Vegan Zucchini Ricotta Fritters
Let’s talk about why each ingredient is great for you and what makes this dish great:
- Firm Tofu: Forms the base of the vegan ricotta-style mixture and gives the fritters substance.
- Garlic: Adds a warm savoury flavour to the ricotta mixture.
- Raw Cashews: Help create a creamy, rich texture when blended with the tofu.
- Nutritional Yeast: Adds a savoury, slightly cheesy flavour without using dairy.
- Salt: Helps bring out all the flavours in the fritter mixture.
- Olive Oil Spray: Used to sauté the garlic before blending.
- Soy Milk: Helps loosen the tofu and cashew mixture so it blends into a ricotta-like consistency.
- Zucchini: Makes up the vegetable base of the fritters and keeps the centre soft.
- Cornflour: Can be added when needed to help thicken a mixture that feels too wet.
- Light Olive Oil: Used for shallow-frying the fritters until golden.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Zucchini
Grate the zucchini and place it into a strainer. Sprinkle it with salt to help draw out the moisture.
Step 2: Drain the Zucchini
Leave the zucchini for approximately 30–40 minutes, then squeeze out as much excess water as possible using your hands or a muslin cloth.
Step 3: Cook the Garlic
Chop the garlic and sauté it in a saucepan with a little olive oil until lightly browned.
Step 4: Make the Vegan Ricotta
Add the tofu, raw cashews, salt, nutritional yeast, soy milk and cooked garlic to a blender.
Step 5: Blend Until Creamy
Blend until the mixture reaches a ricotta-like consistency.
Step 6: Add the Zucchini
Transfer the ricotta mixture to a bowl and fold through the drained grated zucchini.
Step 7: Check the Consistency
The mixture should hold together well. If it feels too wet, add 1–2 tablespoons of cornflour to thicken it.
Step 8: Shape and Cook
Heat light olive oil in a frying pan. Scoop the mixture with a tablespoon and form fritters approximately the size of your palm.
Step 9: Shallow Fry and Serve
Shallow-fry the fritters until cooked and golden, then here it goes, ready to serve!
Vegan Zucchini Ricotta Fritters
Ingredients
- 250 grams of firm tofu
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup of raw cashews
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A spray of olive oil to sautee garlic
- 3 tablespoons soy milk
- 3 large zucchini
- 2 -3 tablespoons corn flour to thicken
- Light olive oil for frying
Method
- Grate zucchini and sit in a strainer to drain out excess water. Sprinkle with salt to help bring out the water. Let sit for 30 – 40 minutes, then squeeze water out of the zucchini by hand or with a muslin cloth.
- Sauté the chopped garlic in a saucepan with olive oil until light brown.
- In a blender mix tofu, raw cashews, salt, nutritional yeast, milk, and cooked garlic. Blend until you achieve a ricotta-like consistency.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the grated zucchini.
- You want the mixture to form well, so if it’s a bit wet add a tablespoon or two of cornflour to thicken it.
- Heat a frying pan with light olive oil and scoop up the mixture with a tablespoon to create a fritter the size of your palm – shallow fry the fritters.
Recipe Notes
Things Needed:
- Box grater
- Strainer or colander
- Muslin cloth if you have one
- Saucepan
- Blender
- Large mixing bowl
- Frying pan
- Tablespoon for portioning
- Knife and chopping board
Five Things to Love About These Fritters
1. The vegan ricotta is beautifully creamy
Tofu and cashews are blended together to create a ricotta-like texture.
2. They’re packed with zucchini
Three large zucchini go into the mixture.
3. Nutritional yeast adds savoury flavour
It gives the filling a lovely depth without needing dairy cheese.
4. They’re golden and crisp outside
The fritters are shallow-fried until cooked and golden.
5. They’re more substantial than a standard zucchini fritter
The tofu and cashew mixture makes them feel hearty and satisfying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these fritters different from a traditional zucchini fritter?
The centre is much creamier and more substantial than a basic zucchini fritter. The tofu and cashew mixture is blended until it has a ricotta-like texture, then combined with the zucchini before cooking.
Why is removing the water from the zucchini so important?
Zucchini releases a lot of moisture, which can make the fritter mixture too soft to hold together. Salting it, allowing it to sit for 30–40 minutes and then squeezing out the excess water gives you a much more workable mixture.
How should the mixture feel before I start frying?
It should be firm enough that you can scoop and shape it into a fritter. If it still feels too wet after adding the zucchini, the recipe suggests mixing in one or two tablespoons of cornflour until it holds together more easily.
Why is the garlic cooked before it goes into the ricotta mixture?
The recipe lightly browns the garlic before blending it with the tofu and cashews rather than adding it raw. This means the garlic is already cooked before it becomes part of the fritter mixture.
What should the vegan ricotta look like before adding the zucchini?
You’re looking for a creamy, ricotta-like consistency rather than a completely liquid mixture. Once it reaches that texture, it can be transferred to a bowl and mixed through the drained zucchini.
What should I serve with the fritters?
They work well with something fresh alongside them, such as a simple salad or greens. Because the fritters are soft and savoury inside, something crisp and fresh makes a nice contrast.
