These spicy zucchini fritters are low carb, gluten free, and keto friendly! Enjoy them as a side dish or vegetarian appetizer!
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I've heard a lot of people mention that they had excess zucchini from their garden in the summer, but I found myself with excess zucchini in February after a grocery order confusion. But waste not want not!
I've made spaghetti squash fritters and low carb eggplant fritters before, but this was my first time with zucchini! As I'm sure you can guess, zucchini has a much higher water content than either of the other two veggies, but just make sure that you follow the simple two-step instructions below to remove as much liquid as possible – and your fritters will hold together perfectly!
How to Make Spicy Zucchini Fritters
The first task is to shred the zucchini. You could use a box grater or a coarse Microplane for this.
Next, you'll need to remove as much moisture as possible from the shredded zucchini otherwise the fritters won't hold together. Place the zucchini into a colander over a sink, and sprinkle some salt over. Leave for 10 minutes.
Transfer the zucchini into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze as much moisture out as possible – I got absolutely loads out of mine! (And yes, the green does come out of the towel!)
In a bowl, combine almond flour, shredded cheese (I used a triple Cheddar blend), and some jalapeño paste. I use the one from Gourmet Garden which is available in many grocery stores. I also love their garlic and ginger pastes! Note: If you want to make a non-spicy version, you could just omit this. And if you can't find the paste, you could try sriracha, hot sauce, cayenne, or red pepper flakes. Just add a little to start, and then add more after tasting.
Add the zucchini and mix well. Taste for seasoning and heat, and add salt, pepper, and more jalapeño paste as necessary.
Finally, add the egg and stir well so that the mixture is fully combined. Divide it into six sections. Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and place over a medium-high heat. Spoon the zucchini mixture into the skillet, pressing down to form a patty shape.
Continue cooking until the fritters start to hold together, about 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip them over, and continue to cook the other side. Place the cooked zucchini fritters onto paper towels to drain any excess moisture, and leave for 5 minutes for the fritters to firm up a little.
Serve warm – either on their own as a side dish, or as an appetizer. A little sour cream makes a simple but complementary dip!
Low Carb Spicy Zucchini Fritters
These spicy zucchini fritters are low carb, gluten free, and keto friendly! Enjoy them as a side dish or vegetarian appetizer!
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, coarsely shredded
- sprinkle of salt
- ½ cup fine almond flour
- ¼ cup shredded cheese (eg Cheddar)
- 1-3 tbs jalapeño paste, to taste
- salt and black pepper
- 1 large egg, beaten
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Remove as much moisture as possible from the shredded zucchini by placing it into a colander over a sink, and sprinkle some salt over. Leave for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the zucchini into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze as much moisture out as possible - this will help the fritters hold together when they are cooked.
- In a bowl, combine the almond flour, shredded cheese, and 1 tablespoon of the jalapeño paste. (See the main blog post for alternatives to the paste).
- Add the zucchini and mix well. Taste for seasoning and heat, and add salt, pepper, and more jalapeño paste as necessary.
- Finally, add the egg and stir well so that the mixture is fully combined. Divide it into six sections.
- Spray a non stick skillet with olive oil spray and place over a medium-high heat. Spoon the zucchini mixture into the skillet, pressing down to form a patty shape. Continue cooking until the fritters start to hold together, about 3-5 minutes.
- Carefully flip them over, and continue to cook the other side until golden brown.
- Place the cooked zucchini fritters onto paper towels to drain any excess moisture, and leave for 5 minutes for the fritters to firm up a little.
- Serve warm - either on their own as a side dish, or as an appetizer (shown in the photo with sour cream).
Notes
5g net carbs per serving of two fritters (this recipe makes six fritters)
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Nutrition Information
Yield 3 Serving Size 2 frittersAmount Per Serving Calories 235Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 71mgSodium 478mgCarbohydrates 9gNet Carbohydrates 5gFiber 4gSugar 4gProtein 10g
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. I cannot guarantee completely accurate data due to variations in ingredients and cooking methods. Carbohydrates from sugar alcohols are not included in net carb counts as it has been shown that they do not impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.