Bacon Zucchini Fritters
These delicious Bacon Zucchini Fritters are loaded with veggies and super crispy. They can be served as a side dish or appetizer. They can also be made keto/low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo/whole30 friendly.
Servings: 15 fritters
Calories: 146kcal
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds zucchini
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
- ¾ cup almond flour or all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 large eggs
- 8 slices bacon, fried & crumbled
- ⅓ cup finely diced onion
- ⅓ cup avocado oil*
Instructions
- Cut off both ends of each zucchini. Shred each finely using a rotary or box grater.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the salt to the shredded zucchini and massage with your hands so it is completely coated. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- While the zucchini is sitting, in a large mixing bowl, stir together the remaining salt, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic, chili powder, paprika, and eggs. The mixture should be thick, almost like a paste.
- After 10-15 minutes, using a fine strainer, drain all of the excess water. Use your hands to press and squeeze to remove as much water as possible.
- Repeat this process using a paper/clean dish towel or cheesecloth 2-3 more times. The zucchini should reduce in volume and while it will still be slightly wet, most of the excess water should be removed.
- Fold the zucchini, bacon, and onion into the flour egg mixture.
- Heat the avocado oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, scoop about 4 fritters into the pan and use the back of the scoop to flatten them into pancake like disks.
- Fry for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown.
- Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate or wire rack. (Optional: Sprinkle hot fritters lightly with salt.)
- Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with sour cream and chives.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Avocado Oil: You will need about ⅓ cup of oil. You can use a combination of leftover bacon grease and avocado oil. You can also use vegetable oil.
- Remove as much water as possible. This is the most crucial part of this recipe. If the batter has too much water, the fritters will be softer and more pancake-like. They will still be tasty but the texture will be different.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Only fry 3-4 fritters at a time (depending on the size of the skillet). Frying too many at a time will not allow them to fry properly.
- Place on a paper towel. This helps absorb excess oil as they cool so they are not too greasy.
- Keep warm in the oven. Place an oven safe wire rack on a baking sheet. Keep fritters warm on the rack in the oven at 250 degrees.
Nutrition
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 353mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g