Carrot and Zucchini Fritters

Recently, I subscribed to Hungry Harvest…a food rescuing mission that just launched their newest delivery zone right here in Metro Detroit. Cool, eh? You can read more about Hungry Harvest and my experiences with the rescue boxes in an upcoming post. In one of my boxes, I received carrots AND zucchini, which inspired me to look back to a recipe I wrote last year for Carrot and Zucchini Fritters. What can I say….I like my veggies fried. Don’t you?

Carrot Zucchini Fritters on a Blue Plate with Swirl of Mango-Pepper Cream

I’m also a fan of super easy recipes. After grating carrots and zucchini, all that needs to be done is whisking them together with some flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of cayenne and milk. See?  Easy!

A bowl of Carrot Zucchini Fritter Batter

Next, fry the batter in shallow hot oil for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crispy on the outside, and cooked all the way through on the inside. Pro-tip here is to crack one open to check doneness and ensure timing is accurate. Like all frying, you need to cook fast enough that the outside gets crisp and brown, but slow enough that the outside doesn’t burn before the inside can cook through.

Carrot Zucchini Fritters Frying in Oil

The trick with any frying is to be flexible and use your instinct. If the oil isn’t actively bubbly, it means it’s not hot enough, so increase the temp. On the other hand, if you notice that the fritters seem to be browning really quickly, trust your instinct and turn down the heat. You’ll get accustomed to adjusting as necessary and turning out the perfect little fritters every time!

Carrot Zucchini Fritters Frying in Oil

Something old, something new, right? I took this tried and true recipe and paired it up with a new recipe I shared just a few weeks ago. Remember that Mango-Pepper Sauce I served with the coconut shrimp (what’s with me and fried foods lately?!?). Well, I mixed that with some sour cream and this festive “crema” is absolutely perfect with the salty crisp fritters. Food that makes me happy!

Carrot Zucchini Fritters on a Blue Plate with Swirl of Mango-Pepper Cream

Oh, and hot sauce. Can’t forget the hot sauce! I have lots of favorites, but here I opt for Cholulah. Which hot sauce will you serve your fritters with? Tell me in the comments!!

Carrot Zucchini Fritters on a Blue Plate with Swirl of Mango-Pepper Cream

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Carrot Zucchini Fritters on a Blue Plate with Swirl of Mango-Pepper Cream

Carrot and Zucchini Fritters

  • Author: Emily Wilson
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 Minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 10 Fritters 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: American

Description

What’s not to love about carrots and zucchini fried up to crispy goodness? Family-friendly, weeknight friendly, garden-friendly…this recipe has it all.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Fritters:

  • 1 packed cup zucchini, grated
  • 1 packed cup carrots, grated (I like to use different colored carrots)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup vegetable or canola oil

For the sauce:


Instructions

  1. Grate the zucchini and wrap tightly in a few layers of paper towel. Let it rest while you grate the carrots.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.  Slowly whisk in the whole milk and stir until smooth. Fold in the grated zucchini and carrots.
  3. Pour vegetable or canola oil into a medium saute pan so it’s  almost 1/2-inch deep. Warm over medium-high heat. While you wait for the oil to heat up, prepare a plate with a layer of paper towel.
  4. After a few minutes, test the oil by dropping a small drop of batter into the pan.  If it releases from the bottom and floats to the top quickly with lots of bubbles, it’s hot enough.  If not, let it warm a little longer and test again.
  5. Once oil is ready, use a soup spoon to scoop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil. Drop the batter in carefully so as not to splatter the oil. Use the tip of the spoon to arrange the batter into a somewhat round shape that is rather flat and not much higher than the oil.  Repeat with 3 or 4 more fritters. Do not over crowd the pan, though. Be sure to leave room to flip the fritters. Cook for about 3 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip them and cook the second side for another 2-3 minutes. You want to cook them on high enough heat that they turn golden brown but not so quickly that they don’t cook through in the middle, so 6 minutes should be a good amount of time. If they are getting too brown too quickly, lower the heat.
  6. Be sure to flip the fritters away from you to prevent splattering.  The zucchini may release some liquid as they cook, too, which can pop in the oil also, so just use caution.
  7. Once the fritters are golden brown on both sides, transfer to the plate of paper towel and sprinkle with salt while warm. Repeat with the remaining batter. This recipe should yield between 8 and 10 fritters, depending on how big or small you make them.
  8. To make the sauce, mix together the mango pepper sauce and sour cream.
  9. Serve fritters warm with hot sauce and sour cream, or kale pesto as pictured above! Enjoy!

Keywords: Easy Vegetable Recipes, Carrot Recipes, Fritters, Frying Vegetables



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