When I find myself in an abundance of zucchini I turn to this Zucchini Frittata recipe or this dairy free Tomato and Zucchini Frittata. But, one day I wanted to do something different and I did have plenty of zucchini in the fridge. After a week of zucchini pancakes for breakfast everyday and twice with dinner, my husband is happy that I’m done tweaking my new recipe for “Grated Zucchini Pancakes.” The best part? If you use the appropriate ingredients this recipe this makes a great lower-carb substitution for potato pancakes. With all my experimenting this week I discovered you can make these a few ways. You can make a personal pancake in an 8-inch frying pan (my favorite and what is pictured below), a giant pancake that you can cut in pizza-like slices, and small cakes like small pancakes. What’s your favorite?
Grated Zucchini Pancake – Individual 8-inch
1 large zucchini (mine weighed 11 1/4 oz)
6 scallions
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons of flour – I use cassava (regular, cassava, rice, or gluten-free blend)
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons of unsalted butter, ghee, or olive oil
3 tablespoons (or so) of micro-planed Pecorino Romano, Manchego, or Parmesan cheese – optional
sour cream, yogurt (regular or coconut), creme fraiche – optional
fresh herbs like basil, parsley, chives, mint, oregano (optional)
1. Grate zucchini with a large box grater or similar device into a large mixing bowl.
2. Finely slice white and green parts of scallions and add to the zucchini. (Optional – reserve some green ends for garnish).
3. Mix the zucchini and the onions together by hand.
4. Using paper towels squeeze dry the zucchini mixture.
5. Mix pepper and flour into the zucchini mixture.
6. Lightly beat 1 egg in a small bowl.
7. Add the lightly beaten egg to the zucchini mixture and stir with a fork.
8. Heat butter in an 8-inch oven-safe non-stick frying pan over medium heat. I love ScanPans for this type of cooking. Also, pre-heat the oven on the low-broil setting.
9. Spoon the zucchini mixture into the pan and press flat. Press around the entire edge to form an even pancake and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
10. As the pancake is cooking in the pan (in step 9) salt generously and if you can tolerate dairy, grate Pecorino Romano, Manchego, or Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pancake using a microplane.
11. When the bottom is golden move the oven-safe frying pan to the second-to-the-top shelf under the broiler. Broil 8 to 12 minutes or longer depending on how golden brown you want the top.
12. Serve immediately with sour cream, yogurt, or creme fraiche. You can also add fresh herbs.
Family Style – Variation 2
Double the basic recipe listed above for a 10-inch oven-safe non-stick frying pan or triple the recipe for a 12-inch oven-safe non-stick frying pan. This version needs to broil on low (second to the top rack) for a little longer than the 8-inch pancake. Serve in wedges. Note: these go great with “Greek Smyrna Meatballs” from Whipped the Blog.
Small Individual Pancakes – Variation 3
The recipe for the 8-inch pancake listed above will make 8 small pancakes. Depending on how many you want you may want to double the recipe. After the bottom is golden brown you could just flip these over and cook the same way on the other side. However, I decided to keep the same basic method. I placed the pancakes on a parchment lined cookie sheet, grated the cheese over the tops and placed under the broiler.
Grated Zucchini Pancakes - 3 Ways
Ingredients
- Grated Zucchini Pancake - Individual 8-inch
- 1 large zucchini (mine weighed 11 1/4 oz)
- 6 scallions
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour - I use cassava (regular, cassava, rice, or gluten-free blend)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons of unsalted butter, ghee, or olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (or so) of micro-planed Pecorino Romano, Manchego, or Parmesan cheese - optional
- sour cream, yogurt (regular or coconut), creme fraiche - optional
- fresh herbs like basil, parsley, chives, mint, oregano (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 1. Grate zucchini with a large box grater or similar device into a large mixing bowl.
- Step 2 2. Finely slice white and green parts of scallions and add to the zucchini. (Optional – reserve some green ends for garnish).
- Step 3 3. Mix the zucchini and the onions together by hand.
- Step 4 4. Using paper towels squeeze dry the zucchini mixture.
- Step 5 5. Mix pepper and flour into the zucchini mixture.
- Step 6 6. Lightly beat 1 egg in a small bowl.
- Step 7 7. Add the lightly beaten egg to the zucchini mixture and stir with a fork.
- Step 8 8. Heat butter in an 8-inch oven-safe non-stick frying pan over medium heat. I love ScanPans for this type of cooking. Also, pre-heat the oven on the low-broil setting.
- Step 9 9. Spoon the zucchini mixture into the pan and press flat. Press around the entire edge to form an even pancake and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
- Step 10 10. As the pancake is cooking in the pan (in step 9) salt generously and if you can tolerate dairy, grate Pecorino Romano, Manchego, or Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pancake using a microplane.
- Step 11 11. When the bottom is golden move the oven-safe frying pan to the second-to-the-top shelf under the broiler. Broil 8 to 12 minutes or longer depending on how golden brown you want the top.
- Step 12 12. Serve immediately with sour cream, yogurt, or creme fraiche. You can also add fresh herbs.
- Step 13 Family Style – Variation 2
- Step 14 Double the basic recipe listed above for a 10-inch oven-safe non-stick frying pan or triple the recipe for a 12-inch oven-safe non-stick frying pan. This version needs to broil on low (second to the top rack) for a little longer than the 8-inch pancake. Serve in wedges. Note: these go great with “Greek Smyrna Meatballs” from Whipped the Blog.
- Step 15 Small Individual Pancakes – Variation 3
- Step 16 The recipe for the 8-inch pancake listed above will make 8 small pancakes. Depending on how many you want you may want to double the recipe. After the bottom is golden brown you could just flip these over and cook the same way on the other side. However, I decided to keep the same basic method. I placed the pancakes on a parchment lined cookie sheet, grated the cheese over the tops and placed under the broiler.
Totally excited to make those, even though I am the only one in my family that will eat them. I am getting a bunch of zucchini in my CSA order next week. Thanks for sharing it!
Me too! Chuck eats them reluctantly but that's why my favorite is the 8-inch personal pancake. I can make it just for me!
I love these. Had them fried like a potato pancake.
Can hardly wait to try them fritata style. m.