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Today’s special is sourdough zucchini fritters. They’re made with fresh dill, feta cheese, and a touch of sourdough discard, which gives them this light, tangy edge. We pan-fry them so the outsides get nice and crisp while the insides stay soft and savory. They come hot from the skillet with a little ranch dressing on the side. So simple, but seriously good.
If you don’t have a sourdough starter, make our gluten free zucchini fritters.
Here’s Why This Sourdough Zucchini Fritter Recipe Works
Salting the zucchini: A quick salt-and-squeeze trick draws out moisture so the fritters hold together and brown beautifully.
Sourdough discard adds structure and flavor: It gives the batter mild tang and helps bind the mix without weighing it down.
Loaded with herbs and feta: Fresh dill, parsley, and green onions make these taste bright and vibrant, while feta adds creamy, salty pockets.
Pan-fried to perfection: A shallow fry in olive oil gives the fritters golden edges and a soft, savory center.
Curious how I adapted this recipe for sourdough discard? Check out the recipe testing notes.
More zucchini to use up? Try these moist, lightly sweet sourdough zucchini muffins next.
Recipe Tips
Use fresh discard: Older discard can be too tangy for these mild fritters. Aim for discard that’s no more than a few days old.
Don’t skip the salt-and-squeeze: Salting the grated zucchini and wringing it out makes a huge difference in texture. Don’t rush this part.
Add flour only if needed: The eggs and discard usually do the job. Add flour one tablespoon at a time if the batter feels too loose.
Cook in batches: Leave space in the pan so the fritters crisp instead of steam. Overcrowding leads to soggy edges.
Serve immediately: These are best hot from the pan with a dollop of sour cream or ranch on the side.
Zucchini Fritters with Sourdough Discard
Crisp, herby, and just a little tangy, these sourdough zucchini fritters make smart use of your discard without tasting like a bread project. Fry up a batch and watch them disappear.
Got extra discard? Use it in this tangy, tender sourdough cornbread next.
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Sourdough Discard Zucchini Fritters
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Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 to 5 green onions, chopped (about ½ cup, white and green parts)
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 bunch Fresh dill, chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sourdough discard, about 120 grams
- 1 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, see notes
- olive oil, for frying
- Fresh dill, for garnish
Instructions
- Spread a clean kitchen towel on the counter. Grate the zucchini directly onto the towel, sprinkle with salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Gather the towel, twist tightly, and squeeze over the sink until most of the liquid is released. You should have about 2 to 2 ½ cups of packed grated zucchini.
- In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, green onions, feta, dill, parsley, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then stir them into the zucchini mixture along with the sourdough discard. The mixture may hold together on its own without flour. If it feels too loose, sift in the flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pancake-batter consistency.
- Heat 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop in heaping spoonfuls of the batter, flatten slightly, and cook until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate while you finish the batch.
- Garnish with fresh dill and serve hot with ranch dressing or sour cream on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Recipe Testing Notes
This sourdough recipe started out as an adaptation of my gluten free zucchini fritters. I initially swapped the flour and liquid amounts 1:1 with sourdough discard. But, I realized the sourdough discard worked very well as a binder on its own, so the batter didn’t need nearly as much flour as the gluten-free recipe.
From there, I experimented by adding an extra egg. That made the batter a little looser, but the flavor and texture turned out richer and more tender. The fritters still cooked up nicely, even without much (or any) extra flour.
In the end, I cut back on the flour significantly and left it as an optional adjustment. If you like thicker fritters, you can add a spoonful or two of flour.
