The Wimpy Vegetarian

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Zucchini Fritters with Quinoa, Potatoes and Feta Cheese

Zucchini Quinoa Fritters with Feta

My first experience cooking in a commercial kitchen was in high school, and fritters were on the menu. Well technically, they were the menu. It was a Bible Study group. We met every Thursday morning before school – and anyone who knows me in real life knows I have to be passionate about something to get up that early. Or be paid a huge pile of money.

Of course, it was the former, just so you know.

At the time, I was searching for something to make me feel like I belonged to something bigger than me. Bigger than my family I wasn't getting along with, and never would. I was looking for a community that would accept me as I was. I found that for a time, along with a close friend who was on the same path, and I found fritters.

I'd never had them, and somehow the discovery of puffy, deep-fried fritters became enmeshed in finding a community. We had apple fritters every single week for something like a year, and took turns in the kitchen to make them. I have no idea why we didn't vary the menu, but I was so excited the first time I dropped a little bundle of chopped apples wrapped in batter into sizzling oil. Pure magic how they crisped up and bobbed around in the oil. And it was the first time I realized the feelings of connection when preparing food for a group. To know that the food on their plate came from my efforts for them.

Over the decades, my relationship with religion merged into a more general spirituality, and ultimately led to a blended faith of my own rooted in Buddhism. But I still remember well my early years of seeking, and remember those fritters.

For the record, these Zucchini-Quinoa Fritter with Feta are nothing like those early fritters. They're a whole lot healthier since they're not deep-fried, and packed with flavor. They were a solid hit even with my Carnivorous Maximus, and were gone in no time flat. They'll be in my regular rotation for a long time to come. In fact – next time, I plan to make them smaller as little party appetizers.

Zucchini fritters ready to be cooked

Yes, it's Secret Recipe Club time. For the uninitiated, The Secret Recipe Club is a group of around 130 food bloggers, separated into four smaller blogging groups, each of which post at different times of the month. Every month, we’re each assigned a blog in our group to look through. We try a few recipes and chose one to post about. But all month, we keep our assignment a secret until ‘reveal day’. It’s been a lot of fun – and I’ve found some great new blogs to follow and new recipes to add to my rotation.

SRC

This month I was assigned the lovely PizzaRossa blog, authored by Rachael. When first assigned her blog, I thought perhaps Rachael lived in Italy or was and Italian living here. But no. To my surprise, she's an Australian living in Switzerland. Both she and her husband are long-time vegetarians, and raised their children that way. Her blog is filled with wonderful vegetarian dishes, and she hasn't ignored dessert and baking. There are so many desserts and baked breads on her blog I'm going to be trying, starting with this recipe for Fugazza, a close cousin to focaccia bread. Also on my list are her Cannelés à la Orange and her vegetarian version of Shepherd's Pie. Please go check out her blog – her photography is also really lovely!

Wimpy Tips-

Even Carnivorous Maximus didn't have a meat or fish recommendation for these beauties. They can be served alongside roasted chicken, but I don't recommend tinkering with these fritters. They're perfect just the way they are.

Zucchini Quinoa Fritters with Feta
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Zucchini Potato Quinoa Fritters with Feta Cheese

Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: vegetarian main
Servings: 10 fritters
Author: Susan Pridmore

Ingredients

  • 1 Yukon gold potato about 1 cup when baked and grated
  • 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini about 1 large zucchini
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek white and light green parts only
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup freshly crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 egg
  • safflower oil

Instructions

  • Bake the potato in the microwave or conventional oven until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel, and coarsely grate into a large bowl - you should end up with about 1 cup of grated potato.
  • Add the remaining ingredients in the bowl except the safflower oil. Mix thoroughly.
  • Scoop out 1/4 cup of the zucchini batter and plop it onto a prep board area. Form into a patty. Repeat with the remaining batter. You should end up with 10 fritters.
  • (At this point, the fritters can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days before cooking off.)
  • Heat up enough safflower oil (or other high heat oil) in a frying pan to sauté the fritters. You need more than just a slick of oil. When the oil is hot, add the fritters in batches, allowing enough room between the fritters to flip them.
  • Cook for 4 minutes, or browned and slightly crisped on the edges, and flip. These fritters are super-soft and fragile, so be sure to use a thin spatula and carefully shimmy it under each fritter and flip as you would a pancake. If you flip them too soon, they'll tend to fall apart. They need to be a little crispy to hold well. If you do that, you'll be able to flip them with no issue. Cook for another 3 - 4 minutes on the second side, or until slightly crispy.
  • Serve warm with a salad.
  • For an appetizer, just use a couple of tablespoons of batter, and cook for just a couple of minutes per side.
[inlinkz_linkup id=606814 mode=1]
Zucchini quinoa fritters with potatoes and feta cheese.

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Comments

  3. SallyBR says

    Indeed, the photo is a dream! I love this type of recipe and would devour a big serving right now (it’s not even lunch time yet!)

    Have a great Reveal Monday!

  4. Liz Schmitt says

    These look fabulous. I haven’t made fritters in years and feel inspired now. My Mom used to make corn fritters for our supper sometime – yours are a cut above!

  5. Lori Hart says

    You had me at feta….. These look amazing and I can’t wait to try it. Hubby hates feta so I guess I get all of ’em! Great pick.

  6. Sid says

    Those looks so good, I’m so glad I’m a member of the SRC, I get to see so many wonderful recipes each month. But you had me at Feta. Love, love, love Feta.

  12. laura@motherwouldknow says

    I think your beloved is right – no need for a meat recommendation – and so are you – they look perfect. I’ve been trying to find quinoa recipes that don’t seem boring and bland. By George, I think I’ve found the ultimate one! Many thanks to you for introducing me to these fritters and to Rachael for developing them.

  13. cheri says

    Hi Susan, fritters are some of my favorite things to prepare when cleaning out the garden, will tuck this recipe away for the summer, when I have zucchini coming out of my ears.

  15. Bandsaw says

    “ZUCCHINI FRITTERS WITH QUINOA, POTATOES AND FETA CHEESE” is great post
    I will do it.
    Thank you so much!!!
    Keep your work.

  22. Edna Francis says

    ZUCCHINI FRITTERS WITH QUINOA, POTATOES AND FETA CHEESE it sounds great. I am lovin’ it. the combination of all ingredients was awesome. Thanks a lot for this delicious recipe.

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