Looking for an inventive way to use seasonal produce in one delicious dish? These Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters bring the two veggies together for a crispy, subtle sweet, cohesive and flavorful bite!
These crispy fried fritters are a derivative of an ancestral recipe (my Great Grandma’s Traditional Potato Latkes), bringing bold new flavors to a classic family favorite. The perfect balance of salty and sweet, coming together quickly and with just 7 ingredients.
As an environmental scientist, eating seasonally is something I try hard to practice. I love sweet potato season because they are just so versatile and delicious in so many dishes, including in this Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce and this Sweet Potato Hummus!
Green tip: Eating seasonally is one of the best ways to live more sustainably, Local foods have less associated transportation costs and fuel emissions. Check when sweet potatoes and zucchini are in season in your area with this Seasonal Food Guide.
Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Sweet potato. One large sweet potato usually measures in around 1 pound.
- Zucchini. One large zucchini also usually measures in around 1 pound.
- Salt. For flavor and to help coax excess liquid out of the sweet potato and zucchini.
- Egg. To bind the fritters together.
- All-purpose flour. This also helps bind the fritters together and give it that potato cake texture.
- Pumpkin pie spice. Or cinnamon. To help bring out the natural sweetness of the sweet potato and add some warming spices.
Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters Tips and Tricks
Start by Peeling Your Veg
Peel your sweet potato and zucchini so that you can more easily shred them. It’s okay if there’s some skin left behind. It’s perfectly edible and fries up nicely!
You can also save your sweet potato skin scraps to make vegetable broth or these Oven Baked Sweet Potato Skin Fries. As for the zucchini peels, these Olive-Oil Braised Zucchini Peels are a great option!
Then, Shred It
The easiest way to shred your sweet potato and zucchini is with a food processor with a grating attachment, but you can also do it by hand with a cheese grater.
Grate the full potato and zucchini into fine shredded pieces and add them to a large mixing bowl.
Add the Salt Next
Next, add the salt and toss. The salt will actually help coax moisture out of the shredded sweet potato and zucchini. The more moisture we can get out of our ingredients, the crispier we can get our vegetable fritters.
Allow the shredded vegetables to marinate in the salt for about 5 minutes to allow it to pull out the moisture.
Squeeze it
Next, use a cheesecloth to strain the excess liquid from the salted shredded veggies. You can do so over a bowl or the sink, squeezing out as much moisture as possible.
If you don’t have a cheesecloth, you can use clean hands to squeeze handfuls of the mixture over the sink or a bowl.
Mix it Up!
Once you’ve drained your liquid, add the sweet potato and zucchini to a large mixing bowl and add your eggs, flour, and pumpkin pie spice.
Use a spatula, wooden spoon, or even your hands to mix until you form a thick mixture. Make sure the flour is integrated well.
Shape ‘Em!
Wet your hands and grab a handful of the mixture at a time, rolling it in between your two hands to form a ball. All in all, you should end up with 10 round fritters.
I like to line them up on a baking sheet until I’m ready to fry them.
Get the Oil Hot
Before dropping your fritters in, it’s important that your oil has a chance to get hot. Add oil to a large saucepan or shallow pot until it is about 2 inches deep. Turn your burner on medium heat and allow it to get hot for 3-5 minutes.
When you’re confident your oil is hot, test it by dropping one shred of sweet potato or zucchini into the oil. If it sizzles immediately, your oil is ready!
Green tip: Did you know that olive oil is compostable in small amounts? Allow it to cool completely and take any floating bits out before adding it to your compost bin.
Press ‘Em
Carefully drop your fritters into the hot oil, leaving at least 3 inches of space between each. I usually only cook 3 at a time max.
Then, use the back of a spatula to press down on your fritters to flatten them.
Allow them to cook until you see the edges start to brown (usually about 5 minutes).
Flip ‘Em
Once you see the edges turning golden brown, it’s time to flip! Flip your fritters and fry for another 5 minutes or so, until your Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters are golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Use Paper Towels
When you remove your fritters from the oil, transfer them onto a stack of paper towels to help soak up excess oil. Leave them on the paper towels to cool until you are ready to serve.
Green tip: Paper products contribute to deforestation. Consider these bamboo paper towels! Bamboo naturally regenerates every few months, whereas trees cannot regrow once harvested.
Should You Have Leftovers
These fritters will last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
To reheat these fritters, you can pan-fry them (no need for extra oil, just place them directly on the pan) for about 5 minutes on each side. You can also reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
To reheat them in the air fryer (recommended for extra crispiness!), set your air fryer to 350°F and heat for 3-5 minutes until nice and crispy and heated thoroughly.
If you do freeze your fritters, defrost them in the microwave or allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating them using one of the techniques outlined above.
Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? Properly storing, reheating and enjoying your leftovers is a great way to reduce your contribution to food waste!
Serving your Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters
These Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters are so delicious on their own, but also are amazing with some simple condiments like sour cream, applesauce, or even Greek yogurt.
These fritters make an absolutely delicious snack or vegetarian appetizer but are also a great side dish to any protein. I like to eat these with Roasted Garlic Salmon and a fresh veggie like this Purple Asparagus.
Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my zucchini fritters falling apart?
To make a successful fritter, you need binders like eggs and flour to hold them together. If your fritters are falling apart, you most likely need to add additional egg or flour to your mixture.
Why are my vegetable fritters soggy?
Before frying up your fritters, it’s important to extract as much liquid from your shredded vegetables as possible. The best way to do so is to first allow them to marinate in salt for about 5 minutes.
The salt will help coax excess moisture out of the veggies. Then, use a cheesecloth to squeeze out any liquid.
Can you freeze uncooked zucchini fritters?
Absolutely, yes! You can freeze uncooked zucchini fritters, so they are ready to make later.
Once you roll your fritters into balls, line them up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat, leaving about 2 inches in between each (you may need two baking sheets!).
Then, use clean, wet hands or the back of a wet spatula to press down on the fritters to flatten them. Stick them in the freezer on the baking sheet for about an hour until frozen solid.
Then, you can either individually wrap them to store them in the freezer or add them to a freezer-safe bag. You can fry them from frozen, just know you will need to add about 5 minutes to your cooking time!
Want to sharpen your kitchen skills?
Why You Should Make These Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters
- The texture! They get so perfectly crispy!
- They’re balanced. The perfect balance between savory and sweet.
- They’re quick and easy. Just 7 ingredients and under an hour!
If you’re loving these Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters and want more starchy deliciousness, check out this list of Best Potato Recipes!
Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters
PRINT PIN RATEEquipment
- Food Processor *or*
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potato (1 large sweet potato = approx. 1 pound)
- 1 pound zucchini (1 large zucchini = approx. 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
- ¼ to ½ cup olive oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Peel your sweet potato and zucchini and use a cheese grater or food processor to shred them and add them to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the salt to the shredded veggies and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the salt to pull excess liquid out of the zucchini and sweet potato. After 5 minutes, use a cheese cloth to squeeze out the excess juice over the sink.
- Add the dehydrated shredded zucchini and sweet potato back to the large mixing bowl and add the eggs, flour, and pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Use clean hands or a spatula to combine.
- Grab one handful of the mixture at a time and roll it to form 10 roughly equal sized balls. Line them up on a baking sheet or clean plate until you are ready to fry them.
- Add enough oil to a large saucepan or shallow pot so that the oil is about 2 inches deep. Get the oil hot over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Test that the oil is ready by dropping a tiny piece of the mixture into the oil. It should immediately sizzle and brown.
- Once the oil is nice and hot, carefully drop your fritters into the oil, 3 at a time, leaving space in between each. Use a spatula to press down on the fritters in the pan to flatten them.
- Fry over medium heat until you see the edges turning brown (about 5 minutes), and then flip. Fry until both sides are golden brown, then transfer to a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Repeat until all of your fritters are cooked. Enjoy hot!
Pro Tips
- You can make these ahead of time and freeze them for when you are ready to fry them up! Just shape them and flash freeze them before wrapping them up and storing them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Fry them directly from frozen.
- For more spuds, check out these Best Potato Recipes!
