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    You are here Home » Recipes » food

    By: Melissa

    Zucchini Pancakes

    Zucchini pancakes are such a delicious summertime recipe when zucchini is abundant. This zucchini pancake recipe is really easy to make, big on flavor and even the pickiest eaters love it. If you are looking for a new tasty zucchini recipe, these zucchini pancakes are for you!

    zucchini pancakes stacked up on plate
    Jump to Recipe
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

    About these zucchini pancakes

    You may have heard of zucchini fritters and are wondering what the difference is between those and zucchini pancakes. Sometimes the names are used interchangeably but fritters are usually fried up in lots of oil, and pancakes are made in a pan like pancakes.

    There will be some oil used of course but these zucchini pancakes will not be deep fried. This recipe is the zucchini pancake version. I find it to be a little lighter than zucchini fritters but just as amazing.

    The outside of the zucchini pancakes will have a really nice golden crust still but it is just not cooked in so much oil.

    Who will love this recipe

    Now, my family is not a big fan of zucchini but they love this dish!  What is not to like about zucchini that is shredded with spices and flour and pan fried to perfection.

    If you have picky eaters like I do and zucchini can be tough to get them to eat, you should check out my Italian zucchini too.

    We actually have started to cook these outside on the large griddle grill because it makes a large batch so much faster! I have to make lots of these pancakes to keep up with demand!

    cooking zucchini pancakes
    Making a large batch of zucchini pancakes on my outdoor griddle.

    The ingredients in this easy zucchini pancake recipe are very simple. You will probably already have all of them in your kitchen.

    Ingredients you will need for this recipe

    • Zucchini. Any variety of zucchini will work.
    • Eggs. I always use large eggs for my recipes.
    • All purpose flour.
    • Baking powder. Make sure your baking powder is not old or it will not work as well in the zucchini pancakes. You should purge baking powder that is older than 1 year.
    • Parmesan Cheese. I like to use parmigiano reggiano.
    • Kosher salt. If you do not have kosher salt, you can use regular table salt but make sure to use only half the amount.
    • Vegetable oil.
    • Green Onions.
    • Sour cream (for serving).

    How to Make Zucchini Pancakes

    shredded zucchini
    1. Shred Zucchini.
    zucchini in cheese cloth
    2. Squeeze out excess liquid from zucchini.
    zucchini mixed with dry ingredients
    3. Add dry ingredients to zucchini.
    adding egg to zucchini
    4. Now add the wet ingredients.
    shredded zucchini ingredients mixed together
    5. Mix well.

    This dish requires grating the zucchini and then draining off the excess liquid before you cook it so your pancakes will hold it's shape in the pan. This drying out time is an important step and can't be skipped or you will end up with soggy zucchini pancakes.

    This helps ensure that you will crispy zucchini pancakes. What everyone loves!

    zucchini fritter batter on pan
    6. Add zucchini batter to a hot pan with oil.
    zucchini pancakes cooking
    7. Flip and cook on both sides until crisp.

    This makes a great weekend meal that you can start in the late afternoon and start cooking it up around dinnertime. The only time consuming part is grating the zucchini and drying it out.

    That is why this step is the perfect thing to get a head start on earlier in the day if possible.

    How to Serve Zucchini Pancakes

    These pancakes are served with sour cream and chives or green onions and this really makes it taste amazing. The contrast of the hot pancakes and cool sour cream with the little bite of onion really make this dish what it is.

    If you are not a fan of sour cream with the pancakes, you can serve these with a side of Italian San Marzano sauce. It makes a delicious dip for the pancakes.

    Pro-Tips:

    • When you are making these, make sure your pan is nice and hot and much like making regular pancakes, the first batch never comes out as nice 🙂
    • To avoid mushy zucchini pancakes, give your shredded zucchini time to drain properly in a colander over a bowl. From time to time, press (or squeeze out excess liquid) until the zucchini begins to dry out a bit.

    Variations

    These pancakes are absolutely perfect as is but you could certainly add other vegetables to the mix. We love mixing it up a bit and adding shredded carrots or summer squash.

    I find that sometimes I am looking for ways to use up more than just zucchini in the summer so get creative and make use of what you have. The quantities will be the same if you choose to use these other summer vegetables in the pancakes.

    Recipe Faqs

    What is a good size for zucchini pancakes?

    Zucchini pancakes are usually made the size of small pancakes. They are great for stacking up on top of each other.

    What goes well with zucchini pancakes?

    Zucchini pancakes are great served with sour cream, chives, green onions or marinara sauce.

    Pairing Ideas

    If are wondering what to serve with these zucchini pancakes, here are our favorites:

    • chopped kale salad with tahini dressing
      Chopped Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
    • Spinach and Mushroom Salad
    • watermelon margarita
      Ridiculously Easy Watermelon Margaritas
    • basil lemonade in pitcher
      Easy Basil Lemonade

    More zucchini recipes:

    • Italian Baked Zucchini
    • Zucchini and Chorizo Galette
    • Zucchini Pudding
    • Brown Butter Sautéed Zucchini
    • Zucchini and Tomatoes
    • Grilled Zucchini and Squash
    • Zucchini and Spaghetti
    zucchini pancakes stacked up on plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 24 votes

    Zucchini Pancakes

    A delicious pan fried zucchini pancake that everyone will love.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Servings: 12 pancakes

    Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!

    Author: Melissa

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups grated zucchini dried well
    • 4 large eggs slightly beaten
    • 4 tablespoon green onion diced
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil divided
    • For serving: 1 cup of sour cream and finely diced green onions
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    Instructions

    • Pre-heat your oven to 175 degrees (warm). Place an oven proof cooling rack on top of a large sheet pan and place inside your oven to warm. This will be where you keep your pancakes warm as you make your batches on the stove top.
    • Place grated zucchini in cheesecloth or a double layer of strong paper towels over a large colander.
      4 cups grated zucchini
    • With your hands or the back of a large spoon, press down on the zucchini to remove as much moisture as possible. Do this a few times until the zucchini begins to dry out a bit and you see liquid coming through the colander.
    • Now take your strained zucchini and add it to a large bowl.
    • Mix together the flour, Parmesan cheese, baking powder and, salt. Mix this into your zucchini mixture.
      1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Now add your eggs and onion to zucchini mixture and mix well.
      4 large eggs, 4 tablespoon green onion
    • Heat about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium- medium low heat.
    • Scoop ¼ cup of zucchini batter on to the hot skillet making sure to flatten the pancakes to about a ½ inch thick and cook until deep golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
    • Place on a cooling rack that sits on a sheet pan and then place in warm oven while you make the rest of your pancakes.
    • Continue to cook the remainder of the pancakes. You will need to add a little more oil to the pan before each new batch of pancakes.
    • Serve pancakes with a generous dollop of sour cream on the top or side and garnish with the extra green onions.
      For serving: 1 cup of sour cream and finely diced green onions

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition Values are estimates only.

    See full nutrition disclaimer here
    Course :Main Course

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Bernie says

      August 27, 2023 at 6:31 pm

      5 stars
      Love love, love these zucchini pancakes. I had to change the recipe a little… I used mild cheddar cheese, and chives, because I did not have Parmesan and green onion. This recipe is very well written, and easy to follow.

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        August 28, 2023 at 12:01 pm

        I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂 The substitutions sound delicious too!

        Reply
    2. Renee Fraser says

      August 04, 2023 at 4:13 pm

      5 stars
      Wow yum yum yummy! I used 2 cups cut the recipe in half with a little more flour and used butter to fry. Very impressive.

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        August 04, 2023 at 4:46 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed it Renee 🙂

        Reply
    3. Pauline Hennig says

      July 30, 2023 at 5:21 pm

      Just made these pancakes. They were delicious & easy to make.
      Thankyou

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        July 31, 2023 at 3:44 pm

        So glad you enjoyed them 🙂

        Reply
    4. joslyn says

      July 10, 2023 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      came out delicious and browned 10/10 👍

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        July 11, 2023 at 11:07 am

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Jeff says

      December 27, 2022 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      We love these zucchini pancakes! Made them three times now 🙂

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        December 27, 2022 at 1:20 pm

        Love hearing that Jeff 🙂

        Reply
    6. Dana says

      November 17, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      5 stars
      Came out amazing. A great way to us up zucchini and to get everyone to eat it 🙂

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        November 17, 2022 at 4:04 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    7. Nick says

      September 25, 2022 at 12:30 pm

      5 stars
      The zucchini pancakes were a hit! Very delicious and easy recipe to follow.

      Reply
    8. Brian says

      September 02, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      5 stars
      Loved them

      Reply
    9. Lily says

      August 29, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      Made this yesterday and they were a hit. The sour cream is delicious with them

      Reply
    10. Crystal says

      August 04, 2022 at 12:10 am

      5 stars
      These are a perfect low cal fried food, they always satisfy my cravings 😋

      Reply
    11. Amy Blackwell says

      August 03, 2022 at 8:31 pm

      5 stars
      These came out great! The whole family loved them. They go so well with the sour cream

      Reply
    12. Dee says

      May 05, 2022 at 5:31 pm

      5 stars
      These zucchini pancakes came out amazing!

      Reply
    13. Kira says

      April 19, 2022 at 7:17 pm

      5 stars
      I loved these zucchini pancakes! Followed the recipe exactly and squeezed out as much liquid as possible from the zucchini and they were perfect.

      Reply
    14. Jen says

      June 10, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      Everyone loved them!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Italian Baked Zucchini • Keeping It Simple Blog says:
      July 18, 2021 at 1:03 pm

      […] but the texture will be very soft after thawing so I do not recommend it. You are better off making zucchini pancakes (fritters) if you have an over abundance of zucchini you are trying to use up since it takes a lot to make […]

      Reply

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