The Crisper Whisperer: Zucchini Pancakes Recipe

Updated August 30, 2018

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There's no denying it: It's that time of year again. The time when residents of carefree, throwback towns start locking their front doors and parking their cars in the garage. The time when lucky children find green, woody baseball bats by the dozen strewn atop the compost heap. The time when perfectly reasonable people are driven to silent, guilt-ridden, unreasonable ends. In other words, it's zucchini season.

At this time of year, I'm always on the lookout for recipes that make quick work of large volumes of zucchini. That stew with the single zucchini in it, delicious though it may have been a month ago when the season was new, seems awfully quaint now. I want recipes that let me haul out my food processor and shred, shred, shred my fears away. I want recipes that can act like lunch, dinner or an hors d'oeuvre. I want recipes that can be doubled, even tripled, for a party. I want to throw a zucchini party.

This recipe is adapted from the Barefoot Contessa. It makes twelve small pancakes. I've found them surprisingly kid-friendly, and they also make a great hors d'oeuvre for a summer party. Invite all your old friends and as many new ones as you can find, and your zucchini will be back under control in no time.

Recipe Details

The Crisper Whisperer: Zucchini Pancakes Recipe

Active 20 mins

Total 50 mins

Serves 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini
1/2 medium yellow onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or oregano
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed

Directions

Shred the zucchini and onion on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor with the shredding disk. Place the shredded vegetables in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with the salt. Toss to combine. Let drain for 30 minutes, then pick up by the handful and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Place on a kitchen towel or double layer of paper towels.
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, garlic, cheese, herbs, lemon zest, and pepper. Beat well with a fork. Add the drained zucchini mixture and mix together. Sprinkle the flour and baking powder on top and mix with a fork just until well combined.
Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy pan. When the oil is hot, drop the batter into the pan by heaping tablespoonful. Cook for about three minutes on the first side, until nicely browned. Flip and cook for about two minutes more. Place the cooked pancakes on a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining oil and batter. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt, sour cream, tzatziki or applesauce.

Pancakes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
254	Calories
15g	Fat
21g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories	254
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g	19%
Saturated Fat 4g	18%
Cholesterol 131mg	44%
Sodium 542mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 21g	7%
Dietary Fiber 2g	8%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 19mg	94%
Calcium 215mg	17%
Iron 2mg	12%
Potassium 474mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.