Zucchini and Spinach Fritters | Air fryer recipe

Gluten-free | Sugar-free | Dairy-free option | Grain-free 

Makes 6 fritters 

Why it’s delicious

These simple fritters burst with flavour and make a wonderful entrée, main course or snack. Enjoy with a side salad, steamed or lightly grilled vegetables or how I like to serve them, with a simple salad of fresh cucumber,  sliced green apple, pickled onion and coconut yoghurt. 

Helpful Hints + Tips

As this recipe is gluten-free, I have also used xanthan gum to provide elasticity and fluffiness that the gluten would otherwise provide.

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz)  raw zucchini, grated
• 1 tsp mineral salt
• 60 g (2 oz) spinach, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp finely chopped herbs like mint, coriander, basil, dill or parsley
• 50 g (1.7 oz)  almond flour 
• 1 tbsp flaxseed meal 
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 2  large eggs
• 40 g (1.4 oz) sheep or goats feta cheese, optional
• Freshly milled black pepper

For the crumb 

• 20 g (0.7 oz) almond flour
• 20 g (0.7 oz) flaxseed meal 
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Coconut or avocado oil spray

Method

1. Sprinkle the grated zucchini with 1 teaspoon of mineral salt and stir through. Sit the zucchini in a metal sieve or colander for 15 minutes to allow the water to drain. Using clean hands, squeeze the zucchini to extract as much liquid as possible. 
2. Into a mixing bowl, add the squeezed zucchini, spinach, garlic, chopped herbs, almond meal, flaxseed meal, baking powder, xanthan gum, eggs and a good grinding of black pepper, stirring well to combine. 
3. If using cheese, break the cheese into the mix and gently fold in.  
4. Create the crumb mixture by mixing together the almond flour, flaxseed meal and nutritional yeast and place into a shallow bowl. 
5. Make small handfuls of the mixture and use the crumb mixture to cover the outside of the fritters well, patting gently to get a consistent round fritter shape and good coverage of the crumb. This mixture will give you 6 good sized fritters. 
6. Preheat your air fryer on 190C (390F) and lightly spray the air fryer basket or wire rack with a bit of coconut or avocado oil. 
7. Lightly spray the fritters and gently lay them into the air fryer, ensuring space between the fritters for the air to circulate freely as they cook. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the fritters in a couple of batches. 
8. Cook for 10 minutes and then flip the fritters over and cook for a further 5 minutes. 
9. Serve hot with some of the suggested sides above. 
10. These fritters freeze well for up to 3 months and will last in the fridge for 5 days. To reheat, place in the airfryer set on 190C (390F) for 5 minutes. They will crisp up wonderfully!