Zucchini Latkes with Maple Cranberry Sauce is a colorful twist on a beloved Passover and Hanukkah tradition! Serve these delicate zucchini fritters for breakfast, or as a side dish, with plenty of tart maple cranberry sauce nearby.
It’s latke season and I couldn’t be happier! These crisp veggie pancakes win me over every time, and while they’re usually made with potatoes and served with applesauce, I like to mix it up a bit with different flavor profiles. My BEET LATKES WITH HORSERADISH CRÈME FRAîCHE recipe is an example of how you can tweak tradition and come up with something fabulous and new. Same with today’s variation.
These zucchini latkes are crispy on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside, thanks to the melting texture of the shredded squash.
Zucchini is quick and easy to grate on a box grater, so there’s no need to haul out the food processor for this recipe. The key is to remove as much moisture from it as possible after you’ve grated it. I roll it in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze it well, just like I did with my SWEET ONION LATKES.
TIP: If you want more of a traditional latke, mix shredded potatoes with the shredded zucchini, in equal proportions.
The maple cranberry sauce is quick to make, I just combine fresh cranberries, some maple syrup, and a little bit of water in a saucepan ~ it bubbles away for about 15 minutes and it’s done. The tart flavor is perfect with the latkes.
notes ~
- I choose smaller zucchini whenever possible, the flavor and texture is superior.
- Thinner is better when making zucchini latke patties. I drop the mixture into the hot pan and flatten it slightly with my spatula. This makes for a perfect ratio of crispy outside to creamy inside.
- Do a test latke to check the temperature of your oil. It should fry to golden brown in about 2 minutes per side. If it gets too dark too fast, lower the heat. If it doesn’t brown in that time, you need a hotter pan.
- Don’t crowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop…work in batches and give the latkes plenty of space.
Zucchini Latkes with Maple Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini
- 4 Tbsp all purpose flour, or breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp onion salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper, or more/less, to taste
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed, for frying
maple cranberry sauce
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze tightly to remove as much moisture as you can.
- Put the zucchini in a mixing bowl with the flour or breadcrumbs, onion salt, and pepper and give it a quick mix with a fork.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or medium high heat. Scoop tablespoon sized portions of the mixture into the pan and flatten with the back of the spoon. Fry latkes for about 2 minutes on each side, until they are browned and crispy. Add more oil as necessary to finish the batch. Remove the cooked latkes to a cooling rack to drain.
- Serve them hot with the maple cranberry sauce on the side.
- To make the sauce, bring the cranberries, syrup, and water to a boil in a saucepan. Boil for 15 minutes, then let cool and serve or refrigerate.
Nutrition
Don’t forget to pin these Zucchini Latkes with Maple Cranberry Sauce!
Mouth-watering latkes and I love that side of cranberry sauce!
We had a feed of latkes over the holidays, but not nearly as special as this one. Love the zucchini twist and that sauce sounds perfect 🙂
Delicious looking latkes Sue, love the maple cranberry sauce. Happy Holidays!
What a delicious (and pretty) combination. I love the color the zucchini adds to the latkes. Hope you had a lovely holiday!
These GREEN latkes look so inviting! I am in need of this after all the holiday treats!
These latkes sound amazing, Sue! Once again, I wish I was your neighbor!
Thank you for these alternative latke recipes Sue. My daughter can’t eat potatoes, so it’s great to have a little help with the creativity!!!!!
I’m so glad it helps Jane, I love to tinker with classic recipes!
Would you believe I’ve never had, or made, a latke? I must be missing out because all the ones you have made look fantastic. I adore zucchini so I know this is for me! Thanks Sue – hope you had a lovely Christmas!
Mmm. Latkes. The perfect healthy, simple, tasty comfort food after all the party and get-together snacking of the past couple of weeks.
Are there instructions for making the Maple Cranberry Sauce?
Just added them Marcia ~ I’m in a post-holiday fog 🙂