These Zucchini Chickpea Fritters are crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and packed with fresh, herby flavor. They’ve got that satisfying golden crunch you want from a fritter, balanced with lemon, dill, and a little savory depth from miso that makes them feel extra special without being heavy. Vegan-friendly, they’re delicious for brunch or as a protein for salads, wraps and burgers.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Weeknight-friendly: These fritters don’t take long to make and use ingredients you probably already have, which makes them easy to fit into real life.
- Satisfying and nourishing: Chickpeas, chickpea flour, and zucchini make them hearty enough to keep you full without feeling heavy.
- Works for lots of diets: They’re naturally vegan and easy to keep gluten-free, with no eggs needed thanks to the chickpea and flax combo.
- That ideal fritter texture: Crisp, golden edges on the outside with a soft, flavorful center.
- Easy to serve lots of ways: Great as a snack, light meal, or side, and just as good with yogurt sauce as they are with avocado or tahini.
- Perfect for extra zucchini: If you’re staring at a pile of zucchini in the fridge or garden, this is a very good way to use them up.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe looks a little long on paper, but it’s very straightforward once you start. Everything works together to create fritters that hold their shape and actually taste good – not mushy or bland. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for full measurements, but here’s a quick shopping list for you:
- Zucchini
- Salt (for draining)
- Chickpeas
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Fresh dill
- Fresh mint (finely chopped)
- Lemon zest and juice
- Red chili or chili flakes
- White miso paste
- Chickpea flour
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Ground flaxseed
- Baking powder
- Black pepper
- Rice flour or cornstarch (for coating)
- Olive or avocado oil
- Flaky salt
Instructions
Follow along with this step-by-step guide to make your Zucchini Chickpea Fritters. You’ll find all the exact times, temperatures, and measurements in the recipe card below.
Step One: Grate the zucchini, salt it, and let it rest before squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
Step Two: Roughly mash the chickpeas so you still have some texture.
Step Three: Combine all fritter ingredients in a large bowl and mix until cohesive.
Step Four: Shape the mixture into patties and lightly coat with rice flour or cornstarch.
Step Five: Pan-fry until deeply golden, then finish briefly in the oven to crisp.
Step Six: Prepare the yogurt dipping sauce (see notes below).
Substitutions & Variations
If you’re missing an ingredient or feel like changing things up, these substitutions are all good options.
- Herbs: Swap the dill for parsley or cilantro if that’s what you have on hand, or use a mix for a slightly fresher flavor.
- Onion: Green onion works well instead of red onion if you prefer something a little milder.
- Miso: If you don’t have white miso, you can leave it out and add a small pinch of extra salt – the fritters will still taste great, just slightly less savory.
- Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free panko, or replace it with extra chickpea flour. If the mixture feels dry, add a teaspoon or two of water.
- Heat level: Adjust the chili to taste, or skip it entirely if you’re serving these to kids or spice-averse eaters.
- Make it heartier: Add a spoonful of nutritional yeast or finely chopped spinach for extra flavor and nutrients.
Storage
Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a hot pan, oven or air fryer to bring back the crisp edges – the microwave works in a pinch, but they’re best reheated dry. Reheat in an oven at around 400F (200C) or air fryer 360F (180C) for 5 – 7 minutes, or until hot in the middle.
Expert Tips
Squeezing the zucchini really well is non-negotiable – the drier the mixture, the crispier and sturdier your fritters will be.
FAQ
Yes. You can mix everything a few hours ahead and store it covered in the fridge until ready to cook.
They’re best pan-fried for texture, but you can bake them on a lined tray with a light oil spray until golden, flipping once.
That quick oven finish helps them cook through evenly and crisp without over-browning in the pan.
Yes, but they don’t reheat nearly as well as you lose that crispy outer edge. It can be done though in a pinch, just try to freeze them quickly after the first initial cook and brush them with some olive oil before heating from frozen in the oven at around 400F (200C) or air fryer 360F (180C) for 8 – 10 minutes, or until piping hot all the way through.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
These are great with the Yogurt Dipping Sauce (make a batch of my homemade Greek Soy Yogurt to make it – easier than it sounds I promise!)
Or try them with smashed avocado, or tucked into wraps with greens and pickled onions. I also love them as part of a mezze-style plate with salads and dips.
If you loved this, you might also enjoy Bang Bang Cauliflower for something crispy with a bit of heat, Chickpeas with Tahini Sauce for an easy protein-packed side, or my Red Lentil Fritters for another easy legume-based patty.
If you make these Zucchini Chickpea Fritters, let me know how you serve them – leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @glowdiaries___ I love seeing how these recipes fit into your everyday cooking.
Zucchini Chickpea Fritters
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchinis 500 g raw → 250 g after squeezing
- 1 tsp salt for draining, 5 g
- 1 can chickpeas 15-oz, drained (≈250 g drained), patted very dry
- ½ red onion small, finely diced, 40 g
- 2 garlic cloves minced, 6 g
- ¼ cup fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp lemon juice 10 g
- ½ red chili small 5 g, finely chopped (or ½ tsp flakes)
- 1 tsp white miso paste whisked smooth with lemon juice, 6 g
- ½ cup chickpea flour 60 g
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs 20 g
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed flax “egg”, 14 g
- 3 tbsp water 45 g
- ½ tsp baking powder 2 g
- ¾ tsp fine salt + black pepper to taste 4.5 g
- ¼ cup rice flour or cornstarch for dusting, 30 g
- olive or avocado oil for frying
- flaky salt to finish
Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Optional)
- ½ cup unsweetened thick yogurt I use soy but any will work
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the yogurt dipping sauce (recipe in notes below).
- Grate zucchini, toss with salt, and rest 10 minutes. Squeeze firmly in a towel until no liquid drips; you should have about 250 g.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas, pat dry, then mash roughly—about two-thirds crushed, one-third left whole.
- Mix flaxseed and water in a small bowl and rest 5 minutes to thicken.
- Stir miso into the lemon juice until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine zucchini, chickpeas, onion, garlic, dill, lemon zest, chili, miso–lemon mix, flax mixture, chickpea flour, panko, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until cohesive and scoopable. If wet, add 1 tbsp chickpea flour; if dry, add 1 tsp water.
- Fry one small test fritter. If it holds shape and browns evenly, continue. If it crumbles, add 1 tbsp chickpea flour; if soggy, squeeze remaining mix again in paper towels.
- Shape 8–10 patties about 1 cm thick and lightly coat each side in rice flour or cornstarch, shaking off excess.
- Heat oil in a non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When it sizzles, cook fritters 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden. Avoid moving them early. Cook in batches without overcrowding.
- Transfer to a wire rack and bake at 200 °C fan (425 °F) for 5–6 minutes to fully crisp. Sprinkle with flaky salt while hot.
Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Optional)
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and dollop onto the fritters. Or alternatively, serve with sliced avocado, a lemon wedge and some feta.
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