Courgette fritters with lemony yoghurt & quick pickles
Turn a courgette glut into crisp fritters with a tangy yoghurt sauce and fast-pickled courgettes — bright, speedy and picnic-ready.
When the allotment (or neighbour) delivers a mountain of courgettes, fritters are the quickest, most forgiving answer. They’re crisp at the edges, tender inside and ideal for using up a glut.
This recipe pairs the fritters with a bright lemony yoghurt and speedy pickles so every mouthful has contrast — great for lunch, a light supper or to stash in a picnic box.
Ingredients
- 900 g courgettes — for the fritters and quick pickles
- 80 g plain flour
- 5 ml baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 50 g vegetarian hard cheese
- 2 spring onions
- 50 ml olive oil
- 5 ml salt
- 5 ml black pepper
- 150 g natural yoghurt — for the yoghurt
- 1 lemon
- 10 g fresh mint
- 1 garlic clove
- 100 ml white wine vinegar — for the quick pickles
- 50 ml water
- 25 g sugar
- 1 red chilli
- sea salt flakes — to finish
Equipment
- box grater or food processor with grating disc
- kitchen scales
- microplane or zester
- mandoline (optional for pickles)
Instructions
Make the quick pickles first so they have time to chill. Thinly slice about 200 g of the courgettes (use a mandoline or sharp knife). Put the slices in a heatproof bowl.
Heat the pickling liquid: stir together white wine vinegar, water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Slice the red chilli lengthways and add to the bowl with the courgettes; pour over the hot liquid, leave to cool for 10 minutes then chill in the fridge for at least 60 minutes.
Grate the remaining courgettes coarsely. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, toss and leave to sit for 15 minutes so excess moisture is drawn out.
Squeeze the grated courgette firmly in handfuls or wrapped in kitchen paper until mostly dry. Finely slice the spring onions and grate the vegetarian hard cheese and lemon zest. In a large bowl mix the drained courgette with plain flour, baking powder, eggs, vegetarian hard cheese, spring onions, lemon zest and black pepper until combined.
Warm a large frying pan over a medium heat and add enough olive oil to thinly coat the base. Spoon heaped tablespoons of the mixture into the pan, flatten gently and fry in batches for about 3–4 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
While the fritters cook, make the yoghurt sauce: finely grate the garlic, chop most of the mint, then mix with natural yoghurt, the juice of half the lemon, a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity with more lemon if needed.
To serve, arrange warm fritters on a board or plates, spoon over the lemony yoghurt, scatter the quick-pickled courgettes and finish with sea salt flakes and the remaining mint leaves.
Tips
- Dry the grated courgette really well — squeezing in a tea towel or with kitchen paper is far better than skimping.
- Make the quick pickles a few hours ahead: they improve after an hour and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- If the batter seems loose, add a little extra plain flour 1 tbsp at a time until it holds together.
- Cook fritters in two or three batches so the pan temperature stays consistent and they crisp up evenly.
- Leftover fritters reheat well in a moderate oven (180°C fan/200°C conventional) for 8–10 minutes to regain crispness.
Substitutions
plain flour → gluten-free plain flour, 1:1 measure
Stays closevegetarian hard cheese → crumbled feta, 50 g
Noticeably differentnatural yoghurt → Greek-style natural yoghurt, same quantity
Stays closeolive oil → vegetable oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 330
- Calories
- 11 g
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 500 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I freeze the fritters?
Yes — cool completely, then freeze flat on a tray and transfer to a container. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven (200°C fan/220°C conventional) for 12–15 minutes.
How can I make these gluten-free?
Use a gluten-free plain flour blend 1:1. Some blends absorb more liquid, so you may need an extra tablespoon of flour.
Can I make these vegan?
Replace eggs with 2 tbsp gram flour mixed with 60 ml water and use a plant-based yoghurt; texture will be slightly different but still tasty.
How long do the quick pickles keep?
Stored in the fridge in an airtight jar they keep for up to 3 days; they’re best eaten within 48 hours for brightness.
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