfast or light dinner.
Ingredients
- 350 g (12.3 oz) zucchini
- 1 large egg
- 30 g (1 oz) wheat flour
- 25 g (0.9 oz) fresh young dill
- 100 g (3.5 oz) mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- vegetable oil for frying and salt to taste
- lettuce leaves and corn kernels for serving
How to Make Zucchini Fritters With Mozzarella
Peel the zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler makes this convenient and economical—it removes only a thin outer layer with almost no waste.
Remove a thin layer of skin with a vegetable peeler to preserve as much flesh as possible.
Cut the peeled zucchini in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the soft core with the seeds, leaving only the firm flesh.
Carefully scoop out the soft, seedy center with a spoon, leaving only the firm flesh for the batter.
Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. The recipe calls for the net weight of the vegetable, excluding the peel and seeds.
Grate the prepped zucchini on the large holes of a grater. We only use the net weight of the flesh.
Crack a large egg over the grated vegetable; this particular egg happened to have two yolks. If you are using small eggs, take a couple.
Add a large egg to the shredded zucchini. If your eggs are small, it’s better to use two to properly bind the ingredients.
Mix the egg with the zucchini, season with salt to taste, and add the wheat flour. The salt will draw out moisture, and the flour will absorb it. Zucchini fritters are quite a diet-friendly dish, but flour is necessary as it binds the ingredients. If you prefer a gluten-free option, substitute the wheat flour with cornmeal or any other gluten-free blend.
Sprinkle in the wheat flour and season with salt. The flour will absorb excess moisture and help the fritters hold their shape during frying.
Finely chop the young dill and fold it into the batter. Use only the tender fronds for the recipe; I recommend saving the stems for broth.
Finely chop the tender dill and fold it into the batter to give the fritters a fresh aroma.
Take a large heavy-bottomed skillet, pour in a little vegetable oil for frying, and heat it up. Using a tablespoon, drop dollops of batter into the hot oil, keeping them slightly apart. Fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on one side.
Spoon the batter into a preheated skillet and fry until golden brown on one side.
Carefully flip the fritters, and place half of a small mozzarella ball (bocconcino) in the center of each one. Cover the pan with a lid and fry for another 2 minutes. If you leave the pan uncovered, the mozzarella won’t melt in time.
Flip the fritters and place a small ball of mozzarella in the center of each. Cover with a lid so the cheese melts.
Remove the fritters from the pan and transfer them to a paper towel or napkin so the paper can absorb any excess oil.
After frying, transfer the fritters to a paper towel to drain excess oil before moving them to a serving dish.
Arrange a few lettuce leaves on a plate, and place a portion of the zucchini fritters with mozzarella on top. Sprinkle the fritters with finely chopped dill, and place a single corn kernel in the center of each melted mozzarella ball. Serve warm. Bon appétit!
Serve the fritters on lettuce leaves, garnished with herbs and corn kernels for a bright pop of color.
Using this recipe, you can also make fritters from pattypan squash and pumpkin, or mix different types of vegetables for a more complex flavor profile. Zucchini Fritters With Mozzarella are best served warm, while the cheese inside remains soft and gooey. A great accompaniment would be a sauce based on Greek yogurt with garlic and fresh mint, or classic thick sour cream.
If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge for up to two days in an airtight container. To restore the fritters to their original texture, simply reheat them for a couple of minutes in a dry skillet with the lid on. For those watching their figure, the wheat flour in the recipe can be swapped for rice or oat flour—this will make the dish even lighter while preserving its unique taste.
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