Grilled Courgette Fritters with Feta and Lemon Yogurt

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Grilled courgette and feta fritters are pan-fried patties made from grill-marked courgette, crumbled feta, spring onion, and a little flour, bound with two eggs. Grilling the slices first drives off water, which keeps the batter thick enough to hold a shape in the skillet.

I use a grill pan on the stove, so no outdoor grill is needed. Each batch of slices takes about 4 minutes, and they pick up a smoky edge that raw grated courgette never gets.

Moisture is the one thing to watch. If the chopped courgette is still steaming and wet when it goes into the bowl, the batter loosens, the fritters spread flat, and they tear when you flip them. Ten minutes of cooling and a press between paper towels fixes it.

The recipe makes about 12 fritters in roughly an hour. Served with a lemon-garlic yogurt dip and a green salad, they eat like a full meal and keep it vegetarian.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Grilling first keeps the batter thick, so fritters hold together
• Makes about 12 fritters from three medium courgettes
• Keeps it vegetarian and eats like a full meal
• Reheats in the oven and crisps back up

Ingredient Notes

• courgettes: Zucchini is the same vegetable under its US name. Pick medium ones around 200 g each, since large courgettes have watery seed cores and need longer on the grill.
• feta: Buy a block of feta in brine and crumble it yourself, because pre-crumbled feta is drier and less tangy. Firm goat cheese is a fair swap if you want a milder fritter.
• plain flour: Plain (all-purpose) flour binds the batter. Chickpea flour or a 1:1 gluten-free blend replaces it at the same weight, with a slightly denser result.
• Greek yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt gives the sauce body. For a dairy-free sauce, use thick unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt, though the fritters themselves still contain feta.
• mint and dill: Mint and dill give the fritters a fresh edge. Flat-leaf parsley or basil can replace either one in the same amount.

Grilled Courgette Fritters with Feta and Lemon Yogurt

Grilled courgette, feta, spring onion, and herbs are folded into a thick egg batter and pan-fried into about 12 golden fritters, served with lemon-garlic yogurt.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Fritters

• 600 g courgettes (about 3 medium); trimmed
• 1 tbsp olive oil for tossing the courgette
• 100 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs large
• 150 g feta crumbled into pea-size pieces
• 4 spring onions thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
• 1 lemon zest in the batter, juice saved for the sauce
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil for frying

Lemon-garlic yogurt sauce

• 200 g Greek yogurt full-fat
• 1 clove garlic finely grated
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp fine salt

Method

 

Grill the courgette

1. Slice the courgettes lengthwise into 5 mm planks, then halve the planks crosswise. Toss them with 1 tbsp olive oil until lightly coated.
2. Heat a 30 cm / 12-inch cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Grill the courgette in 3 batches, 2 minutes per side, until deep grill marks show and the slices bend without snapping. Move each batch to a cutting board.
3. Let the grilled courgette cool for 10 minutes, then chop it into 5 mm pieces. Press the pieces between two layers of paper towel to blot surface moisture. You should have about 400 g.

Make the sauce and heat the oven

1. While the courgette cools, heat the oven to 120 C / 250 F and set a wire rack over a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pan. Stir together the Greek yogurt, grated garlic, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/8 tsp salt, then refrigerate until serving.

Mix and fry the fritters

1. In a 2.5 L / 10-cup bowl, whisk the eggs, flour, baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, black pepper, and lemon zest until smooth. Fold in the chopped courgette, feta, spring onions, mint, and dill. The batter should mound on a spoon.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Drop in 4 scoops of batter, about 1/4 cup / 60 ml each, leaving 2 cm between them, and flatten gently to 1.5 cm thick.
3. Fry for 3 minutes per side, without moving them, until the crust is deep golden and the center feels firm when pressed. Transfer the fritters to the rack in the oven.
4. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter in 2 more batches of 4, wiping out the skillet if any bits have darkened. Serve warm within 20 minutes, with the yogurt sauce and a scatter of mint.

Notes

• Cool the chopped grilled courgette for 10 minutes before mixing so steam doesn't loosen the batter.
• Fry in 3 batches of 4 fritters, leaving at least 2 cm between each.
• Hold finished fritters on a rack in a 120 C / 250 F oven for up to 20 minutes.
• Fry one small test fritter first and taste it, since feta saltiness varies by brand.

Tips for Success

• Slice courgettes lengthwise 5 mm thick so they pick up grill marks before they turn soft, and toss them in oil rather than oiling the pan.
• Chop the cooled grilled slices into 5 mm pieces, then press them between paper towels for a minute to blot leftover moisture.
• Crumble the feta by hand into pea-size pieces so it softens in pockets instead of dissolving into the batter.
• Fry over medium heat, not high, and wait a full 3 minutes before flipping so the underside sets into a crust.
• Hold finished fritters on a wire rack in a 120 C / 250 F oven, not stacked on a plate, so the bottoms stay crisp.

Variations

• Swap the mint and dill for 3 tbsp chopped basil and add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika for a warmer, smokier taste.
• Fold in 60 g sweetcorn kernels, thawed and patted dry, for small pops of sweetness against the salty feta.
• Form the batter into 2-tbsp mounds and fry 2 minutes per side for bite-size fritters to serve on a mezze board.

Storage and Reheating

Grilled courgette and feta fritters keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Cool them completely first and layer them with parchment so they don’t stick. Store the yogurt sauce separately for up to 3 days.

To reheat, set the fritters on a 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pan in a 200 C / 400 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once, until the edges crisp. A 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium heat also works, at about 2 minutes per side. The microwave turns the crust soft, so I skip it.

These freeze well for up to 2 months. Freeze them in a single layer on a tray for 1 hour, then move them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 200 C / 400 F for 14 to 16 minutes, flipping once.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the fritters warm, three per person, with a spoonful of the lemon-garlic yogurt and a scatter of fresh mint. They’re at their best within 20 minutes of leaving the skillet, and the 120 C / 250 F oven rack holds them that long.

For a full dinner, add a tomato and cucumber salad dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar, plus warm flatbread. Everything except the frying can be done ahead.

For a mezze spread, make smaller 2-tbsp fritters and set them out with olives, hummus, and sliced radishes.

FAQ

Why do my grilled courgette fritters turn soggy or fall apart in the pan?

Wet courgette is the usual cause. Warm chopped slices release steam into the batter, so cool them for 10 minutes and blot them with paper towels, then check that the batter mounds on a spoon. If it slumps, stir in 1 tbsp flour and wait a full 3 minutes before the first flip.

Can I use halloumi instead of feta in grilled courgette fritters?

Yes, use 150 g of halloumi grated on the large holes of a box grater. It stays chewier than feta and holds its shape inside the fritter. Halloumi is salty too, so leave out the 1/4 tsp salt in the batter.

Can I freeze grilled courgette and feta fritters?

Yes, they freeze well for up to 2 months. Cool the fritters completely, freeze them in a single layer on a tray for 1 hour, then bag them. Bake from frozen on a sheet pan at 200 C / 400 F for 14 to 16 minutes, flipping once, until the edges crisp.

What goes well with courgette and feta fritters for a full dinner?

A tomato and cucumber salad with red onion and a lemon-garlic yogurt dip is the simplest pairing. For a bigger meal, add warm flatbread and a bowl of white beans dressed with olive oil. Three fritters per person with a salad eats like a full meal.

How do I make grilled courgette and feta fritters gluten free?

Swap the 100 g plain flour for 100 g chickpea flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Chickpea flour gives a denser, nuttier fritter with a slightly firmer bite. Check that your baking powder is labeled gluten free as well.

What is the difference between these fritters and Greek kolokithokeftedes?

Kolokithokeftedes are Greek courgette fritters, usually made with raw grated courgette that’s salted and squeezed dry. These use grilled slices instead, which adds a smoky edge and removes water without squeezing. Both lean on feta, spring onion, and fresh mint or dill.

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• our Grilled Courgette and Mint Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
• the Grilled Asparagus with Silky Lemon Hollandaise Sauce