Greek Zucchini Fritters, Kolokythokeftedes, from Zaytinya

"It's a mouthful, and many diners won't attempt to say the name of this dish, and instead just point to the menu. But take the opportunity to learn a little Greek: 'kolokythi' (zucchini) plus 'keftedaki' (meatball). No matter how you say it (or not!), it's one of our favorites - light fritters with a crunchy exterior and a sweet, creamy inside. I first tasted this dish in Santorini, where the rich volcanic soil of the Greek island makes for superb zucchini and tomatoes."

- José Andrés

Welcome to our kitchen! We're making Kolokythokeftedes, Greek zucchini fritters, in my blue carbon steel wok. It's a mouthful but it's also vegetable swordfights and cutting the cheese. Interested?

Learn more about cooking with kids.

If you like these Greek zucchini fritters, try zucchini pancakes, Ukrainian bread, tovchanka, Boiko-style knish, stuffed eggplant, ratatouille, turmeric & nigella seed bread, and lamb & goat cheese pasta.

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Zaytinya Cookbook

This Greek zucchini fritters recipe is from Zaytinya: Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon by José Andrés.

"..the history of the Eastern Mediterranean shares some of the same DNA as the history of Spain - if you go back far enough, we have some of the same ancestors and many of the same cultural roots.

It's important to understand just how ancient, and how connected, these parts of the world are. The famous Fertile Crescent of Western Asia, the birthplace of what we call civilization, included parts of Lebanon and southeastern Turkey. Centuries and generations of empire-building and conquest, victories and defeats, led to the rise and fall of different groups of people, each leaving their own imprint on the culture, the food, the society. The Phoenicians (who made it as far west as Spain), the Persians, the ancient Greeks, the Macedonians, the Byzantines, the Roman Empire, the Islamic Caliphate (and, of course, its Spanish stronghold, al-Andalus) - all left their mark.

Maybe the most consequential culture, the one that informs much of the food in the Eastern Mediterranean, emerged in the Ottoman Empire. Many of the dishes we think of as Turkish, and some of the ones that are Greek and Lebanese, have their origins in the six-hundred-year Islamic dynasty.

How to Make Greek Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients

• yogurt - make the perfect caper-yogurt sauce for these fritters with Greek yogurt
• capers - you'll want capers and the caper brine for the sauce
• orange blossom water
• salt
• mint - dried mint is needed for the sauce and the zucchini fritters
• oil - this recipe calls for olive oil for the sauce and canola oil for the fritters but you can use what you have on hand
• zucchini - José says in-season farmers' market vegetables are best but you can grab some zucchini from the grocery store also
• scallions
• parsley
• oregano
• bread crumbs - panko bread crumbs are needed for the best crunchy exterior
• cheese - Kefalograviera cheese or Manchego cheese will work
• flour - use your favorite all-purpose flour. We like Jovial's einkorn flour
• pepper - this recipe calls for white pepper
• eggs - you'll need egg whites for the zucchini fritters

Equipment

• prep bowls
• chef knife
• butcher block or cutting board
• stand mixer or hand mixer
• measuring spoons
• wooden spoon or spatula
• box grater
• whisk
• wok
• spider strainer
• baking slab
• learning tower (as needed)

Make the Caper-Yogurt Sauce

Wash your hands with soap and water. Add the yogurt, caper brine, orange blossom water, 2 teaspoons of water, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl. Whisk everything together. If it's too thick, you can add another teaspoon of water. Cover the sauce and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Prep the Fritter Ingredients

Use a knife and cutting board to slice and chop the scallions, parsley, mint, and oregano. Use a box grater to shred the zucchini and grate the cheese. Place everything in clean bowls.

Add the Ingredients to a Bowl

Add the zucchini, scallions, parsley, mint, oregano, panko, cheese, flour, pepper, and salt to a large bowl. Stir everything together with a spoon.

Whip the Egg Whites

Use a mixer to whip the egg whites until firm peaks form. Then fold them into the zucchini mixture.

Cook the Zucchini Fritters

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of zucchini batter onto the pan to form each fritter. Leave space in the pan to keep them separate. Cook, turning once, until they are browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Use the spider strainer to remove the zucchini fritters and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate or cooling rack to drain. Repeat until all of the zucchini batter has been used.

Serve with the Caper-Yogurt Sauce

Remove the caper-yogurt sauce from the fridge, stir, and transfer to a small bowl. Top with whole capers, sprinkle with dried mint, and drizzle with oil. Serve the zucchini fritters with the caper-yogurt sauce.

Free Greek Zucchini Fritters Recipe for Pre-Readers & Up