It’s that time of year. Zucchini is in full force at the farmers market and I go crazy, buying armfuls of the versatile vegetable without a definitive plan on what to do with it. Next thing I know, I’m roasting it, eating it in pasta, and adding it to any and every dish. One of my favorite ways to use my zucchini bounty? Grate it along with potatoes to make into fritters. Plus, goat cheese never hurts a recipe, right?
Fritters, potato pancakes, latkes, whatever you call them, they’re delicious! They also happen to be the perfect dinner or side. Eat them plan, fry an egg to put on top, serve them with sour cream. You get the point, they’re extremely versatile.
Zucchini Potato Fritters with Goat Cheese
2 zucchini
2 large potatoes, like Russet or Yukon Gold
1 shallot
2 ounces goat cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 1/4 sea salt
1/4 cup canola oil
Grate zucchini and put in a colander with 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 10 minutes to draw out the water. After 10 minutes put half the grated zucchini in multiple paper towels and ring out the zucchini to get rid of the water. Repeat this process with the remaining zucchini.
Grate potatoes and put in a separate colander. Like the zucchini, put the grated potato in paper towels and ring the potato out to get rid of the excess liquid.
Mince the shallot. Crumble the goat cheese into pieces about the size of a nickle.
In a large bowl mix the grated zucchini, potato, shallot, egg, flour, red pepper flakes, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Lightly mix in crumbled goat cheese.
In a large skillet, I used a cast iron one, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, using a 1/3 cup measure, add balls of the mixture to the oil. Flatten the balls to about 1/4 inch thick. Cook for about 6-8 minutes on the first side, flip the fritters and cook for about 6 minutes more, or until the fritters are golden and crispy. Place fritters on a plate lined with paper towels. This will allow the excess oil to drain off the fritters. Repeat this frying process for the remaining fritter mixture.
Optional: preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put cooked fritters on a baking pan and bake for about 8 minutes. This allows all the fritters to be ready at once, rather than in batches during the frying process. You can also make the fritters a few days before and bake them right before you eat, making this a great make ahead dish.
Serve with sour cream, apple sauce, a fried egg on top, or plain. Enjoy!
Makes about 10-12 fritters.
Side note – the reason you’re using canola oil and not olive oil is that canola oil has a higher burning temperature, meaning the oil can get hotter, resulting in crispier fritters.
