These chickpea zucchini fritters are golden on the outside, tender inside, and packed with simple Mediterranean flavor — an easy, satisfying way to turn everyday ingredients into a light but filling meal.
For more fritters & patties, check out our chickpea sweet potato patties, lentil patties, Greek chickpeas patties, and Black bean patties.
Chickpea Zucchini Fritters with Greek Flavor
These chickpea zucchini fritters give you a simple, satisfying meal made with everyday ingredients. They’re golden outside, soft in the center, and full of bright Mediterranean flavor. 🌿
Louise and I love serving these Mediterranean zucchini fritters next to a creamy cucumber salad, with a cooling dip like tzatziki or a quick yogurt tahini sauce. It’s the kind of dinner that feels light but still filling. 🇬🇷
Chickpeas and zucchini make them fiber-rich and protein-rich, and the little pockets of feta add salty bursts of flavor. If you don’t have feta, grated parmesan works well too.
For easy cooking with less oil, we use a good non-stick skillet so the fritters turn golden without soaking up too much oil. 🍋
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Zucchini: The base of these zucchini fritters with chickpeas. Grate and squeeze well. Yellow squash works too.
- Chickpeas: Use canned (rinsed and drained) or cook them from scratch. Mash slightly for better texture. White beans or cooked lentils also work.
- Egg: Helps bind the mixture. You can use two small eggs, or try a flax egg for a vegetarian zucchini fritters version without eggs.
- Red onion: Adds sweetness and flavor. Swap with shallots or green onions for a milder taste.
- Garlic: Fresh grated garlic gives depth. If you’re sensitive to garlic, use garlic-infused olive oil or garlic powder.
- Dried oregano: Adds classic Mediterranean flavor. Substitute with fresh dill, dried dill, parsley, or mint.
- All-purpose flour: Keeps the texture soft but structured. Whole wheat flour or a gluten-free blend works. Chickpea flour also works really well.
- Baking powder: Helps the fritters stay light. You can skip it for slightly denser zucchini patties with feta.
- Feta: Adds salty pockets of flavor. Grated parmesan works well.
- Extra virgin olive oil: For pan frying the fritters until golden. Vegetable oil works too. Use a good non-stick skillet so you need less oil and the fritters don’t stick.
How to Make Chickpea Zucchini Fritters
1. Grate and Salt the Zucchini
Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Add it to a colander or bowl and toss with salt. Let it sit for 10 minutes so it releases water. This small step makes a big difference for a good easy zucchini fritter recipe.
2. Squeeze It Very Dry
Grab the zucchini with your hands and squeeze hard to remove as much liquid as you can. You can also wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out. The drier the zucchini, the better the fritters hold together and the softer, less mushy the center will be.
3. Mix the Batter
In a large bowl, add the drained chickpeas and mash them with a fork or potato masher. Mash about half until chunky. Leave the rest partly whole for texture.
Add the egg and mix. Then stir in the squeezed zucchini, feta, red onion, garlic, oregano (or dill), flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until you get a thick, scoopable batter.
4. Cook Until Golden
Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a good non-stick skillet. Spoon the batter into the pan and gently flatten into patties. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, until golden and set. Work in batches, adding a little more oil as needed.
5. Serve Warm
Move the fritters to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve right away while they’re warm and tender. They’re great with tzatziki or a yogurt tahini dip, a squeeze of lemon, and a big salad on the side.
Tips
- Squeeze the zucchini very well. This is the most important step. If it’s too wet, the fritters turn soft and fragile.
- Mash some of the chickpeas. Leave some whole for texture, but mash a few so the mixture holds together better.
- Use a good non-stick skillet. This helps you cook with less oil and keeps the fritters from sticking.
- Keep the heat medium. Too hot and the outside browns before the inside sets. Slow and steady works best.
- Don’t flip too early. Let the bottom fully set and turn golden before turning them.
- If the batter feels too wet, add a spoon of flour. If too thick, a small splash of milk can loosen it.
- Cook a small test fritter first. It helps you adjust salt and texture before cooking the full batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Place the patties on a parchment-lined sheet, brush lightly with olive oil, and bake at 400°F until set and lightly golden. They won’t brown the same way as pan fried zucchini fritters, but they’ll still taste great.
Yes. Use a good gluten-free flour blend or chickpea flour. The texture will be slightly softer but still delicious.
You can. Try grated parmesan or skip the cheese for a dairy-free version of these healthy zucchini fritters.
Let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet to bring back the best texture.
More Fritters and Patties
- Classic zucchini fritters
- Classic chickpea fritters
- Greek zucchini patties
- Lentil quinoa patties
- Lentil potato patties
- Lentil sweet potato patties
- Broccoli fritters
- Mediterranean corn fritters
If you try this Chickpea Zucchini Fritters Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Chickpea Zucchini Fritters (Easy Mediterranean Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini grated – about 2 medium
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz / 400 g can – rinsed and drained well
- 1 large egg or 2 eggs if small
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or dried dill
- ½ cup all-purpose flour up to ¾ cup if batter is wet
- ½ cup crumbled feta or grated parmesan
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Grate 1 pound zucchini on the large side of a grater. Put it in bowl or colander, sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes to release water.
- Squeeze the zucchini really well with your hands or a clean kitchen towel. Remove as much liquid as you can so the fritters don't get too moist.
- In a large bowl, mash 1 can chickpeas (drained) with a fork, leaving some chunky.Add 1 large egg, then mix in the squeezed zucchini, 1 small red onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano,½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup crumbled feta, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir with a spoon until it's all mixed into a thick batter.
- Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Scoop the batter into the pan and gently flatten.Cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Place on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon, yogurt dip or tzatziki or a simple Greek bean salad.
Notes
- Zucchini → Yellow squash
- Chickpeas → White beans or cooked lentils
- Egg → 1 flax egg or simply more flour until they hold together
- Red onion → Shallots or green onions
- Garlic → Garlic-infused olive oil or a pinch of asafoetida
- Dried oregano → Fresh dill, dried dill, parsley, or mint
- All-purpose flour → Whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour blend, or chickpea flour
- Baking powder → Skip (for slightly denser fritters)
- Feta → Grated parmesan
- Extra virgin olive oil → Any neutral cooking oil
- Squeeze really well – This is the #1 secret to firm, crispy fritters.
- Mash partly – Mash some chickpeas and leave some whole for better texture and structure.
- Use medium heat – A good non-stick pan and steady heat cooks them through without burning.
- Don’t flip early – Wait until the bottom is golden and fully set. I cook mine 6 minutes per side.
- Adjust texture – Too wet? Add 1 spoon flour. Too thick? Add a splash of milk.
- Test one first – Cook a small fritter to check salt and texture.
- Store smart – Keep in the fridge up to 3 days and reheat in a pan to crisp up.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Great flavour, the whole family enjoyed, even went back for seconds!
Pip, that’s so wonderful, thank you for trusting the recipe!!
I’m delighted that the family was happy, taking seconds is always such a good sign. Kindest,
Louise
Love these fritters . Had some grated zucchini in freezer and cooked garbanzos . Wonderful appetizer with tzatziki ! Thanks for great recipe !
Hi Regina,
That sounds absolutely perfect — especially with tzatziki! I love that you used zucchini from the freezer and cooked garbanzos you already had. Thanks so much for your kind words.
All the best,
Louise