Healthy, easy to make and absolutely delicious, these gluten free zucchini fritters make the perfect summer lunch! The addition of lemon zest and plenty of herbs make them wonderfully aromatic, and they can be made in less than half an hour. (With a dairy free option!)

What better lunch is there, on a balmy summer’s day, than zucchini fritters? Okay, sure, you have to stand in front of the stove for a while, which is a pain given the heat wave we’re having… but every delicious zucchini-packed mouthful makes it so totally worth it.

Here’s why these zucchini fritters should become your go-to lunch (or dinner) this summer. They are:

Healthy: zucchini contain surprisingly high amounts of Vitamin C and potassium, plus: it’s veggies.
Gluten free: and it’s as easy as substituting wheat flour for a gluten free flour blend.
Delicious: provided you love zucchini… obviously. But if you do – you’ll LOVE these!
Packed full of herbs that give them the most AMAZING flavour, and there’s a pinch of lemon zest for freshness.
Easy to make, and I do mean that this recipe is fail- (and fool-) proof!

It all starts with a whole lot of grated zucchini. Now, did you know that zucchini are over 95% basically just… water? That means that if we want nice, fluffy zucchini fritters (rather than misshaped soggy blobs), we need to squeeze as much moisture out of those bad boys as possible.

I find it easiest to put the grated zucchini in a sieve above a bowl, and either let it sit for a while (if you’re feeling lazy and aren’t in a rush), or to press down on it with a spatula to force the liquid out.

Okay, in the mean time: let’t talk herbs. Zucchini are great in that they go well with most herbs you can think of. I went with tried and tested thyme in this case, but mint, oregano, sage and rosemary would work just as well.

Just chop them up, and on we go.

In addition to herbs, we’ll add lemon zest (for that extra zing), eggs and a small heap of grated parmesan cheese to the grated zucchini. Now, if you want to make these dairy free, just leave out the parmesan. No biggie. They’ll still be just as delicious… although I really do love the cheesy undertones that it adds to the fritters.

And before we forget, let’s add a pinch of grated nutmeg (because we all know that nutmeg + zucchini = BFFs), salt and pepper.

Then, in we go with the gluten free flour, a bit of baking powder and xanthan gum. Mix it up!

Frying these lovelies is easy: in a bit of olive, coconut or vegetable oil, a few minutes on each side until nice and golden brown and all soooo beautiful. I mean, seriously, just LOOK at them!!

I like to serve them with a good dollop of yoghurt (greek yoghurt, or a soy alternative with a squeeze of lemon juice work wonderfully!), some chopped parsley and a crisp salad on the side. But, let’s be honest, they are just as good on their own.

So there you have it, guys! Wonderfully aromatic gluten free zucchini fritters that are easy to make and even easier to eat. Give them a try, and I bet they’ll be your go-to summer lunch in no time.