Zucchini tots! These golden, crispy little fritters perfumed with garlicky oregano flavours may well become your new favourite zucchini recipe. Trust the Greeks to take something as plain as zucchini and turn it into something fabulous! Serve them for dinner, or pass them around at a party.
This is an old, old, old recipe from 2015 that desperately needed a spruce up – and most importantly, a Life of Dozer section added!
Greek Zucchini Tots
10 years ago in 2015, I found a recipe for Courgette Rissoles (ie. Zucchini rissoles) from Alonnisos in Greece in a book called The Food and Cooking of Greece that I stumbled across when I was browsing the cookbook section at my local library.
Do you do that? Borrow cookbooks from your library? It’s an undiscovered secret. 🙂 You see, an obsession with cookbooks poses two problems – budget and space. How many cookbooks have you bought, only to find you only use a few recipes from it? And as for storage…my cookbooks are everywhere. My bookshelf is overflowing!
As a cookbook author, I fully appreciate the irony of encouraging people to borrow cookbooks from the library. 😃 But I do, and so does my team. Pretty sure JB‘s on a first name basis with the staff at our local library!
So, that’s where I found The Food and Cooking of Greece, packed with traditional home-style recipes. These cute little Greek Zucchini Tots (aka courgette for the Europeans!) caught my eye because they looked like humble, everyday food made with regular ingredients, but secretly delicious.
Plus, zucchinis are a bargain year-round here in Australia, especially if you head to the Scruffy Veg section (my first stop, always!).
Ingredients in Greek Zucchini Tots
Here’s what you need to make these. Over the years I’ve made them since I originally published the recipe in 2015, I’ve found that it’s a very versatile recipe – easily make it gluten free, substitute green onion for herbs, switch parmesan for other cheeses, and oregano for other dried herbs.
1. FOR THE BATTER
Flour – I use plain flour / all-purpose flour. I also tried it with gluten free flour and it worked perfectly, you wouldn’t even know the difference,
Egg – The egg is what holds this batter together when it bakes. The best (natural) food-glue known to man kind!
Panko breadcrumbs – I have a feeling the original recipe called for regular breadcrumbs. But the larger sized panko breadcrumbs make the inside softer.
Parmesan cheese – This is what gives these fritters a savoury flavour boost so it’s not bland inside, as well as making them bake up with a golden crust. I totally cheat and use the store bought sandy type of parmesan (from the fridge section, not pantry – if it’s on the shelf, it’s not natural cheese!). The fine strands would also work, and for those more virtuous than me, shred your own. 🙂
Dried oregano – Greece’s favourite herb? 🙂 We’re using a whole tablespoon here, a good amount! Substitute with the same amount of dried parsley or dill, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme, or herb mixes (like Italian, herbs de provence or a generically named “mixed herbs”).
Garlic – Is it really Greek if there’s no garlic in it? No! 🙂
Feta cheese – Preferably Greek!
Green onion – For freshness and flavour. Substitute with finely grated red onion or eschalots (US: shallots), or 1/2 cup tightly packed roughly chopped baby spinach or kale (this works great, I’ve done both), or 1/2 cup loosely packed parsley.
2. YES you need Zucchini too!
Oh WAIT! I almost forgot – you also need zucchini. 😂 And salt to sweat excess water out so the tots don’t end up a watery soggy mess that never crisp up.
You can see in this photo (hopefully!) how the inside is nice and moist thanks to the zucchini but that the outside is crispy.
Other vegetables – I’ve also made this with carrots and they were fabulous. I was tempted to publish that but I resisted as I wanted to spruce up the original zucchini one first. Carrots coming next! So handy – I always have carrots in my fridge.
How to make Greek Zucchini Tots
The traditional recipe is made by shallow frying them. But I found it took quite a while (so many tots!!) and also, as regular readers know, I am selective about deep frying.
So I tried baking them instead. And what do you know, it worked fabulously! A spritz of oil is all that is required to create a golden crunchy crust, and it stays deliciously moist on the inside. 🙂
Grate the zucchini using a standard box grater.
Sweat the zucchini for 30 minutes to remove excess water. To do this, you just toss the zucchini with 1/4 teaspoon of salt (you really don’t need much) then leave it in a colander set over the sink or a bowl to let excess water drip out.
Squeeze – Then grab handfuls and squeeze excess water out. Note: there is no need to be 100% meticulous here and squeeze to death, you just want to get most of it out. In fact, the remaining water in the zucchini is what keeps these tots really nice and moist inside.
Mix – Put the squeezed zucchini into a clean bowl and add the remaining batter ingredients except the feta. I mix that in later to prevent it from getting completely smashed when mixing as I think it’s nice to have some little visible pops.
So, mix everything else first until it’s well combined, then gently stir the crumbled feta through.
Batter done – This is what it looks like when it’s mixed up. It looks a bit scruffy but holds when pressed together.
Tots – Dollop heaped tablespoon mounds onto 2 trays lined with baking paper (parchment paper), then press into tater-tot / potato gem. I get 29 in total (one short of 30 didn’t bother me when I filmed it but it’s bothering me today….). Then spray generously with olive oil. The more generous you are, the better they brown!
Bake for 30 minutes in a hot 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced) oven, switching the trays at the 20 minute mark, until the surface is golden and crispy. You may find the bottom tray needs a few extra minutes.
Serve with plain yogurt or a simple Mint Yogurt on the side, or other dipping sauce of choice (yes, even good ole’ ketchup works here!)
One tip before I sign off – these reheat exceptionally well. Zucchini is a great moisture retention ingredient so the inside remains beautifully moist and soft even once reheated.
So they make a great party food because they reheat so well, as well as of course being very handy as a make ahead meal. They do best reheated in the oven though rather than the microwave, to preserve the crispy exterior which does soften as it cools, though this hasn’t stopped me from using a microwave when speed is of the essence. 🙂
If serving as a meal, this will serve 3 to 4, say 8 to 10 tots per person. Try a fresh Greek Salad on the side, or for something more substantial, a Greek Marinated Chickpea Salad, Tzatziki Chickpea Salad, a buttery Garlic rice or a zippy Lemon Potato Salad. See here for plenty more side dishes, if you’d like to have a browse! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Greek Zucchini Tots
Ingredients
Zucchini
- 1 lb / 500 g zucchinis (courgettes)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Batter
- 1/2 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour), can sub gluten-free flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1), can sub gluten-free flour
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup green onion , finely sliced (white and pale green parts only)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese , finely grated (I use store bought sandy type), can also use shredded cheddar or tasty cheese
- 1 tbsp dried oregano (or 2 teaspoon other dried herbs)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 150 g / 5 oz Greek feta cheese , crumbled
Cooking and serving
- Olive oil spray
- Lemon wedges and oregano leaves , optional garnishes
Minted Yoghurt (optional)
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yoghurt , or any plain unsweetened yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh mint , finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or more)
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced)
- Sweat zucchini – Grate the zucchini using a standard box grater. Place into a large colander, sprinkle with the salt, toss with your fingers and leave to sweat for 30 minutes.
- Squeeze out liquid – Working a handful at a time, squeeze out the excess water (as much as you can) and place the zucchini in a bowl.
- Tots batter – Add the Batter ingredients except the feta and mix well to combine. Add the feta and gently stir through.
- Form tots – Dollop heaped tablespoons 2 trays lined with baking paper / parchment paper (I get 29 in total). Then use your fingers to shape them into cylinder "tater-tot / potato gem" shapes.
- Bake – Spray generously with oil. Bake for 30 minutes, swapping the trays at around 20 minutes (for extra golden, spray again with oil), or until golden brown and a crunchy crust forms on the surface. The tray on the bottom might need a few extra minutes.
- Serve with Minted Yogurt, lemon wedges and sprinkled with fresh oregano leaves if using.
Minted Yoghurt
- Mix together ingredients and set aside for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2015. Updated July 2025 with sparkling new photos, completely re-wrote the post, tidied up the recipe writing, added a recipe video and most importantly, added a Life of Dozer section. That’s how old this post was – it was before I started doing Life of Dozer!!
More great zucchini recipes
I have a surprising number of zucchini forward recipes! Here are some of my favourites:
Life of Dozer
The Mum Cha RecipeTin X Plate It Forward reader lunch took place on Saturday, and it goes down in history as the most successful event we’ve ever done!
These days, I take a dedicated Dozer handler to events – for his own safety as well as the safety of guest meals, leaving me free to chat to guests without fretting about Dozer. This is Sofie, my assistant’s daughter, who did a brilliant job as Dozer’s handler at the Mum Cha event!
He looked very dapper in his tux, corsage and all….
….and showed his usual confidence as he waddled out onto the floor during speeches…..
With Dozer well into his senior years (he’s 13 years young!), he usually runs out of puff early on these days. He waddles around sidling up to everyone for a pat, but needs to flop regularly to recover.
As a result, I’m pretty sure Sofie spent more time on the floor with Dozer than on her feet!
You see? ⬇️ This is why I need a dedicated Dozer handler. SCAVENGER ALERT! He pulls out his best “please can I have a nibble, my mother doesn’t feed me” eyes for every guest. 🙄
I will share more in an update post about this lunch because there is much to say. But we are after all in the Dozer section, so I wanted to keep this all about him. 🥰
He did so well. I was so proud of him! He deserved to spend the entire Sunday like this:
Local library cookbooks were my culinary teacher when I first tried to learn how to cook in my youth. LOL
These tots looks so cute and delicious. What a great finger food!
Nagi, I freaking love checking out cookbooks from my local library! I’ve been doing this for a few years now . . maybe 4. . anyway, I’m a huge supporter of using your local library!!! plus, you can save so much money! my cookbooks are everywhere too! 😛 LOVE these zucchini tots!!!!! delicious!
Tots?? How come you say tots? When I say tots around here I’m told, “We call them gems, dear.” :eyeroll:
I would love these and I’m definitely going to save this recipe for the glut of zucchinis we’ll have in a month or so. 🙂
I always get cookbooks from the library. I have 3 shelves full of books but I still borrow some from the library.
These look really interesting. I’d love to make these soon
They look so delicious Nagi. We are such a fans of fritters and more cheers to a healthier baked option!
This recipe looks good. My husband loves Zucchini and cucumber dip 🙂 I can’t wait to try this recipe next weekend
Oooh, hope you do!!! It’s SO good, SO GOOD!!!
Did you know zucchini is one of my favourite vegetables, second only to hot corn on a cob slathered with butter? I’ll always remember eating my first zucchini, at the ripe old age of 18, when my flatmate cooked her usual dinner and insisted I shared it with her. I’d never had zucchini up till then – my parents bought and cooked every other veggie but not zucchini, for some reason. For me, it was love at first bite.
I always have zucchini in our veggie crisper – great for hiding in dishes for the family if I grate it finely enough. This recipe will showcase the awesomeness that is the humble zucchini. I’m going to have to make some of these to go with our chicken parmesan meatballs!
Made these little beauties last night and jazzed up our boring dinner of sausages. So good. So easy to make and so delicious! I may have overmixed the batter a bit though – I’ll have to be a bit more careful with this next time. Still, these were so yummy, and the minty yoghurt dressing was perfect. I may or may not have eaten 10 of these little nuggets of goodness. 🙂
https://instagram.com/p/8-ndojKySR/
OMG aren’t they the BEST!??? YUMMO!!!!
Oh my these are so delicious, Nagi, and by baking them you transformed them into the healthy deliciousness version! Love it!
I love zucchini ribbons too and use them whenever I can. Such a great looking recipe. And I’m going to the library!!
Funny that we both posted yummy zucchini fritter-ish on the same day.
i love the library! I borrow so many baking books and am overly excited when a new title arrives #sad These fritters look so good but then again I adore Greek food!
I too share your love of the cookbook section in the library! My local library has a website that provides access to books from a whole range of libraries – so on lazy days I can order a heap of cookbooks from the comfort of my pyjamas and simply collect them when they notify me – brilliant. I haven’t noticed this book but will keep an eye out for it. Will definitely be making these fritters tonight for dinner. Thanks for this and all your other great recipes.
Woah! Your library sounds even BETTER than mine!!! 🙂 Jealous. Wish I could order books from other libraries like that! There’s a few in particular I’ve had my eye on 🙂 Hope you do try these – and LOVE THEM!!! 🙂
Dear Nagi,
You nailed the recipe! Kolokythokeftedes are much more healthier and light when baked, rather than deep fried as the majority of the Greek home cooks make it. I like the fact that you added parmesan cheese, because I believe parmesan gives a deeper aftertaste in general, but it is wisely combined with the othen ingredients too.
Since I come from Greece, I appreciate and respect the way youmanipulated this specific recipe. It is always interesting to see how ”foreigners” approach our recipes.
p.s. We are on the same frequency about the library 😀 😀
I haven’t been to the library to look for cookbooks in a long time, but I do take advantage of the free cookbooks for Kindle (not to mention Pinterest, Yummly, etc etc)! I’ve made similar fritters, but haven’t tried a baked version. Love the idea, thanks!
Hahahah I keep meaning to get a library card…and I failed 🙁 Epically…every time. I have a collection of Cooks Illustrated Magazines that I LUST over… I safe guard them with my life because some of their recipes are just GOLD!!! Oh Nagi..Nagi…Nagi…where do I even begin with this…gorgeous my dear! I just love this recipe. Not being much of a zucchini fan myself…these are pretty fabulous though!!! Love!
I’ve been combing my Greek cook book for a few days so I’m totally in the zone. These morsels look so good.
The tip about the library is genius. I am so short on space I have no room for more cook books.
I’m off to (re)join the library!
A
OK – I am meeting with friends soon to talk about vacationing in Greece next spring – I will make these along with Salmon from my freezer. My rules – anything with feta or bacon will be delicious. and Yes, I love getting cookbooks from libraries. And I do have several closets with bookshelves overflowing with cookbooks.
Borrowing cookbooks is such a great idea! Although I’m a pretty messy cook and most of the cookbooks I own have splatters of sauce and batter and everything else all in the pages, so I’d have to write down the recipe and leave the book out of the kitchen haha!
The tots look awesome, some really yummy Greek flavours in there – think I need to try these!
Oh oh Nagi. It’s 8pm mine are in the oven now. Made them bigger. My hands unable to faff with small things and Hubby had to squeeze my zucchini… Wink wink…. Lol
Starving. Can’t wait.
Home made dzatziki , Spanish olives, French bread and Italian slow roasted tomatoes cooked today!!
Truly an international dinner happening tonight.
Yummy
X Heather
Happy long weekend
I love it!!! It’s like a European spread!!! Hope you loved them, I seriously could not stop eating them. I ate almost half in one sitting!! Hope you’re having a great weekend too. SO HOT yesterday, crazy hot!
Excellent pictures as always Nagi. And surprisingly, that thought of borrowing a cook book from library never struck me, how amazing. I am hopping onto the nearest Library this weekend.
I love our library for cookbooks, there are some undiscovered treasures, books I have never seen and ones that I would probably have never thought about buying. Love it.
I once had a Donna Hay book out for so long that I wasn’t allowed to renew it any more!!! I was pretty devastated, but decided it probably meant it was time to buy it. Sadly it went the way of all my cookbooks but then a few months back I was up in Subiaco meeting Stew for lunch and there was a book shop closing down. I got the Donna Hay book for $1 😀
I bought so many books I couldn’t carry them!!!! I had to go back to his office and make him bring me them home in his backpack!!!
Which is all by the by.
These looks scrumdidily!!! We love all tot style food. I bet the kids will wolf these down without evening thinking they have zucchini in them 🙂 Perfect for entertaining.
I love how crispy they look on the bottom, sometimes baking drys things like this out but yours look so perfect. Yum.
Pinning 🙂