Looking for a family-friendly dinner that's healthy but still tastes like comfort food? These Cheesy Quinoa, Sweet Potato & Zucchini Fritters tick all the boxes. They're crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy in the middle, and perfect for little (and big!) hands.
Serve them as a light dinner or even a lunchbox filler. If you love easy dinners like my Taco Pasta or Egg & Bacon Pie, these fritters will quickly become a regular on your menu too.
I just made these and they're amazing!!!! So delicious on the inside, the kids snuffled them up for dinner! They were even amazing chilled and firm up a bit when they're cold. I may have told 1000 people already about how amazing they are! THANK YOU!
- Tara
Quinoa and sweet potato are the ultimate power combo - packed with protein, fibre, and natural sweetness - and when you add zucchini, garlic, and plenty of cheese, you've got a fritter that's both nourishing and delicious. Unlike some fritters that fall apart or taste bland, these hold together beautifully thanks to panko crumbs and a double-cheese hit. They're also freezer-friendly, which makes them a lifesaver for busy weeknights (hello, stash-in-the-freezer dinners).
If simple light meals are a favourite in your house, you might like my classic Zucchini Slice or Cheesy Corn Fritters - both make easy weeknight dinners or fab lunchbox additions too.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Kid-approved - perfect for fussy eaters, they love the flavor of these little cheesy patties.
- Crispy edges, cheesy middle - the holy grail of fritters.
- Freezer-friendly - make a double batch and freeze for easy snacking or a yummy appetizer for up to 4 months.
- Healthy comfort food - sneaky veggies, whole grains, and protein-packed.
- Meat-free meal - and super budget-friendly too!
Jump to:
Fritter Ingredients
Make these cheesy zucchini and quinoa sweet potato fritters with just a few basic, super healthy ingredients!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Sweet potato - mash it until smooth, this is the base that helps to hold the fritters together.
- Quinoa - make sure it's cooked and cooled before mixing in (otherwise the fritters get sticky).
- Zucchini - once grated, squeeze out as much liquid as you can to avoid soggy fritters.
- Cheddar cheese & parmesan cheese - cheddar for melty flavour, parmesan for that salty, nutty hit.
Everything else is just pantry basics - egg, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Variations
- Gluten-Free - swap panko crumbs for GF breadcrumbs.
- Extra Veggies - add grated carrot, corn, or finely chopped spinach, mashed pumpkin or diced capsicum.
- Spicy Kick - stir in a teaspoon of chilli flakes or smoked paprika.
- Cheese Swap - use mozzarella or feta instead of cheddar for a different flavour.
- Vegan Variation - Swap the egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoon water, set aside for 5 minutes to thicken). Replace the parmesan and cheddar cheese with your favourite plant-based cheese (or nutritional yeast for a lighter option). Serve with dairy-free sour cream, coconut yoghurt, or vegan mayo. 🌱✨
Need To Substitute An Ingredient?
Ask ChatGPT for suggestions on how to substitute the particular ingredient:
How To Make Cheesy Quinoa, Zucchini & Sweet Potato Fritters
Once ingredients are prepped, you'll have a delicious and healthy meal cooked in just 20 minutes or so!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Prep vegetables. Cook sweet potato until soft, mash and set aside. Cook quinoa as per packet instructions. Cool slightly. Grate zucchini, place in a colander, and squeeze out excess liquid.
- In a large bowl, place sweet potato, quinoa, zucchini, garlic, cheeses, egg, panko, salt and pepper.
- Mix all ingredients together well.
- Shape into 12 fritters.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet/frying pan, cook the fritter batter in batches for 5 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Keep warm in a low oven until all are cooked. Serve with sour cream, sweet chilli, hummus or kewpie mayo.
Recipe Tips
- Always squeeze zucchini well - excess moisture makes fritters soggy.
- Cool quinoa before mixing - hot quinoa makes the mixture sticky.
- Use panko crumbs for extra crunch.
- Keep fritters warm in a low oven while cooking in batches.
- Best served fresh and hot, but still tasty cold in lunchboxes.
- Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooked fritters for up to 4 months - reheat in the oven or air fryer.
- Make smaller fritters for finger food or kids' snacks.
Cheesy Quinoa, Zucchini & Sweet Potato Fritter FAQs
Serve these fritters either warm or chilled, topped with sour cream, sweet chilli sauce and a side salad if you like. If you want to make a more substantial meal, serve it as a side to BBQ meat kebabs or chicken tenders - whatever your family's favourite is!
Absolutely. Store the uncooked mixture in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then shape and cook when ready.
Yes! Brush lightly with oil and bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
Make sure you've squeezed all the liquid from the grated zucchini and don't skip the egg and breadcrumbs - these are the binding agents.
More Healthy Savoury Recipes
You're going to love these simple savoury fritters! Here are some more of my favourite veggie-smuggling recipes that the whole family will also enjoy.
WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Cheesy Quinoa, Zucchini & Sweet Potato Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 (approx 350g) sweet potato
- ½ cup quinoa uncooked
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups (approx 350g) zucchini grated
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 egg beaten
- 60 g (½ cup) parmesan cheese grated
- 60 g (½ cup) cheddar cheese grated
- 90 g (1 cup) panko crumbs
- sea salt and cracked pepper
- olive oil
- sour cream sweet chilli sauce and chopped spring onions or kewpie mayonnaise to serve.
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Peel and chop the sweet potato. Boil in a saucepan of water until soft and tender. Drain and mash then set aside.
- Cook the quinoa in 1 cup of water according to the packet instructions. Set aside.
- Grate 2 cups of zucchini (about 2 large zucchinis or 3 medium sized) and place into a colander to drain. Squeeze out any excess liquid well.
- Place the cooked quinoa, mashed sweet potato, grated zucchini, egg, garlic, grated cheeses, panko crumbs, sea salt and pepper into a large bowl. Mix until well combined (I like to use my hands to get all of the ingredients really well mixed together).
- Shape the mixture into 12 equal sized fritters.
- Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius (to keep the fritters warm, while the rest are being cooked).
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Place 4-5 fritters into the pan and press down lightly.
- Cook for approximately 5 minutes on either side or until golden brown.
- Place into the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining batches.
- The fritters will be golden on the outside, but lovely and soft on the inside.
- Serve with sour cream, sweet chilli sauce and chopped spring onions or kewpie mayonnaise.
Thermomix Method
- Peel and chop the sweet potato. Boil in a saucepan of water until soft and tender. Drain, place into the TM bowl and mash by mixing on Speed 6, 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 5 seconds. Set aside in a seperate bowl.
- Cook the quinoa in 1 cup of water according to the packet instructions. Set aside.
- Roughly chop the zucchini and and place into the Thermomix bowl. Grate by tressing Turbo for 2-3 seconds or until finely chopped. Place into a colander to drain. Squeeze out any excess liquid. Set aside.
- Place the parmesan and cheddar cheeses into the Thermomix bowl. Grate by tressing Turbo for 2-3 seconds or until finely chopped.
- Add the cooked quinoa, mashed sweet potato, grated zucchini, egg, garlic, panko crumbs and sea salt/pepper to the cheeses in the Thermomix bowl. Mix on REVERSE, Speed 2 until well combined (use the spatula to help mix).
- Shape the mixture into 12 equal sized fritters.
- Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius (to keep the fritters warm, while the others cook).
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Place 4-5 fritters into the pan and press down lightly.
- Cook for approximately 5 minutes on either side or until golden brown.
- Place into the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining batches.
- The fritters will be golden on the outside, but lovely and soft on the inside.
- Serve with sour cream, sweet chilli sauce and chopped spring onions or kewpie mayonnaise.
Notes
- Always squeeze zucchini well - excess water makes fritters soggy.
- Cool quinoa before mixing - hot quinoa makes the mixture sticky.
- Use panko crumbs for extra crunch.
- Keep fritters warm in a low oven while cooking in batches.
- Best served fresh and hot, but still tasty cold in lunchboxes.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooked fritters for up to 4 months - reheat in the oven or air fryer.
- Make smaller fritters for finger food or kids' snacks.
Coco says
These sound really good and I'd like to make a batch for my own breakfast (I am a BIG kid). But I am not crazy about cheddar cheese. Could it be omitted from the recipe? Would I have to alter the other ingredient amounts if I choose to not use cheddar?
Lucy says
Hi Coco, could you try using a different cheese? Like grated halloumi? Or mozzarella?
Alys says
Oh my, made these and then had to make yet another batch! So this evneing i will make more for lunches but...... how do we think Dill will go if added???
Lucy says
Ooh yes that could work! Especially if you love dill!
Opal says
This worked out great! I was looking for a bite size dinner item for my 2 year old twin girls. I am like a masked super hero trying to save the day by hiding nutrition in any food I can! I love sweet potatoes and I love quinoa so, if all else failed I could eat them myself. I didn’t have a grater so I had to just chop the zucchini squash by hand, and I didn’t have but just a cup full. I also used bread crumbs instead of panko (just workin’ with what I got!). I didn’t add any salt but I did add a little pepper. The result was tasty. One twin ate it and so did I so, in my book, that’s a winner for me! Thank you for the simple recipe!
P.S. I live in the U.S. and have zero clue what Thermomix is! Sounds interesting.
Lucy says
That's fantastic!!! One happy kid out of two is a success!!! A Thermomix is just a kitchen appliance - helpful but not a necessity! xx
Larissa says
Hi Lucy, am I going crazy, but I can't see the thermomix receipe for this?
Lucy Mathieson says
Hi Larissa, nope not crazy at all!! I don't currently have a Thermomix recipe for this one! I promise to work on it! xx
Karen says
Any Thermomix instructions for this one yet? Please say yes.
Lucy says
Hi Karen, no sorry!!! Its on my list, I promise!
Ollie says
Super delicious, thank you! Our little 1 1/2 year old snuffled it up too. We used a short cut by adding instant brown rice with quinoa and it turned out perfectly.
Lucy says
That's a wonderful idea!
Lucinda says
These are so yummy....my 8 month old son thought so too!!! Thank you
Bake Play Smile says
Oh gorgeous!!!! I'm so glad he liked them! xx