Easy Zucchini Cakes Recipe (2024)

Need another way to use up all of that zucchini? This Zucchini Cakes recipe is so delicious you won’t even think twice about all that zucchini that you need to use from your garden!

Zucchini Cakes Recipe

Once upon a time, I was trying to come up with something different to use zucchini for besides bars and bread and I remember having zucchini cakes a few times as a kid so I came up with a recipe to fit our tastes. It’s so easy and a great way to incorporate more zucchini into your meals!

Ingredients in the Zucchini Cakes Recipe

• Zucchini. This can be fresh, frozen, or dried zucchini. Use a box grater or a food processor to grate up the zucchini for this recipe. If using frozen, be sure and squeeze out as much liquid as you can before using.
• Bread Crumbs. Use some from the store or make your own. Seasoned bread crumbs add the best flavor!
• Eggs. These are your binder in this recipe and are essential for keeping the zucchini fritters together.
• Garlic. If you don’t have any fresh, you can use garlic powder in this recipe instead.
• Parmesan Cheese. This really is optional but adds the best flavor. Leave it out if you are dairy-free.

Instructions for Making Zucchini Cakes

Try and drain all the water out of the zucchini that you can. I used frozen zucchini, so I made sure it was fully thawed out, and then I drained it the best I could. If you are having trouble draining the water from your zucchini, sprinkle it with a little salt to draw out the moisture, and then pat it with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel until it seems as dry as it’s going to get. There is no need to drain fresh zucchini.

Add the breadcrumbs, eggs, cheese, and garlic in a bowl with the shredded zucchini. I’ve also added a little bit of onion salt to a few batches, but in my opinion, they turned out too salty, so I would omit that unless you like salty foods.

Mix all the ingredients together. The zucchini mixture should be a fairly thick consistency.

Heat up a bit of olive oil (or whatever you like to use for frying) in a frying pan over a medium heat.

Drop flattened zucchini cakes into the warmed oil. Use a lid so it won’t splatter all over when the oil gets hot.

After a few minutes, flip over the cakes. They will get nice and golden brown on each side. Watch them carefully so they do not burn.

Pull them out of the pan when they are finished cooking and place them on a plate that is covered with some kind of clean towel to help remove any excess oil from the cakes. Enjoy warm!

These Zucchini Cakes do not store well so only make enough that you can eat at one time instead of making some for leftovers.

Variations to the Zucchini Cakes Recipe

• Add in some chopped green onions for more flavor.
• Add in fresh dill or other fresh herbs for different flavors.
• Use different vegetables like carrots, beets, etc for different types of cakes.
• Dip patties in sour cream (or make a sour cream herb dip).
• Add in a little salt and pepper (after cooking or it will create too much liquid!) for more flavor.

Need to print this Zucchini Cakes recipe? Grab it here!

Gluten-Free Zucchini Cakes

Use gluten free breadcrumbs in place of regular breadcrumbs in this recipe to make it gluten free.

More Zucchini Recipes

• Blueberry Zucchini Bread Recipe
• Homemade Zucchini Bread Recipe
• Triple Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Recipe
• 100 Delicious Zucchini Recipes
• Easy Cinnamon Zucchini Cake Recipe
• Easy and Soft Zucchini Cookies Recipe
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookie Bars

Did you make this recipe and enjoy it? Be sure to leave a star rating on the recipe card and share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and through Email using the sharing buttons below.

Have you ever made Zucchini Cakes before? Do you think your family will enjoy this recipe?

Merissa has been blogging about andliving the simple life since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from theContact Page.

This Zucchini Cakes recipe was originally posted on Little House Living in October 2010. It has been updated as of August 2023.