Guilt Free and Gluten Free Baked Zucchini Fritters
Filling and satisfying, these baked zucchini fritters perfectly balance healthy fats, nutritious vegetables, and protein. These small bites, also called cakes, patties, pancakes, and croquettes, are a great addition to your recipe collection. Other reasons to love this recipe include:
- No messy batch frying since they are baked at once in the oven
- Good source of fiber – 3 fritters pack 7.9 grams
- Gluten-free to provide a variety of grains in your diet
- They are guilt-free because you are baking rather than frying
- These patties are high-protein (18.3 grams) for three fritters
- Leftovers are a breeze to warm up
- Freeze well
- Toddler friendly
Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
Baked Zucchini Fritters
- Artichoke hearts provide a great texture
- Chickpeas provide fiber and texture
- Zucchini or yellow squash are perfect in this recipe; they have a creamy center and crispy crust.
- Gluten-free panko crumbs provide a crunch and help hold the patties together; if you do not follow a gluten-free diet, saltine crackers pulsed in the food processor make a great substitution.
- Almond flour is another gluten-free flour that helps form the ingredients. If you are not following a GF diet, you can delete it; increase the bread or cracker crumbs to make up for it.
- Eggs serve as a binder and a good source of protein.
- Mayonnaise keeps the patties moist and adds some good fats. Check the ingredients and avoid mayo with saturated fats. Learn about healthy fats from the Mayo Clinic.
- Dijon mustard – for a zippy flavor – any available mustard can be used
- Lemon juice and zest give a citrus kick to the dish
- Baking soda – helps the cakes rise
- Old Bay Seasoning – the incredible flavor that makes the fritters similar to crab cakes
- Smoked paprika, onion, and garlic powder – keeps the flavor interesting
Yogurt Sauce
- Plain Greek yogurt – regular plain yogurt works, but the sauce will be thinner.
- Cucumber – adds a great crunch and flavor to the sauce
- Fresh or dried dill is a great flavor combination with the cucumbers, but other fresh herbs can be used – like parsley
- Garlic powder – always a flavor winner
- Greek seasoning, optional
Variations
- Try adding 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese to the batter for a deep, rich flavor.
- Did you add or delete any ingredients? Let me know in the comments below.
Recipe Steps
1
Shred zucchini with the skin on and remove moisture with a towel .
2
Pulse artichoke hearts and chickpeas a few times until a coarse mixture is formed.
3
Place artichoke hearts and chickpeas in a mixing bowl.
4
Add the remaining fritter ingredients into the mixing bowl and gently combine.
5
Portion 12 patties from the mixture to a large lined sheet pan (half sheet pan works great).
6
Cook at 400ºfor 15 minutes. Turn and cook another 10 minutes. Serve with yogurt sauce.
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Storage & Reheating Baked Zucchini Fritters
Leftovers can be stored in a lidded container in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. To freeze, allow them to cool completely and freeze flat in the freezer for a few hours until firm. Then, transfer them to zip-lock bags or a lidded container, labeling each with the date. They maintain the best flavor for 3-4 months.
To reheat zucchini cakes:
Microwave – heat on 80% for 1 minute. Repeat as needed.
Skillet – preheat skillet with a little oil and heat patties on both sides until warmed through
Air Fryer and Toaster Oven: Preheat and brush zucchini cakes with olive oil. Flip halfway through until warmed through.
Equipment Needed
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Baked Zucchini Fritters with Creamy Yogurt Sauce
Serve delicious Baked Zucchini Fritters as a vegetarian main dish or high-protein side dish. Similar in taste and texture to a crab cake, these filling cakes feature shredded zucchini, artichokes, and chickpeas. These veggie forward patties are perfect with a simple homemade tangy yogurt sauce.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Vegetarian
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Baked Zucchini Fritters
- 14–oz marinated artichoke hearts drained
- 14–oz chickpeas canned, drained, and rinsed
- 1 zucchini or yellow squash, grated – about 2 cups
- 1/2 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs*
- 1/4 cup almond flour**
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise***
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- zest from one lemon
- 1 lemon, juiced or 1/4 cup; reserve 1 tablespoon for yogurt sauce.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Yogurt Sauce
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced into small pieces
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoon fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Greek seasoning, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Shred the zucchini with a box grater, using the side with the large pieces. There is no need to skin the vegetable. A medium zucchini will yield 2 cups. Place pieces in a clean dish towel and roll up to absorb the water for a few minutes.
- Process the drained chickpeas and artichoke hearts in a food processor using the blade shaped like a propeller. Pulse for a few seconds and repeat, pushing the mixture away from the sides with a spatula a few times. The ingredients should be chunky. Transfer to mixing bowl.
- Mix fritter ingredients. Gently pat the zucchini in the towel to remove excess moisture. Add the grated zucchini, panko, almond flour, mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice, zest, and all seasonings to the chickpea mixture. Mix well to combine.
- Make Fritters. Using a 1/3 cup cookie scoop, form 12 patties. Place them on a large sheet pan. I use a half-sheet pan that is 12″ x 17″, or a cookie sheet can also be used, but the patties will be close together.
- Bake at 400º for 15 minutes. Turn and bake for another 10 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and serve it with yogurt sauce.
- Yogurt Sauce – Mix all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a serving bowl: Greek yogurt, diced cucumbers, lemon juice, and seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. This sauce keeps for 3 days.
- Store Leftovers. Any leftover baked zucchini fritters should be covered and stored in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days. See the reheating instructions in the notes below.
Notes
*If you do not follow a gluten-free diet, saltine or Ritz crackers can be used instead of panko. Pulse enough crackers to make 1/2 cup of crumbs in the food processor.
**If you don’t have almond flour on hand, increase the panko or crumbled crackers to cracker to 3/4 cup.
***Avoid mayonnaise, which uses highly refined inflammatory oils. Look for brands using cold-pressed plant oils, like olive oil or avocado.
Leftovers can be stored in a lidded container in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days. To freeze, allow them to cool and lay flat in the freezer for a few hours until firm. Transfer frozen fritters to zip-lock bags or a lidded container and place the date on the package. Patties will be good for 3-4 months.
To reheat zucchini cakes:
- Microwave – heat on 80% for 1 minute. Repeat as needed.
- Skillet – preheat the skillet with a little oil and heat patties on both sides until warmed through.
- Air Fryer and Toaster Oven: Bake at 375º for 3 – 5 minutes.
More Vegetarian Recipes
See all the vegetarian recipe ideas.
4 responses to “Baked Zucchini Fritters with Creamy Yogurt Sauce”
We love these in our house! My husband is typically the dinner cook, but this is a recipe that didn’t feel daunting to me. We also had all of the ingredients on hand, and were looking for ways to use up all of the summer squash we had in excess. Best thing about these—they freeze and reheat well in the skillet with a bit of oil.
Hi Katy: Thank you so much for your review! I’m thrilled to hear that the recipe was approachable and a hit in your home. Your feedback truly inspires me to keep sharing simple, creative recipes that make meal planning fun and stress-free. Happy cooking, and thanks again for sharing your experience!
I followed the recipe exactly. My fritters were not crispy after the recommended cooking time so I baked them a bit longer. They did not look appetizing and the taste was very bland. I would not make these again.
Hi Janina, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I’m sorry to hear that the recipe didn’t meet your expectations.