What to Do With One Zucchini: 10-Minute Fritters

One zucchini, sitting in the crisper drawer, looking increasingly sorry for itself. Here’s what to do with one zucchini: fritters, done in 10 minutes, crispy outside, tender inside, and genuinely good enough that you’ll make them on purpose next time. The trick isn’t the batter. It’s the squeeze.

The Move That Makes or Breaks Fritters

Shred the zucchini on a box grater, toss it with a pinch of salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes. That’s the whole secret.

The salt pulls out the water, and the water is what turns fritters into slightly soggy, pale pancakes. After 10 minutes, grab a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels and squeeze. Hard. You’ll be surprised how much comes out (it’s a lot).

From there, mix the drained zucchini with one egg, a few tablespoons of flour, salt, pepper, and whatever soft cheese or herbs you have around. Scoop about 2 tablespoons per fritter into a lightly oiled pan over medium heat (Sally’s Baking Addiction uses the same size). Cook 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden, per Natasha’s Kitchen. That’s it. The small size matters, they cook through evenly and hold together instead of falling apart when you flip them.

No eggs? Chickpea flour works as a binder and keeps the whole thing pantry-friendly (Forks Over Knives). Serve with a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream on the side. Done.

If you’re regularly staring down produce that’s one day from the compost, Pantidy tracks what’s in your fridge and flags what’s expiring first, available on iOS and Android with a 14-day free trial.

Got more than one zucchini to rescue? Check out what to do with one zucchini when you have more than one for the full playbook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need to salt the zucchini first?

Yes, and it’s the most important step. Zucchini holds a lot of water, and if you skip salting, that water steams the fritters from the inside instead of letting them crisp up. Ten minutes of salting followed by a firm squeeze is what separates golden and crispy from pale and floppy.

Can I make fritters with just one zucchini?

One medium zucchini makes a solid batch, roughly 6 to 8 small fritters, which is a real snack or a side for two. You don’t need a surplus. One is enough. This is a small zucchini recipe by design, built for one medium zucchini, not a full garden haul.

What can I serve with zucchini fritters?

Yogurt sauce or plain sour cream is the easiest move and takes about 30 seconds. A little lemon juice and garlic stirred into yogurt is a step up from that (results vary, but usually good). They also work as a side next to almost anything, eggs, leftover chicken, a bowl of soup.

How do I keep fritters warm while I finish the batch?

Slide the finished ones onto a baking sheet in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest, per RecipeTin Eats. They’ll stay crispy without overcooking.

Tonight, before you close the fridge: if there’s a zucchini in there that’s losing its will to live, here’s how to use one zucchini in 10 minutes flat. Shred it, salt it, and give it 10 minutes. You’ve got dinner.