Gluten Free Zucchini Fritter recipe

Originally published on July 14, 2011

I bought some lovely zucchini at the farmer’s market last week and somehow managed to…well, forget about them. I opened the veggie drawer today, looking at the 4 pieces with guilt, and decided something had to be done.

I settled on zucchini muffins (I used my gluten-free carrot muffin recipe but substituted zucchini for carrots).  While using the food processor to shred the zucchini, I thought why not try zucchini pancakes. It’s one of those dishes I haven’t made since being gluten-free. I didn’t think it would be that hard; I just wondered if the kids would be up for it.

After looking at three or four recipes, I decided to just make them. One thing to note, I don’t like “raw” onion flavor so I cooked the onion first. Most recipes don’t call for that. I’ll leave it up to you.

The result was a crisp outside, moist inside delicious little pancake. It tasted even better with the ranch dressing from yesterday. And as for the kids? 7 year old-thumbs up. 5 year old-blech. Oh well. (For the record, now they both love these and we often fight over the last one!)

Some Family Chef advice: If you have a picky eater, don’t give up. Something changed this year for the 7 year old; he started liking foods he never liked before. He was more willing to try things. He is enthusiastic. The 5 year old has some catching up to do but she’s still in the “good eater” category. Don’t let her review of this dish sway you; they were really good!

Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters or Pancakes

2 – 3 zucchinis (see step 1)
Salt
Olive oil for sauteing
1/2 onion, chopped or sliced thinly
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional seasonings (1/4 teaspoon of each): dried dill, thyme and/or oregano
1/4 cup Amy’s gluten-free flour blend or a rice-potato-tapioca based gluten-free flour blend

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1. Shred the zucchini with the skin on with a food processor, mandoline, or a metal box grater. You should have about 2 cups in total. Place in a mesh strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle salt over zucchini (at least 1/4 teaspoon) and mix. Let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
2. Sauté onion in about 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil until just softened. The onion is optional but gives the pancakes good flavor. By cooking them first, they are sweeter and less harsh tasting. Once cooked, place in a medium to large bowl to cool.
3. Remove the liquid from the zucchini by pressing it against the strainer or wringing it in a kitchen towel. This is a very important step.
4. Place the shredded zucchini the bowl with the onion. Add the beaten egg, black pepper, and any optional seasonings and mix with either a spoon or your hands.
5. Add the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is moist but not runny. It is okay if you do not use all of the flour.
6. Shape 2″ wide pancakes and place on a plate; flatten slightly. These should keep their shape (see picture above). If not, you may need to add more flour.
7. Heat a non-stick griddle or sauté pan. Add about 1 teaspoon of olive or avocado oil. If you use a metal pan, you will need to use more oil or else these will stick.
8. Place pancakes in pan and flatten out slightly. Cook about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve plain or with sour cream. I served mine with ranch dressing. Delicious!