Every summer we have to have the same conversation about… zucchini. How many have you planted in your garden this year? Too many, right? I know, I made exactly the same mistake. Every year I promise myself I’ll only plant one or two plants, and every year I end up harvesting more zucchini than I know what to do with.
That’s why I’m always looking for new ways to cook them, and these Romanian zucchini fritters with cheese and mint recipe has become one of my favourites. In Romania we call them chiftele de dovlecei, or “zucchini meatballs”, even though there isn’t a trace of meat in them. They’re crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside, and incredibly easy to make.
For this version, I swapped the traditional dill for fresh mint because my garden is overflowing with it at the moment. The mint gives the fritters a lovely fresh flavour that pairs beautifully with the salty cheese. I served them with a quick garlic and yogurt sauce, making them perfect for a light lunch, dinner, or even as a snack.
Ingredients for the Romanian Zucchini Fritters With Cheese and Mint Recipe
The main ingredient for this recipe is, of course, one large zucchini or two medium ones. Depending what you have in the garden. You will also need half an onion, as well as two garlic cloves, two eggs and some telemea cheese. If you can’t find telemea, feta cheese is a great substitute.
I also added mint, but you can add parsley or dill as well, whatever herb you like most. You will also need breadcrumbs and flour, to bind everything together.
How to Make Romanian Zucchini Fritters
Start by grating the zucchini using the large side of the grater. Place it in a colander and leave it to drain for about 30 minutes. Once drained, squeeze the grated zucchini firmly in your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. This step is essential for crispy fritters.
Transfer the zucchini to a large mixing bowl. Add the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, crumbled telemea cheese, chopped fresh mint, eggs, breadcrumbs, flour, and salt. Mix everything together until you have a thick mixture that holds its shape.
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Using a large spoon, scoop portions of the mixture into the hot oil and gently flatten each one to form a fritter. Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp.
Transfer the cooked fritters onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
Continue until all the mixture has been used.
Serve the fritters warm or cold, either on their own or with a simple garlic yogurt sauce for dipping.
Notes and Tips:
- You can use whatever herbs you like in this recipe. Commonly in Romania we use dill but I have a large harvest of mint, so I decided to twist the recipe a little bit.
- Drain the zucchini really well before mixing the batter. Removing as much liquid as possible is the key to fritters that are crisp rather than soggy.
- If you can’t find telemea cheese, you can replace it with feta cheese. Make sure to adjust the salt quantity based on how salty the cheese you are adding is.
Romanian Zucchini Fritters With Cheese and Mint Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 eggs
- 100 gr telemea cheese or feta
- 1 small bunch mint
- 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp flour
- salt to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini and leave it to drain for 30 minutes.
- Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Place the zucchini in a large bowl.
- Add the onion, garlic, eggs, cheese, mint, breadcrumbs, flour, and salt.
- Mix until well combined.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
- Spoon portions of the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly.
- Fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Transfer to kitchen paper to drain excess oil.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Serve warm or cold with garlic yogurt sauce if desired.
FAQ:
Can I bake the fritters instead of frying them?
Yes. Bake them on a lined baking tray at 200°C for around 25–30 minutes, turning them halfway through for even browning.
Can I replace the telemea cheese?
Feta is the closest substitute and works very well in this recipe.
Can I prepare the mixture ahead of time?
Yes. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for several hours before frying.
What can I serve with zucchini fritters?
They are delicious with garlic yogurt sauce, sour cream, a fresh tomato salad, or as a side dish alongside grilled meat.
For more traditional Romanian recipes with zucchini, check out my recommendations below:
- Romanian grilled zucchini salad recipe
- Romanian zucchini souffle recipe
- Romanian pan fried zucchini recipe
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