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Lentil and Zucchini Cakes stacked on wood cutting board. They have a crispy outside and soft inside and are perfect for an easy dinner!  The flavors are simple but perfect with parmesan, oregano, scallions, lentils, and zucchini.

Easiest Zucchini Lentil Fritters

Crispy outside, soft inside, these Zucchini Lentil Fritters are such satisfying little bites of heaven!  The flavors are simple but perfect with parmesan bringing a salty and nutty backdrop and oregano adding an herbaceous note.  The scallion gives a mild onion flavor.  But of course, the stars here are the meaty and earthy lentils and the fresh zucchini.  Formed into a perfect cake and pan fried in just a bit of olive oil. They make a perfect main dish or side! #zucchinicakes #lentilrecipes #zucchinirecipes #vegetarian

Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Lentils, zucchini
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 cakes
Calories 317 kcal
Author Carrie Tyler

Ingredients

  • 2 Zucchini, medium-large 2 cups grated
  • ¼ cup Scallions, finely sliced (green onions)
  • 2 Eggs, large
  • 1 cup Cooked Brown Lentils, drained (you can also use red lentils)
  • ½ cup All Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil

Instructions

Prep-Ahead Steps

  1. Cook the lentils by adding ½ cup of uncooked lentils to 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the water up to a boil, then reduce the heat to lowest setting, cover and let cook for 15 minutes until tender.

  2. While the lentils cook, finely slice the scallions. Using the large hole side of a grater, shred the zucchini. After it is all shredded, squeeze out and discard the excess water.

  3. Drain the lentils and then transfer to a large bowl. Mash the lentils with a fork so that about 50% are mashed. Add the shredded zucchini, scallions, flour, parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir to completely combine. Note: If the mixture seems too thin, add additional flour, a little at a time, until it thickens up.

    Parmesan, flour, shredded zucchini and lentils in a bowl for Lentil and Zucchini Cakes. They have a crispy outside and soft inside and are perfect for an easy dinner!  The flavors are simple but perfect with parmesan, oregano, scallions, lentils, and zucchini.
  4. Divide the mixture loosely in the bowl into 8-9 equal large cakes or 16-18 small cakes.

Cook the Lentil and Zucchini Cakes!

  1. Add oil to a large skillet, heat to medium, add pancakes and cook about 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned.
    Lentil and Zucchini Cakes starting to cook in a frying pan with center cake flipped over. They have a crispy outside and soft inside and are perfect for an easy dinner!  The flavors are simple but perfect with parmesan, oregano, scallions, lentils, and zucchini.
  2. Serve with my Mind-blowing Remoulade or a Sriracha and Mayo mixture.

Recipe Notes

  1. Nutrition Facts based on 2 fritters per serving.
  2. Can I add any other seasonings to these fritters?
    You can also add herbs, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic, and a great many other seasonings. I kept these simple in flavor as that’s what I found my kids wanted.

  3. Can I leave the lentils out of this recipe?
    You can eliminate the lentils from this Zucchini Lentil fritters recipe, but you will need to adjust the recipe. In their place you could add black beans or chickpeas. If you do not want any form of legumes, then you could add more of the zucchini. You may need a tablespoon more flour if you remove a creamy bean from the recipe just to help it all hold together.

  4. Can I make the Zucchini Lentil Fritters ahead?
    Yes, you can make the mixture and store it in the fridge sealed airtight for up to 3 days before cooking them. You can also form the cakes and freeze them raw. From the freezer, you can bake them in a 400 F degree oven for 20-30 minutes until cooked through and browned on the outside.