Healthy Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters is packed with protein - I swapped regular flour with almond flour and added quinoa to the mix—the result is soft, tender and absolutely tasty!
If you are looking for more tasty zucchini recipes, then try my air fryer zucchini parmesan or the chocolate zucchini muffins recipe next!
I love a good zucchini fritter—but this version is next-level! I gave it a healthy, protein-packed twist by adding cooked quinoa and almond flour to the mix. Think zucchini pakoda vibes, but lighter, more nourishing, and just as flavorful!
It is perfect as a snack, a dinner side, or even stacked into veggie burgers.
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🤩 Why Our Recipe
- Protein-rich, Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Healthy
- Made using quinoa and almond flour
- Soft, tender with a soft crusty exterior
- No white flour, cornstarch, cheese or bread crumbs
- Serve as a snack, light main course or make into a burger
Ingredients you'll need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Zucchini - I find that medium zucchini is best. It makes about 1 and ½ cups when grated and the seeds aren’t as big with the skin being more tender when compared to the bigger squashes.
- Red onion - It not only gives a beautiful contrast in color, but also adds a subtle sweetness when cooked. You can use shallots instead.
- Quinoa - I used cooled leftover quinoa made in instant pot, but feel free to use your leftover cooked quinoa that doesn't have much flavor on it's own so the zucchini can shine through.
- Almond Flour - I replaced regular all purpose flour with almond flour, which helps with the binding, bumps up the nutritive value and gives a fabulous delicate texture. Check out more almond flour recipes.
- Egg - Egg is the main binding ingredient in this gluten free zucchini fritters.
- Cilantro - It adds more green and lemony peppery flavor. Feel free to skip it, if you are not a fan.
Substitutions & Variations
- No almond flour - Use plain all purpose flour instead of almond flour. Mix in ¼ cup and increase by tablespoon increments, if the batter feels too wet.
- Don't use flax eggs - Eggs offer main binding in this gluten free recipe, so flax eggs will not work here.
- No quinoa? Use about ½ cup of panko bread crumbs and increase almond flour.
- Like it spicy? Add chopped jalapenos to the mix.
How to make healthy zucchini fritters?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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👩🍳 Don’t squeeze the zucchini completely dry! You want to keep a bit of moisture—that’s what helps bind the batter together. If it’s too dry, the mixture might crumble and won’t hold its shape while cooking.
💡 How thick should zucchini fritter batter be? You want a thick scoop-able batter that will hold it's shape. If you find it's a little too thin simply add in some more almond flour.
Pro tip: Handle with a gentle hand! Flip gently because this zucchini fritter recipe has no flour, breadcrumbs or cornstarch to help it bind.
Serving suggestions
These zucchini fritters are best served hot, when they're still crispy and crusty.
- Enjoy them on their own, with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Pair with a sauce for an extra burst of flavor. We love them with garlic yogurt sauce, tartar sauce, tzatziki, marinara, ketchup or a simple squirt of sriracha.
- Serve as a side dish for dinner along with pasta dishes or any entree.
- Make it a little bigger and then use as a burger patty to make zucchini burgers.
How to store?
Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for later use although we love these zucchini fritters hot off the skillet, when they are the best!
Freezing instructions - These are great to make ahead and can easily be frozen for up to 2 months.
To reheat: An air fryer does a fantastic job of crisping up. Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees. When hot, place frozen zucchini fritters in the basket and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until hot and crisp.
Recipe tips
- Do not skip draining excess water from the shredded zucchini and onion, or your zucchini fritters will get soggy and watery during cooking.
- Be gentle when cooking. This zucchini fritters recipe needs to be handled gently because there is no flour to bind the batter, making them more prone to breaking.
- Don’t cook too many fritters at once, unless you are using a large griddle. It gets difficult to flip and you have a higher chance of breaking them.
- Cook over medium heat. High heat will cause the zucchini fritters brown too quickly before it has a chance to cook on the inside.
- Don't use flax eggs - Eggs offer main binding in this gluten free zucchini fritters recipe, so flax eggs will not work here.
Recipe FAQs
If your zucchini fritters are falling apart during cooking, it is likely that there was not enough binding or you flipped them before they had a chance to set. Here are few steps to make sure that the fritters don't fall apart:
1. Be patient and let a deep golden crust form before flipping! This crust is key to holding the fritter together. Flip too early, and it’s more likely to fall apart—give it time to crisp up and do its thing!
2. Cook over medium heat—not too low, not too high. This sweet spot allows the fritters to develop that perfect golden-brown, crispy exterior without burning or undercooking.
3. Don’t over-squeeze the zucchini! You need a bit of moisture to help bind the quinoa and almond flour together—too dry, and the mixture won’t hold as well.
Zucchini skin is thin, edible and is a big source of nutrition. So you don't want to peel it before cooking.
If your zucchini fritters are coming out too greasy, it could be due to too much oil or oil that’s not hot enough. Use just 1 to 2 tablespoons per batch—enough to lightly coat the skillet—and make sure the heat is set to medium. A hotter pan helps the fritters cook faster and absorb less oil for that perfect golden crisp!
More healthy snack ideas
Healthy Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium)
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste, divided
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (Click link to get the method)
- 1 egg, large
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder or more
- Olive oil, as needed to fry
Instructions
- Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater and measure 1 and ½ cups for the recipe.
- Add grated zucchini, sliced red onion and ¼ teaspoon salt into a bowl and toss to combine. Leave aside for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, squeeze handfuls of zucchini over the sink to remove extra water (It helps to wring it out in a cheesecloth if you have one). Alternatively, place the zucchini in a fine mesh sieve and press over the sink to remove excess water.
- Add the squeezed zucchini back into the bowl, add all remaining ingredients (except oil) and mix well until well combined. Tip: Mix in a touch of more almond flour or 1 egg white, if the mixture is not holding together and looks too dry (it will depend on the texture of your cooked quinoa and the moisture in your zucchini)
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a non stick pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Drop a scant ¼ cup batter in the pan (an ice cream scoop is perfect). You can cook 3 to 4 fritters at a time, depending on the size your pan.
- Flatten lightly with spatula to about ½ inch thick (I like to adjust the edges, to get a more even round fritter).
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until underside is deep golden (adjust heat if browning too quickly). Flip and cook the other side for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. 👉 Wait for the fritters to develop a deep golden crust on the bottom before turning. If you flip it too soon, then it might begin to break. The crust helps to hold it together.Pro tip: Handle with a gentle hand! Flip gently because this zucchini fritter recipe has no binding ingredients like flour, breadcrumbs or cornstarch.
- Add about a tablespoon of more oil before cooking the next batch.
- Serve with marinara sauce, ketchup, sriracha, yogurt sauce, dollop of yoghurt or sour cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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noa
taste very good, and such a healthy snack to give the children for Pick.Nick. They taste cold as nicely as warm. Great lunch to take to work. Very good with sauce and salat. My daughter sent great compliments from her train-journey. I made a salt and onion free one, for her small child, she enjoyed.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you enjoyed it hun – Maria ♡