Calling all zucchini lovers, or those whose crisper drawers are bogged down with summer squash!!!
Let’s make gargantuan Zucchini Fritter Veggie Burgers and feast like King’s! This double decker, bad Mama-Jama of a summer veggie burger is sure to be a hit at your dinner table and will help you use up all of that extra summer squash that’s just hanging out in your fridge.
Summer squash has been piling up in the market and filling our CSA baskets for weeks. I love zucchini, but sometimes I get a tad bit overloaded and unsure of how to deal with all of it. So far this season we have eaten our way through at least 10 pounds of summer squash as a family and since it looks like there is no end in sight I’m just going to keep plugging away; being as creative with the squashy meals as I can possibly be. So far we have been binging on gluten free zucchini bread, zucchini galettes, and these epic zucchini fritter veggie burgers! I think I might just try my luck baking up a batch of Paleo Zucchini Muffins too while I’m at it!
Zucchini fritters are pretty much a summer staple recipe in most homes. They’re easy to cook, taste delicious and makes quick work of a batch of zucchini. However, there comes a point when you just can’t lay an eye on one more fritter. That’s when you need to take my advice and transform that old fashioned fritter into a new wave veggie burger that everyone at the table can get excited about, no matter how much summer squash they’ve been pounding down!
PrintZucchini Fritter Veggie Burger
Double the batch of Zucchini Fritter Veggie Burger’s in the recipe below and have 2 meals ready to go. Enjoy fritter’s one night and veggie burgers the next or pack the burgers for this week’s lunch! They travel great and taste amazing.
- Yield: 6-7 patties 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 (15 ounce) can Cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup gluten free all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup scallions, white and green parts
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil for the pan
Pesto Yogurt Spread
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2–3 tablespoons prepared pesto
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
for the burgers
- gluten free buns, toasted
- thinly sliced red onions
- thick slices of tomato
- Butter lettuce leaves
Instructions
Make the fritters
- Place the shredded zucchini in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt then let stand for 10 minutes to draw out the juices.
- While the zucchini is draining place the Cannelloni beans in a large mixing bowl and mash them with the back of a fork until they are broken down and a coarse mash has developed. Set aside.
- Transfer the zucchini to a clean tea towel, twist into a bundle and squeeze all the juices out of the zucchini. (I can usually get about 1 cup of liquid this way. If you prefer you can squeeze the juices out with your bare hands, but I don’t find it as effective) Transfer the drained zucchini to the bowl with the mashed beans.
- Add the flour, eggs, scallions, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese and almonds to the bowl then season with salt and pepper. Stir until the mixture is combined. Divide the mixture into 6 or 7 even sized portions then form into patties by hand.
- Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot add a few patties to the pan, don’t overcrowd the pan, pressing on the patty lightly with a spatula to compact. Cook for 3.5 to 4 minutes until turning golden brown, flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until cooked throughout. Transfer the fritters to a paper towel limed plate and immediately sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Repeat the cooking process until all of the veggie burgers are cooked through or store any uncooked patties, tightly covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Make the sauce
- Combine the yogurt, pesto, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl and stir to combine, Refrigerate until ready to use.
Build your burger
- Layer toasted gluten free buns with lettuce, zucchini fritter patties, red onion and tomato. Slather the bun with yogurt sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
To achieve perfectly round veg burgers I use a round cookie cutterthat is the same size as my bun when forming the patties instead of my hands.
