The Kitchen Girl logo

menu icon
subscribe
search icon

by · Post Updated:

Zucchini Quinoa Fritters

5 from 38 votes
Total 45 minutes
Jump To Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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!

zucchini fritters stacked on a baking sheet

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Kitchen Girl.

Table of Contents hide
1) Why you'll love this recipe
2) Ingredients you'll need
3) How to make zucchini quinoa fritters
4) Test Kitchen Tips
5) How to Serve Quinoa Fritters
6) Storage & Reheating
7) More quinoa recipes
8) 📖 Recipe
9) Zucchini Quinoa Fritters

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
zucchini fritters stacked on a baking sheet

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!

Test Kitchen Tips

  • Cook quinoa ahead – Day-old quinoa works especially well here. It’s a little drier, which helps the fritters hold together and crisp up better.
  • Use room temperature ingredients – Let the eggs and quinoa sit out for 10–15 minutes before mixing. This helps everything combine more easily and cook more evenly.
  • Dry the veggies really well – After salting, squeeze the zucchini and carrot thoroughly. Extra moisture can make the mixture looser and harder to work with.
  • Panko works best – Panko gives these fritters the best texture and crisp edges. When I tested regular breadcrumbs, the mixture was wetter. Adding about 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour helped, but I still prefer panko.
  • Pack the scoop lightly – A lightly packed scoop helps keep the fritters close in size so they cook at the same rate.
  • Pan preference – Both stainless steel and cast iron work, but I prefer stainless for better heat control. In my test kitchen, I've found that cast iron can get too hot between batches.

How to Serve Quinoa Fritters

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

📖 Recipe

quinoa zucchini fritters stacked on a baking shet

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 Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total time45 minutes
Yield 10 fritters
Author Traci
5 from 38 votes
Print Pin it for later 📌

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Kitchen Girl.

Note about scaling

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

Ingredients 

  • ½ pound Zucchini, 2 cups shredded
  • 1 large Carrot, 1 cup shredded
  • ½ teaspoon Salt, as needed for vegetables
  • 1 cup Cooked Quinoa
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1-2 Green Onions, thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or Cajun seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs, or more as needed
  • 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 colander, sprinkle with SALT, and let sit 10–15 minutes to draw out moisture. Wrap in a flour sack towel or nut milk bag and squeeze out excess moisture.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine QUINOA, EGGS, GREEN ONION, OLD BAY, SALT, PEPPER, and PANKO. Add the shredded veggies and stir to combine. Let rest 5 minutes.
  • If the mixture feels too wet, add a little more Panko or about 1 tablespoon of flour to help it firm up.
  • Preheat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
  • Once the skillet is hot, add just enough OIL to coat the bottom and heat until shimmering.
  • Scoop up to 4 portions (2 ounces or about ¼ cup each) into the skillet and gently flatten to ½-inch thickness with the back of the scoop.
  • Working in batches, cook in a single layer until golden, then flip with a fish spatula and cook the other side until golden and set.
  • Transfer to a paper towel-lined platter. Wipe out the skillet and remove any cooked bits between batches, adding fresh oil each time.
  • Serve warm with dipping sauce. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.
Did you make this? We'd love your feedback!!Please rate and review it here or below ⤵️

Recipe Notes

Cook quinoa ahead – Day-old quinoa works especially well here. It’s a little drier, which helps the fritters hold together and crisp up better.
Use room temperature ingredients – Let the eggs and quinoa sit out for 10–15 minutes before mixing. This helps everything combine more easily and cook more evenly.
Dry the veggies really well – After salting, squeeze the zucchini and carrot thoroughly. Extra moisture can make the mixture looser and harder to work with.
Panko works best – Panko gives these fritters the best texture and crisp edges. When I tested regular breadcrumbs, the mixture was wetter. Adding about 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour helped, but I still prefer panko.
Pack the scoop lightly – A lightly packed scoop helps keep the fritters close in size so they cook at the same rate.
Pan preference – Both stainless steel and cast iron work, but I prefer stainless for better heat control. In my test kitchen, I've found that cast iron can get too hot between batches.

Equipment

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: 282mg | 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
Easy FREE recipes to your inbox weeklyJoin The Kitchen Girl community!

More Appetizers & Small Bite Recipes

Traci

About Traci

I’m the recipe author, photographer, and videographer behind The Kitchen Girl food blog established in 2013. I test and share all of my original recipes here so you can make great food with simple ingredients for everyday meals and special occasions.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 38 votes (12 ratings without comment)

    We love recipe feedback...

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Tap stars to rate recipe




  1. theressa says

    What is the conversion for the calories? This seems like a lot!

    Reply

    • Traci says

      Hi there! The calories are listed at the bottom of the recipe card and are generated by recipe software as a courtesy, so please consult your preferred source for accuracy. Thanks so much!

  2. Denise says

    5 stars
    I asked a question but somehow clicked on two stars by mistake. Can the zucchini quinoa patties be baked in the oven? I have not even tried the zucchini quinoa recipe and I certainly wouldn't rate it without trying it!
    I do appreciate that you seem to answer all the questions! that's why I give five stars on this comment.
    thanks, Denise

    Reply

    • Traci says

      Hi Denise, thanks so much for your attention and kind words 🙂 I haven't tried them baked, so I can't tell you what to expect, but I'm curious to know if you tried it. Let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy!

  3. Carrie says

    5 stars
    I served these with spicy barbecue wings to mellow out the heat of the wings. I found that a sour cream mayo dill sauce was delicious on top!

    Reply

  4. Caroline says

    5 stars
    These are so good. I made them for my baby (left out salt) and had a hard time leaving her some. Mine reminded me of the inside of an egg roll.

    Reply

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Yayyyy! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed these 🙂 Yes, I totally get the egg roll vibes too lol. Thanks for your feedback today! Much appreciated

  5. Jen says

    Hi Traci
    There sound delicious. Any ideas for substituting panko? Or a tapioca starch? Do you think ground flax or chia would work?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Hi Jen, I don't recommend those, but you could try a retail gluten free breading product or use cornmeal. You could also not use any breading. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂

  6. Cathryn says

    Hi! In the middle of making these! I see that they will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator. Can they be successfully frozen and reheated?

    Reply

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Hi Cathryn, I haven't tried freezing them so I cannot speak to that outcome. If you decide to give it a go, please let me know how it turns out 🙂

    • Cathryn says

      5 stars
      These are terrific! DIdn't have any left over to freeze because we ate them ALL!

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Haha nice!! I'm so glad you love these zucchini fritters as much as I do 🙂 Thanks so much for the review!

    • Cathryn says

      5 stars
      Hello again!
      These were so good I'm making them again and have doubled the recipe so I'll have leftovers this time. I see that you have mentioned that they can be served cold. Is it also possible to reheat successfully? How?
      Thanks.

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Hi Cathryn! I'm so glad to hear you like quinoa zucchini fritters as much as I do Yes, to reheat, I will either microwave them (if I'm in a hurry) or, for crispier results, I'll heat them in an oiled skillet over med-high heat until they're warmed through. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for the review! 🙂

    • Caroline says

      5 stars
      I have frozen these and reheat them for about a minute in the microwave. As with most frozen things, it's not quite as good as fresh, and there's some texture difference, but I still like them.

    • The Kitchen Girl says

      Ahhh good to know, Caroline. I have never frozen them myself and would imagine there would be some texture difference. Thanks for sharing your experience...much appreciated! 🙂

  7. Jessica Formicola says

    5 stars
    I have SO much zucchini from my garden, so I will definitely be using it to make these delicious fritters!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Awesome, Jessica! It's totally zucchini fritter season, isn't it 😉

  8. Toni says

    5 stars
    This was really tasty! My kids loved it!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Yay, Toni! So glad to hear the kids like zucchini fritters AND get their quinoa quota met 🙂

  9. Raia Todd says

    5 stars
    Oooh! These look fun! A great way to get my kids to eat zucchini... haha!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Haha yes! Quinoa too 🙂 Thanks, Raia!

  10. Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen says

    5 stars
    What a tasty way to use up this seasons harvest! I love that they have quinoa in them so they have some substance!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Carrie! Yes, the quinoa totally adds to the zucchini fritters...highly recommend 🙂

  11. Chichi from chichiuguru.con says

    5 stars
    These sound delicious. Would definitely make them. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Chichi! Hope you love them! 🙂

  12. Sade Gillam says

    I made this with double the eggs and bigger version(like veggie burger patty).
    we love it, My daughter had two;)
    Thank you so much for share!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      That's music to my ears, Sade! So glad you enjoyed...and thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂

  13. Heather Hughes says

    5 stars
    So yummy! I didn't have a lot of zucchini so added a cup of enoki mushrooms with the grated mixture. Thank you for a GREAT recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks so much for the feedback, Heather! And enoki mushrooms sound like the perfect ingredient to add! 🙂

  14. Andrea Metlika says

    5 stars
    These look delicious! How inventive, Quinoa to make a fritter.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Andrea! Yep, gotta get that protein 🙂

  15. Jeanette says

    5 stars
    I'm really getting hungry when I see this. It looks amazing 🙂

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Jeanette! Love hearing that 🙂

  16. linda spiker says

    5 stars
    I fell in love with crab cakes while in Martha's Vineyard! These look heavenly!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks so much Linda! I love crab cakes too, but these are great for when I'm in that vegetarian mood 🙂

  17. Chris says

    5 stars
    These look absolutely gorgeous! Perfect healthy finger food! Will have to give them a go 🙂

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Chris! Love hearing that...hope you love them like I do 🙂

  18. Veena says

    5 stars
    What an AMAZING idea! I LOVE how easy and delicious this is. One of my favs. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Veena! Love hearing that...you always make my day! 🙂

  19. Claudia says

    5 stars
    I have been literally wishing for a recipe like this and so lucky to find it today! thanks for posting

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Yay thanks Claudia! This makes me so happy to hear! Hope you get to try them out and love them like I do 🙂

  20. georgie says

    5 stars
    these look so yummy! i'm always searching for new vegetarian meals! these looks perfect for lunch meal prep!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Georgie! You'll love these if you're looking for a vegetarian snack, lunch, or appetizer idea 🙂

  21. Ali says

    5 stars
    These zucchini fritters look tasty and delicious as a side to any dish or vegetarian option. Love the use of zucchini for the flavor and moisture. Yum!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks so much Ali! Great point you made about the moisture...and the flavor. I love these little guys 🙂

  22. Kristen says

    5 stars
    I am going to bookmark these zucchini fritters for lent. Thank you for posting!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Kristen...I'm so happy to hear it! Hope you love them like I do 🙂

  23. Sandi says

    5 stars
    You rocked it out of the park with this yummy recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Haha thanks Sandi! I love hearing that!!! This would be so easy to make GF too 🙂

  24. anjali says

    5 stars
    Quinoa zucchini fritters are one of my favorites! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Anjali! Mee too! 🙂

  25. Marlynn says

    5 stars
    Ooh these are SO tasty! Love zucchini fritters for quick and easy appetizers!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Marylynn...I too have the ingredients on hand most of time, which makes this recipe a snap 🙂