Hello, summer! Time to celebrate zucchini season with Turkish Zucchini Feta Fritters, aka Mücver. Perfect for any meal, these crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside fritters are a tasty mix of zucchini, feta, and fresh herbs. Let’s get cooking!
What is mücver?
Mücver (translated as fritters or patties) are Turkish vegetable fritters, made from shredded vegetables, eggs, and flour, and usually shallow-fried in oil. The most common version, kabak mücver (or zucchini fritter), is flavored with brined cheese and loads of fresh herbs. The Turks eat mücver hot or cold, often accompanied by a garlic yogurt sauce.
Why you should try this recipe
- Perfect for summer brunch – a great way to make everyone love zucchini.
- The ideal candidate for a vegetarian mezze-type meal… – served with Turmeric Baba Ganoush with Feta and Sumac or Roasted Mushrooms and Whipped Feta Dip. Yum!
- … or a Turkish breakfast – along with Çilbir (delicious poached eggs with yogurt and a chili brown butter sauce).
- Light and so flavorful – a true summer staple!
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The ingredients you’ll need
- Zucchini (preferably organic as we will leave the skin on) – I recommend medium-size zucchini as the larger ones tend to be more watery and less flavorful.
- Feta cheese – the real one made from sheep’s milk is always better and more vibrant.
- Garlic – grated, for a nice garlicky kick and depth of flavor.
- Scallions (or spring onions) – both white and green parts for their peppery and sharp notes.
- Fresh dill – for its vibrant and anis-y flavor.
- Free-range eggs – bind the fritters (without imparting an eggy taste).
- All-purpose flour – is another binding ingredient, plus it makes the fritters fluffier.
- Sunflower oil – helps crispen the fritters and gives a nice golden color.
- Salt and pepper – to season.
For the garlic yogurt sauce
- Greek yogurt – or any thick full-fat yogurt of your choice.
- Garlic – grated with a zester.
- Lemon zest – for a nice zing.
- Fresh dill – for a fresh herbaceous touch.
- Kosher salt – to brighten things up.
Substitution and Variation
- If feta cheese does not sit with you, you can replace it with grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese.
- For a gluten-free version, you can replace all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. I personally like Red Mill’s all-purpose baking flour.
How to make Zucchini Feta Fritters?
Start by grating the zucchini:
- Thoroughly rinse the zucchini, pat them dry, and trim the ends off.
- Using the large holes of a box grater or the grater attachment for a food processor, grate the zucchini.
- Transfer the grated zucchini to a fine mesh strainer or colander placed on top of a large bowl.
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt, mixing with your hands to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes, letting the zucchini water drain.
Note: adding salt helps draw out the moisture of the zucchini. Excess water will make your fritters soggy and heavy, it is, therefore, important to squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as possible.
Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce :
- In a bowl, add Greek yogurt, the garlic grated with a zester, lemon zest, chopped dill, and salt.
- Stir until well combined and set aside at room temperature.
And prepare the ingredients for the fritters:
- Grate the garlic with a Microplane zester, chop the scallion and dill.
- Crack the eggs in a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork.
Make the mücver:
- Using a spatula or your hands, squeeze the liquid out of the grated zucchini, applying strong pressure to squeeze as much liquid out as possible.
Tip: You can always squeeze much more liquid out of grated zucchini than you might think. Take your time and keep the pressure up for a little while at each squeeze – sometimes it takes a second for the liquid to come out.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the drained zucchini, grated garlic, scallion, dill, pepper, crumbled feta cheese, lightly beaten eggs, and flour.
- Mix well with your hands.
Cook the fritters:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Place 2 or 3 ¼ cups (60 g) of batter in the pan and flatten it with the back of the cup (or a spoon) to look like a pancake (about 0.5 cm thick).
- Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden and holding its shape. Feel free to reduce the heat if you notice the fritters are turning brown too quickly.
- Serve warm with a generous dollop of yogurt sauce and a glass of chilled Assyrtiko wine!
Nim Keys – Useful Tips
- Choosing the zucchini: I recommend medium zucchini which tend to be tastier and have a denser texture than large zucchini.
- Adding salt to the zucchini helps draw out the moisture of the zucchini. Make sure to massage the shredded zucchini with salt before letting it sit.
- Squeezing water: excess water is the enemy of fritters and will make them soggy and heavy. Try removing as much water from the zucchini as possible to get the crispest lightest result.
- Pan-frying the fritters on a medium flame allows them to cook evenly. If cooked at too high a temperature, the outer layer might burn while the center will be raw.
- Reducing cooking time: using two non-stick pans reduces the cooking time by half.
🍷Wine Pairing for Zucchini Feta Fritters
ASSYRTIKO
This beautiful Greek grape variety is known for producing vibrant light-bodied white wines with aromas of ripe citrus, stone fruits, and a distinctive salinity.
Assyrtiko is a great match for these Zucchini Feta Fritters as its acidity and salinity will match the tanginess and salinity of feta cheese while bringing out the mild zucchini flavors.
In a nutshell: this is the perfect wine match for Mücver!
WINE APPELLATION SUGGESTIONS
Tip: If Assyrtiko is not available where you live, go for your favorite Sauvignon Blanc.
Recipe FAQs
These Zucchini Feta Fritters are best enjoyed immediately. However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
Excess moisture is the enemy of this recipe! To get the crispest softest fritters, remove as much water from the shredded zucchini as you can.
Absolutely! They freeze well which is handy to always have some on hand. Let the fitters cool down completely and place them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. To reheat, place them frozen on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes, or until crispy and heated through.
Other Delicious Brunch Recipes
Zucchini Feta Fritters (Mücver)
PRINT SAVEINGREDIENTS
For the garlic yogurt sauce
- 1 cup (250 g) Greek yogurt
- 1 medium clove of garlic grated with a zester or crushed
- the zest of half a lemon about 1 tablespoon of zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill thinly chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the zucchini feta fritters
- 2 pounds (1 kg) zucchini about 3 medium
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic grated with a zester or crushed
- 1 cup (65 g) scallion (green and white parts), finely chopped
- ¼ cup (10 g) dill finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup (150 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 free-range eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- sunflower oil or any neutral oil such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil, to pan fry
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the zucchini :
- Thoroughly rinse the zucchini, pat them dry, and trim the ends off.
- Using the large holes of a box grater or the grater attachment for a food processor, grate the zucchini.
- Transfer the grated zucchini to a fine-mesh strainer or colander placed on top of a large bowl.
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt, mixing with your hands to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes, letting the zucchini water drain.
Meanwhile, make the garlic yogurt sauce:
- In a bowl, add Greek yogurt, the garlic grated with a zester, lemon zest, chopped dill, and salt.
- Stir until well combined and set aside at room temperature.
- Prepare all the other ingredients for the fritters: grate the garlic with a zester, chop the scallion and dill, crack the eggs in a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork, and measure crumbled feta and flour.
Make the fritters:
- Using a spatula or your hands, squeeze the liquid out of the grated zucchini, applying strong pressure to squeeze as much liquid out as possible.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the drained zucchini, grated garlic, scallion, dill, pepper, crumbled feta cheese, lightly beaten eggs, and flour.
- Mix well with your hands.
Pan fry the fritters:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Place 3-4 ¼ cups (60 g) of batter in the pan and flatten it with the back of the cup (or a spoon) to look like a pancake (about 0.5 cm thick).
- Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Feel free to reduce the heat if you notice that the fritters are turning brown too quickly.
- Serve warm with a generous dollop of yogurt sauce and a glass of chilled Assyrtiko wine!
NOTES
- Choosing the zucchini: I recommend medium zucchini which are often tastier and have a denser texture than large zucchini.
- Adding salt to the zucchini helps draw out the moisture of the zucchini. Massage the shredded zucchini with salt before letting it sit.
- Squeezing water: excess water is the enemy of fritters and will make them soggy and heavy. Try removing as much water from the zucchini as possible to get the crispest lightest result.
- Pan-frying the fritters on a medium flame allows them to cook evenly. If cooked at too high a temperature, the outer layer might burn while the center will be raw.
- Reducing cooking time: using two non-stick pans reduces the cooking time by half.
A marvellous recipe ! Perfect for a light dinner, with these crisp and tender courgettes, and perfect with a Quincy … Thanks a lot, Ninon
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Thank you so much, Alain, for this raving rating and review! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, and Quincy is such a great pick 😋!
Un pur délice et même si je n ai pas trouvé le vin grec recommandé avec un sauvignon bien frais je me suis régalée
Merci Misto!💚
Premier essai ce week-end avec ce mucver, bravo pour la recette, simple et quel résultat ! un vrai délice. Avec un Sauvignon car malheureusement pas de vin grec sous la main. Bravo pour votre site c est un régal pour les yeux et tellement d idées simples à realiser
Merci beaucoup Sylvie pour cet adorable commentaire! Je suis heureuse que la recette vous ait plu 🙂
Really tasty seasonal recipe! the wine pairing is perfect!
Ninon’s tips are really a plus (remove water from zucchini for example) Thank you Ninon!
Thanks Christa! How nice of you to say 🙂
So fresh! Perfect.
Thanks Kat!