Textual Chef Textual Chef

Kolokithokeftedes

Golden-fried Greek zucchini fritters with fresh herbs and crumbly cheese. Crispy outside and tender inside, perfect as an appetizer with tzatziki sauce.

40 minEasyServes 4240 cal/serving

GreekAppetizerStovetopVegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs zucchini, grated, grated
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, chopped
  • 1.5 cups olive oil for frying
  • to taste black pepper

Instructions

  1. 1

    Toss 2 lbs grated zucchini, grated with 1 tsp salt in a colander. Let drain for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture. Squeeze gently to remove more water.

  2. 2

    Transfer 2 lbs grated zucchini, grated to a large bowl. Add 4 oz crumbled feta cheese, crumbled, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, chopped, 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, chopped, and to taste black pepper. Mix until well combined.

  3. 3

    Heat 1.5 cups olive oil for frying in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (a small spoonful of mixture should sizzle immediately).

  4. 4

    Working in batches, drop tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan.

  5. 5

    Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

  6. 6

    Serve hot with tzatziki sauce, lemon wedges, or yogurt dipping sauce.

Questions

Can I make Kolokithokeftedes dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled, crumbled. Swap the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Kolokithokeftedes gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Kolokithokeftedes keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat uncovered in a 400 F oven (or an air fryer) for a few minutes to bring the crust back; the microwave softens it.

Can I halve or double Kolokithokeftedes?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is a plain-text cooking reference of 4,481 recipes, free to read and cook from, with no account and no paywall. In the app, this entry scales itself: half, standard, or double batch, every quantity recomputed inside the step that uses it. No ads, no life stories, no photos of somebody else's dinner.

The entries are curated and public-domain sourced, written to a fixed template and checked against it: tested quantities, one closed vocabulary of methods, and precomputed half and double batches on every line. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser, instantly. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually, and the first 30 days are free.