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Easy and delicious zucchini patties made with garlic, fresh basil and smoked scamorza cheese. Golden and crispy on the outside with a soft and delicious middle, these vegetable patties are perfect for a light lunch or dinner.
Quick recipe snapshot
- Ready in just 30 minutes and in one bowl.
- Great way of using up summer zucchini!
- Easy to adapt and perfect for prepping ahead.
These zucchini patties (or fritters) are our latest way of making the most of this summer veg, and they couldn’t be easier (or more delicious).
Everything is mixed in a bowl, then pan-fried in olive oil until they’re golden and crispy on the outside with a soft and delicious middle.
They’re also super easy to adapt with different herbs, spices and cheeses (see our notes on that below) and are perfect for a light lunch or dinner with a simple arugula salad.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It- Smoked scamorza cheese – Scamorza is very similar to mozzarella, but it’s firm in texture. My favourite is the smoked version, which is very common in Italy. If you can’t find this, then you could use another firm, melting cheese instead, such as Fontina or Gruyere.
- Shredded zucchini – use a box grater to shred the zucchini. It’s super quick and easy!
- Parmigiano Reggiano – Pecorino Romano, or Grana Padano are other good options.
- Nutmeg – this adds a nice flavour, but you can leave it out if you don’t already have it in your kitchen.
- Breadcrumbs – I use fine, unseasoned breadcrumbs for these.
Make it your own
You can adapt these zucchini patties in so many ways. See some of our suggestions below.
Herbs – fresh parsley is a good alternative or finely chopped fresh rosemary, although I’d use this sparingly. Freshly chopped chives or dried oregano would also be delicious.
Other cheeses to use – Fontina, dry mozzarella (shredded or block form), Gruyere, Pecorino, Caciocavallo or Provolone.
Spices – Red pepper flakes for heat or fennel seeds.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Removing moisture – it’s important to squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as you can (definitely don’t skip this step) or they’ll be too soggy.
- Reheating leftovers – you can reheat them in a pan on the stove or place them on a baking tray in the oven (180C/350F) for 10 minutes until hot throughout.
Yes, you can assemble the zucchini patties and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to fry them.
Yes, wrap them well in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze them for up to 3 months.
Serving suggestions
I love to serve these zucchini fritters with a simple arugula salad made with shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper.
They’re also delicious with large slices of ripe summer tomatoes sprinkled with salt and olive oil.
I often serve them with a bean salad, too, like our Cannellini bean and tuna salad or Chickpea Tuna Salad.
More ways to use zucchini
See more delicious ways to use up summer zucchini below. The soup is a reader favourite and we can’t get enough of the simple salad!
If you’ve tried these Zucchini Patties or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest or sign up to our Newsletter to see more of our delicious food.
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Zucchini Patties with Smoked Scamorza
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, (400g/14oz)
- 100 g (1 cup) smoked scamorza cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- 120 g (1 cup) fine breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 small handful fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 pinch of Nutmeg
- 1-2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini using a box grater, then squeeze as much water out of them as possible using a cheesecloth or kitchen towel.
- Place the grated zucchini in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs, scamorza and parmigiano cheese, fresh basil (chopped), egg, nutmeg and crushed garlic clove. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper, then stir well to combine (I find it easy to start with a spoon, then finish mixing with my hands until well combined).
- Form the mixture into 8 patties (cakes) and set aside on a plate.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan on a medium heat and fry the zucchini cakes for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown (I do 4 at a time), then serve.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
can i bake these patties rather than oil and frying?
Hi Jannette, if you brush them with a bit of olive oil they should bake fine in the oven. They may be a little softer than frying though, hope you enjoy them! 🙂