Courgette and Halloumi Fritters with Mint Yogurt
Quick and easy fritters to use up courgettes, perfect for a light lunch or starter.
Total time
30 min
15 prep + 15 cook
Serves
4
Difficulty
easy
Cuisine
British
Per serving
320 kcal
P: 18g · C: 15g · F: 22g
Got a couple of courgettes staring at you from the fridge, looking a bit sad? Let's get them cooked before they turn to mush. These fritters are a speedy way to use them up, delivering a savoury bite that’s great on its own or with a dollop of something cool.
Why this works
Grating the courgettes and squeezing out the excess water is key. This removes moisture that would otherwise steam the courgette in the pan, preventing the fritters from achieving a good crisp exterior. Drier courgette shreds cook faster and get crispier.
Ingredients
- 400gCourgettesabout 2 medium
- 200gHalloumidrained
- 50gPlain flourabout 4 tbsp
- 1 tspBaking powder
- 2 largeEggslightly beaten
- 15gFresh mintfinely chopped
- 150gNatural yogurt
- 1/2Lemonzest only
- 4 tbspVegetable oilfor frying
- 1/4 tspSaltplus extra for seasoning
- generous pinchBlack pepper
Method
- 1
Grate the courgettes on the coarse side of a box grater into a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes to draw out excess water.
- 2
While the courgettes drain, prepare the yogurt. Stir the chopped mint and lemon zest into the natural yogurt. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
- 3
Squeeze the grated courgettes firmly with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard the liquid.
- 4
In a large bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Add the squeezed courgettes, crumbled halloumi, beaten eggs, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix gently until just combined. Don't overwork the batter.
- 5
Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. The oil should shimmer.
- 6
Spoon 4 portions of the courgette mixture into the hot pan, flattening them slightly with the back of the spoon to form fritters about 2cm thick.
- 7
Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp. You might need to do this in two batches, adding the remaining 2 tbsp of oil for the second batch. Crowded pan, soggy result.
- 8
Drain the fritters on kitchen paper for a moment before serving them hot with the mint yogurt on the side.
Tips
- ·If you don't have halloumi, feta cheese crumbled in will also work, though it won't give quite the same salty bite.
- ·Add a finely chopped small red onion to the batter mix for a little extra depth.
- ·These are best eaten fresh from the pan but leftovers can be reheated briefly in a dry frying pan.
Variations
- →For a spicy kick, add 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes to the batter.
- →Swap the mint for fresh dill or coriander if you prefer.
Storage
These are best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, but they will lose some crispness.