Mucver is a classic Turkish zucchini fritters recipe that's ready in 30 minutes. It calls for fresh zucchini and herbs and it's very simple to make.
I love zucchinis and many Turkish and Mediterranean recipes call for it. This delicious zucchini fritters recipe is one of the common dishes you can find in Turkey alongside lahmacun and piyaz (Turkish white bean salad). Similar to Turkish leeks, these light fritters are usually served with some yogurt on top or with some cacik (Turkish yogurt and cucumber) on the side.
Table Of Contents:
What Is Mucver?
Turkish zucchini fritters, also known as Mucver are delicious vegetarian fritters that are very economical. You can make a huge batch by using a handful of ingredients and that will feed a crowd.
Just like our delicious cauliflower fritters, these Mediterranean zucchini fritters are perfect for summer would be perfect as part of a vegetarian lunch with some Turkish vegan red lentil balls (mercimek köftesi). This is a fairly healthy fritters recipe because of all the herbs and zucchini and it also looks beautiful on the table thanks to the gorgeous green color coming from all the herbs.
Ingredients To Make Turkish Zucchini Fritters
- Zucchini: Green zucchinis work best for this recipe especially in summer. I have used kousa (Mexican squash) for this recipe and it works very well.
- Eggs: You need a few eggs to bind the ingredients togethers. Start with 2 eggs but add one more if needed.
- Herbs: We need green onions, dill and parsley for this recipe.
- Spices: You need salt, pepper and Aleppo pepper which is a type of red pepper flakes that's available online or at Mediterranean shops.
How To Make Zucchini Fritters
- Peel the zucchinis and grate them in a bowl. Squeeze them very hard and discard the excess liquid. You can get rid of the excess liquid by squeezing the zucchini through a cheesecloth as well.
- Mix in the green onions, dill and parsley.
- Add in the eggs and mix well until combined.
- Add in the flour and spices and mix well.
- Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the fritters on both sides until fully cooked, about 5 minutes on each side.
Kitchen tip: I usually fry one fritter first and try it to make sure the flavors are on point and also the texture is not too soft. Then I continue with the remaining batter to fry all the fritters.
Tips To Make Turkish Zucchini Fritters
- Don't overcrowd the pan. It's important to give the fritters enough space to fry and also be able to flip them. Overcrowded pan will result in soggy fritters.
- Make sure you squeeze the shredded zucchinis hard and discard the excess water to keep the fritters intact and crispy.
- Some Turkish recipes call for 1 grated carrot as well. You can add the grated carrot to the grated zucchini and squeeze all to make sure no excess liquid is left.
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy mucver as a nice appetizer or mezze with a side of plain or garlic yogurt. Also you can turn them into a delicious Mediterranean sandwich by stuffing them into a homemade pita or make a wrap using lavash with some tomatoes, pickles, lettuce and some homemade yogurt.
Another way to serve these is with Turkish rice pilaf with orzo and some Mediterranean salad or Turkish tomato salad.
Storage And Reheating
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil or in the oven at 300 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make mucver ahead of time and simply reheat them in a hot pan with a bit of oil right before serving. I don't recommend making the fritter batter ahead of time since the zucchinis will release more water.
Yes, these freeze very well. Let the fritters cool at room temperature and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for one hour until theyare solid. Place the frozen fritters in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, take them out of the bag and let them thaw. Then fry them lightly in some oil to heat them through and have them crisp up.
Yes. Make the batter as instructed and preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray and transfer the batter to the pan. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until fully cooked. Let in cool at room temperature then slice it into squares.
This could happen for a few reasons such as not having enough eggs in the mixture or the zucchinis still contain too much liquid. Always try with one zucchini fritter and if that falls apart, then add a tablespoon flour and try again.
More Turkish Recipes
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Turkish Zucchini Fritters Recipe Mucver
Ingredients
- 3 zucchinis peeled
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 4 green onions chopped
- ¾ cup fresh dill chopped
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon olive oil divided
Instructions
- Grate the zucchinis in a large bowl and squeeze them very hard. Discard all the excess liquid.
- Mix in the eggs, flour, green onions, dill and parsley.
- Add in the spices and mix well.
- Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat, pour 2 tablespoon of the batter into the pan and fry for about 5 minutes on one side. Flip and fry for 3 minutes on the other side.
- Try the fritter to make sure it has the right amount of spices. If so, proceed with the remaining batter. Add more olive oil if needed.
- Serve with plain or garlic yogurt on the side and some bread.
Video
Notes
- Make sure not to overcrowd the pan. It's important to give the fritters enough space to fry and also be able to flip them.
- Make sure you squeeze the shredded zucchinis hard and discard the excess water to keep the fritters intact and crispy.
- Some Turkish recipes call for 1 grated carrot as well. You can add the grated carrot to the grated zucchini and squeeze all to make sure no excess liquid is left.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, heat a pan over medium heat and pour one teaspoon vegetable or olive oil in the pan, sear the fritters on both sides until heated through.
- To bake these fritters, make the batter as instructed and preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray and transfer the batter to the pan. Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until fully cooked. Let in cool at room temperature then slice it into squares.
sophie
The combination of flavors in this dish was absolutely delicious - the fritters were crispy and flavorful with a lovely hint of dill..
Cynthia
Delicious recipe! A great way to sneak in some extra veggies! The flavors are perfect, especially the peppers!
Jeff
I love fritters in all their different varieties. Nie spice on this recipe.
Sara Welch
Made these with dinner last night and they were a savory success! Quick, easy and perfectly crisp! Easily, a new favorite recipe!
Andrea
Fresh herbs and fresh zucchini, these fritters look and sound wonderful.
Macie
Delicious! This is a super way to cook zucchini. I loved the flavor and will be making these fritters often!
Nellie Tracy
Delicious fritter recipe! My family loves these!
Angela Kelly
Great use of a variety summer garden vegetables.
wilhelmina
These fritters are so simple and satisfying! A great way to use up all the zucchini I have from my garden!
Jessica Formicola
I am still up to my ears in zucchini! I can't wait to try these fritters! They look delicious!