Zucchini Quinoa Fritters

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Zucchini quinoa fritters are protein-packed fritters made with shredded zucchini and cooked quinoa. Serve as an appetizer, snack, or entree.

Got lots of zucchini? Make my Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad next!

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Why you'll love this recipe

These zucchini quinoa fritters are packed with protein, crisp around the edges, and surprisingly filling. The texture reminds me of crab cakes—but what I really love is how versatile they are. Snack on them straight from the fridge, warm or cold, serve them as an appetizer with dipping sauce, or make them the star of your plate. You can even turn up the heat if you like things spicy. However you serve them, just know you’re committing to a lifetime of cravings after you try them!

Ingredients you'll need

Ingredient amounts are listed in the full printable recipe below.

• Shredded zucchini - use green or yellow zucchini squash for this recipe. Perfect during summer!
• Shredded carrots - any color and variety will work for this recipe. The add color, texture, and flavor.
• Salt - use salt to pull moisture from the zucchini before mixing it into patties
• Cooked quinoa - this Instant Pot quinoa is perfectly fluffy for fritters, but stove-cooked will work beautiful too!
• Eggs - these are the binding ingredient
• Fresh chives - or green onions
• Old Bay seasoning - or Cajun seasoning
• Panko bread crumbs - use plain or whole wheat Panko

How to make zucchini quinoa fritters

Get the full details in the recipe card below.

1. Shred the zucchini and carrot, add salt to draw out moisture, and set aside.
2. Mix quinoa, eggs, green onion, seasonings, and panko in a bowl.
3. Squeeze veggies dry and stir them in. Rest the mixture briefly.
4. Scoop onto a tray, flatten into patties, and preheat your skillet.
5. Add oil to the hot pan and fry patties in batches until golden.
6. Drain on paper towels, wiping the skillet between batches.
7. Serve with dipping sauce. Devour!

Recipe tips

• Cook quinoa ahead – For crispier fritters and quicker prep, cook the quinoa a day in advance.
• Get the veggies really dry – After salting, be sure to squeeze the shredded zucchini and carrot thoroughly. Any extra moisture can cause the mixture to be too wet, which isn't ideal for shaping and transferring.
• No scoop? No problem. Use a spoon or your hands to portion and shape uniform patties for consistent results.
• Use oil sparingly – These fritters are pan-fried, not deep-fried, so you only need enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. It keeps them crisp without feeling greasy.

Test Kitchen Observations

• When I let the cold ingredients rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before mixing. This helps speed up cooking by a few minutes.
• I have found that using regular breadcrumbs instead of panko made the mixture wetter, which I didn't care for. Adding 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour helped, but panko still gives the best texture and crispness.
• I tested these fritters side-by-side in a cast-iron skillet and a stainless steel skillet. The results were nearly identical in terms of crispness and browning—either pan works well.

How to Serve Quinoa Fritters

• Serve as an appetizer with lemon aioli or tzatziki for a zesty dip.
• Enjoy as a quick snack—warm or cold, they’re great any time of day.
• Turn them into sliders on dinner rolls or French bread for a fun vegetarian sandwich.
• Add to a kale salad as a hearty, protein-packed topping.

Storage & Reheating

• Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. No need for parchment—just stack them up!
• I'd love to say these freeze nicely, but I haven't tested that yet. When I do, I'll come back and add it to the recipe. Let me know if you beat me to it!
• Microwave for 1–2 minutes for a quick reheat. For crispy results, use an air fryer at 350°F for 5–8 minutes or the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes. No need to cover.

More quinoa recipes

• Quinoa Chickpea Salad
• Instant Pot Quinoa
• Sweet Potato Chili with Black Beans and Quinoa

📖 Recipe

Zucchini Quinoa Fritters

Zucchini quinoa fritters are protein-packed fritters made with shredded zucchini and cooked quinoa. Serve as an appetizer, snack, or entree with your favorite dipping sauce.

Prep TimePrep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total timeTotal Time: 45 minutes mins

Yield 10 fritters

Author Traci

5 from 38 votes

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Video

Note about scaling

When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ pound Zucchini, 2 cups shredded
• ▢ 1 large Carrot, 1 cup shredded
• ▢ Salt, as needed for vegetables
• ▢ 1 cup Cooked Quinoa
• ▢ 3 Eggs
• ▢ 1 Green Onion, thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or Cajun seasoning
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
• ▢ ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons Oil (for frying), or more as desired

Instructions

• Shred the ZUCCHINI and CARROT using a box grater or food processor. Transfer to a towel-lined colander or nut milk bag. Sprinkle with SALT and let sit 10–15 minutes to draw out moisture.
• In a large bowl, mix QUINOA, EGGS, GREEN ONION, OLD BAY, SALT, PEPPER, and PANKO.
• Squeeze out moisture from the veggies and stir them into the egg mixture. Let rest 5 minutes.
• Preheat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
• While the skillet heats, scoop 2-ounce portions (about 4 tablespoons each) onto a prep tray, leaving space between. Gently flatten them into 3-inch wide patties.
• Add enough OIL to coat the bottom of the hot skillet and heat until shimmering.
• Working in batches, add patties in a single layer. Cook until golden, then flip with a fish spatula and cook the other side.
• Transfer to a paper towel-lined platter. Wipe out the skillet and remove any cooked bits before starting a new batch.
• Serve warm with dipping sauce. Refrigerate leftovers up to 5 days.

Did you make this? We'd love your feedback!!Please rate and review it here or below ⤵️

Recipe Notes

Cook quinoa ahead – For crispier fritters and quicker prep, cook the quinoa a day in advance.

Get the veggies really dry – After salting, be sure to squeeze the shredded zucchini and carrot thoroughly. Any extra moisture can cause the mixture to be too wet, which isn't ideal for shaping and transferring.

No scoop? No problem. Use a spoon or your hands to portion and shape uniform patties for consistent results.

Use oil sparingly – These fritters are pan-fried, not deep-fried, so you only need enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. It keeps them crisp without feeling greasy.

Equipment

• Food processor with grater blade or box grater
• flour sack towel or nut milk bag
• colander to strain excess liquid
• large mixing bowl to mix the patties
• 2 ounce portion scoop to portion each patty
• large baking sheet to hold prepped patties
• 12 inch skillet to fry the patties
• fish spatula used for turning and transfer

Nutrition

Serving: 1fritter | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1335IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

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