Kolokithokeftedes: Crispy Greek Courgette Fritters Fried in Olive Oil

Few things sum up a Greek summer table quite like kolokithokeftedes: golden, herb-flecked courgette fritters, crisp at the edges and soft in the middle, served warm with a cool spoonful of tzatziki. They are the sort of dish that disappears from the plate before it reaches the table, and they belong to the great family of Greek meze that turn a handful of humble ingredients into something worth gathering around.

The secret to a proper kolokithokeftedes is not complicated. It is grated courgette squeezed properly dry, fresh herbs, good feta, and above all a generous, fruity extra virgin olive oil to fry them in. This is a recipe that has been made in Greek kitchens for generations, and once you have the rhythm of it, you will make it again and again. Pour La Vie.

What are kolokithokeftedes?

Kolokithokeftedes (koh-loh-kee-thoh-KEF-teh-des) simply means “courgette patties” in Greek — kolokithi for courgette or zucchini, keftedes for the little fried fritters you also find made with tomatoes, chickpeas or herbs across the Aegean. On the islands they are a fixture of the meze table, sometimes bound with grated potato, sometimes with a little trahana or breadcrumb, almost always finished with dill and mint.

They sit somewhere between a fritter and a small savoury cake. The outside should shatter slightly under your fork; the inside stays moist and green, carrying the perfume of the herbs and the salty tang of feta. Served with a lemon wedge and a dollop of tzatziki, they make a light supper on their own, and a wonderful part of a larger spread.

Why the olive oil matters

In a dish this simple, the frying fat is not a background player — it is part of the flavour. Greeks have always fried in olive oil, and a fruity, peppery extra virgin gives kolokithokeftedes a savoury depth that a neutral oil never will. It browns the fritters beautifully, leaves a clean finish rather than a greasy one, and a final drizzle of the same oil over the top ties the plate together.

We use our Premium Olive Oil from the Peloponnese — hand-harvested, naturally cloudy and unfiltered, with a spicy, buttery character that stands up to the heat. Extra virgin olive oil is perfectly suited to shallow frying at moderate temperatures, and its flavour is exactly what you want singing through a simple vegetable fritter.

Ingredients

Makes roughly 18–20 fritters, enough for four as a meze or two as a light main.

• 750 g courgettes (about 3 medium), coarsely grated
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, for drawing out the water
• 150 g Greek feta, crumbled
• 1 small red onion, finely grated or very finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 80–100 g plain flour (plus a little extra if needed)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil, for shallow frying and to serve
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Salt and drain the courgette. Put the grated courgette in a colander, toss through the teaspoon of salt, and leave it for 15–20 minutes. This step is not optional — courgettes are full of water, and fritters made from wet courgette will steam rather than crisp.
2. Squeeze it really dry. Take handfuls of the salted courgette and wring them out hard in a clean tea towel, or press firmly against the colander. You want it as dry as you can get it. Tip the drained courgette into a large bowl.
3. Build the mixture. Add the feta, red onion, spring onions, dill, mint, egg and a good grind of black pepper. Stir to combine, then sprinkle over the flour and fold it through until you have a mixture that just holds together when pressed. Add a little more flour if it seems loose; taste and add salt only if needed, as the feta is already salty.
4. Rest for ten minutes. Letting the mixture sit helps the flour hydrate and makes the fritters easier to shape.
5. Heat the oil. Pour a generous layer of olive oil, about 5 mm deep, into a wide frying pan over a medium heat. It is ready when a crumb of the mixture sizzles steadily on contact — you are shallow-frying, not deep-frying, so keep the heat moderate.
6. Fry in batches. Drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture into the pan and flatten each one gently into a patty about 6 cm across. Do not crowd the pan. Fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, until deep golden and crisp.
7. Drain and keep warm. Lift the fritters onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Fry the rest in the same way, topping up the oil between batches as needed.
8. Finish and serve. Arrange the kolokithokeftedes on a warm platter, add a final thread of fresh olive oil over the top, and serve straight away with lemon wedges.

Tips for the crispest fritters

Dry, dry, dry. The single biggest difference between soggy fritters and shattering-crisp ones is how much water you remove from the courgette. When you think you have squeezed enough, squeeze again.

Keep the oil at the right temperature. Too cool and the fritters drink the oil; too hot and they colour before the centre cooks. A steady medium heat, with the oil shimmering but not smoking, is the sweet spot for extra virgin olive oil.

Fry a tester first. Cook one small fritter to check the seasoning and that the mixture holds. If it falls apart, work in another spoonful of flour; if it is dense, you may have added too much.

How to serve kolokithokeftedes

The classic partner is tzatziki, its cool cucumber-and-yoghurt freshness cutting through the crisp fritters. Beyond that, they love company: build a meze table with warm pitta, a bowl of Kalamata olives, a wedge of feta drizzled with olive oil, and a simple tomato salad. A glass of cold white wine or an ouzo with ice, and you have a proper Greek evening.

They are also excellent at room temperature, which makes them ideal for a picnic or a lunchbox, and any leftovers reheat well in a hot oven for a few minutes to bring back the crunch.

Variations to make them your own

A vegan version. Leave out the feta and the egg, and bind the mixture with two tablespoons of chickpea flour instead. Chickpea flour holds beautifully and adds a gentle, nutty savour; a squeeze of lemon and a little extra dill keep the fritters bright.

Add grated potato. Replacing a third of the courgette with coarsely grated, squeezed potato gives a heartier, more substantial fritter — a common trick on the islands when the dish is served as a main rather than a meze.

Play with the herbs. Dill and mint are traditional, but a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley, a little oregano, or the fresh zest of a lemon all belong here. Whatever you choose, keep the herbs generous: they are as much a part of the flavour as the courgette itself.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bake kolokithokeftedes instead of frying them?

Yes. Shape the patties, brush both sides generously with olive oil, and bake on a lined tray at 200 °C for about 20–25 minutes, turning halfway. They will be a little less crisp than the fried version but still delicious, and they keep the olive-oil flavour at the centre of the dish.

How do I stop the fritters falling apart?

Almost every time, the culprit is wet courgette. Squeeze it far more firmly than feels necessary, and make sure the mixture holds its shape when pressed before you start frying. A little extra flour helps bind a loose mixture, but the drier your courgette, the less flour you will need.

Can I make them ahead?

The mixture can be prepared several hours ahead and kept covered in the fridge; give it a quick stir before frying. Cooked fritters are best eaten warm but are genuinely good at room temperature too, and reheat crisply in a hot oven.

Pour La Vie

Kolokithokeftedes are proof that the simplest Greek cooking is often the most memorable: courgettes from the garden, herbs from the pot, feta, an egg, and a good olive oil to bring it all to life. Fry a batch, pour a little of our Peloponnese olive oil over the top, and share them warm. That is the Mediterranean table at its best — natural, generous and made for company. Pour La Vie.