Buckwheat Zucchini Fritters

gold zucchini fritters

If you have a garden and you planted zucchini, there’s a good chance that you have more than you know what to do with. So, I thought I’d share one of my favorite zucchini recipes with you. We started making zucchini fritters years ago using a recipe from a very old Betty Crocker cookbook. Then, when I had to go gluten-free as part of my regimen to beat Hashimoto’s, I started looking for ways to change my favorite foods. This one proved to be easier than most.

Initially I used brown rice flour, but that’s hard on blood sugar because it has 31 grams of carbohydrates and only 2 grams of fiber in 1/4 cup, so I switched to buckwheat. In addition to having 3 grams of fiber, it has only 21 grams of carbs. (Don’t even think about using white rice flour because it has even less fiber.) Too many carbs and very little fiber makes for some wicked blood sugar swings for those who have issues with either high or low blood sugar.

Did you say gluten free?

Yes, buckwheat is gluten free. It is not really a true wheat. The name is totally a misnomer.

Isn’t zucchini green?

Some zucchini is green, but we prefer golden zucchini. No, this is not the same thing as yellow summer squash. Golden zucchini tastes like green zucchini, but it’s is easier to see, so you can harvest it before it becomes a baseball bat. It also seems to be more resistant to bugs in our area, so the plants last longer than the green varieties, which are called black and gray zucchini, depending upon which shade of green you get. Feel free to use green, gray, or golden zucchini in this recipe.

Recipe tips

I use lard in this recipe because it adds a great flavor, but you can use a different oil. However, it needs to be one that does a good job with high heat, so olive oil would not be good for this. If you don’t have real home-rendered lard, then coconut oil would be a good second choice.

The recipe calls for a medium-sized zucchini. If you have some of the baseball-bat size, you will need to scrape out the seeds before shredding because they’re not very palatable. Chickens, however, love the seeds, so they’re free chicken feed.

In addition to using zucchini fritters as a side dish for lunch and dinner, I also eat the leftovers for breakfast. They’re delicious either hot or cold.

I wouldn’t store them in the refrigerator for more than about five days because of the egg in them, but they’ve never lasted more than a day around here.

Buckwheat Zucchini Pancakes

You can also eliminate the fat for frying and simply put a thin coating of oil on the pan for making “pancakes” instead of fritters.

zucchini fritters

Buckwheat Zucchini Fritters

A delicious side dish for lunch or dinner, and also works well for breakfast!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast, Side Dish
Servings 6 fritters

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium zucchini shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons chives fresh (optional)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup lard home rendered from pastured pigs

Instructions
 

  • Mix together all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
    zucchini fritters
  • Heat lard in a cast iron skillet.
  • When oil is hot, add batter by heaping tablespoons and flatten slightly.
    zucchini fritters
  • When you see edges start to brown, flip over, being careful not to splatter the grease on yourself. I usually tip the pan so that the grease flows to the other side when I’m flipping them. They are usually cooked through after about five minutes on each side.
Buckwheat Zucchini Fritters Pinterest Image

4 thoughts on “Buckwheat Zucchini Fritters”

  1. Definitely trying the zucchini fritters (I’ve made the mother-load of yellow squash and basil fritters). Love the baseball bat reference–too true!

    Reply
  2. I am one of those folks who never cared for zucchini but have found a great way to truly enjoy them as well as save them for later. Dehydrate them! Seriously. They make delicious chips and are absolutely healthy. Some folks put seasoning on them; however, I just dehydrate them freshly sliced. My granddaughters love them as well as potato chips. I store them in wide-mouth canning jars and vacuum seal them (and then put in the freezer for 48 hours to kill any possible insect eggs on the skins). The great thing about the vacuum sealing is that you can remove what you want and reseal the jar and they remain fresh and crispy. Another advantage is they are ready to put into soups or salads if you wish.

    Reply
  3. Thanks for sharing the GF option!! My husband has Celiacs so I’m always trying to figure out the gluten free alternative to many favourites. Now for the egg-free alternative too… open to suggestions!

    Reply

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