Lebanese Zucchini Fritters

Lebanese Zucchini Fritters, also known as Ejjeh Kousa in Arabic, make a wonderful starter, side dish or even a light lunch! These crispy zucchini fritter patties are formed and pan-fried then served hot alongside a cool dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

Lebanese Zucchini Fritters- Ejjeh Kousa:

In Lebanese cuisine, zucchini fritters are often made with zucchini flesh. After making any stuffed zucchini dish such as Kousa bil Laban- Stuffed Zucchini with Yogurt Sauce, Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini- Kousa or Vegetarian Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini, I frequently end up with a mound of golden flesh, so I make these fritters. This recipe can also be made with shredded zucchini instead- which is what I did here. If you use zucchini flesh, be sure to add parsley to the batter to get the greenish fritters color and for extra flavor.

What You’ll Need:

“Scroll all the way down to get the full recipe with exact measurements and a printable option.”

• Zucchini
• Eggs
• Garlic cloves
• Onion
• Salt and pepper
• Flour
• Corn starch
• Olive oil

HOW TO MAKE ZUCCHINI FRITTERS:

These healthy zucchini fritters are unbelievably easy to whip up:

Begin by shredding the zucchini on a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk.

Transfer the zucchini to a fine mesh strainer, to draw out the liquid.

Let the shredded zucchini sit for about ten minutes, and then use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

In your food processor, add onion and garlic and process until you have a pureed mixture. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs, salt and ground black pepper in a medium mixing bowl.

Add the shredded zucchini, and pureed onion and garlic mixture. Mix well until combined.

Sprinkle the flour and corn starch. Stir again until evenly mixed.

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet, and then working in batches, drop about 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan. Pan-fry until golden brown on both sides. About 2 minutes on each side.

Transfer the fritters to a paper-towel lined plate to drain any oil.

Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream/yogurt and lemon wedges.

Tips for Making the best Zucchini Fritters:

• Wring as much liquid as you can out of the zucchini. This will prevent your fritters from becoming soggy.
• Don’t use too much oil. You only need enough oil to coat the pan. This is a shallow fry, not a deep-fry.
• Use non-stick skillet. You don’t want the fritters to stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Don’t overcrowd your pan. Cook in patches, depending on how large your skillet is.

How to Make these Fritters Healthier

To make Ejjeh fritters healthier, you can bake them in a muffin cup baking tin. Lightly spray a non-stick muffin tin with oil, and divide the batter into the 12 muffin cups. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350°F.

How to Store:

Store any leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven them on a cookie sheet in a 350°F oven or in your air fryer at 350°F until heated through.

Freeze: you can freeze the fritters once cooked. Just place the patties in between layers of parchment paper and place in a freezer storage bag. They will stay good for for up to 3 months.

Craving more? Subscribe to The Salt and Sweet Kitchen to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

These fritters are wonderfully nutritious, low in calories and the perfect way to sneak in some veggies for those picky eaters. My three littles ones absolutely loved them!

How to Make Zucchini Fritters: