Mucver (Turkish Zucchini Fritters)

About This Recipe

Mucver is a summer staple in Turkish kitchens, born from the need to use up an abundance of garden zucchini, grated and squeezed dry before being bound into a thick, herby batter. Feta cheese and a generous amount of fresh dill give the fritters their distinct flavor, while a small amount of flour and egg hold everything together without making them dense or bready. Fried in shallow oil until the edges turn deep golden and lacy, mucver is typically served warm with a bowl of thick yogurt mixed with garlic, the cool tang cutting through the richness of the fried batter.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3zucchini(grated)
• 1 tspsalt(for drawing out zucchini water)
• 3eggs
• 100 gfeta cheese(crumbled)
• 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
• 1/4 cupfresh dill(chopped)
• 2 tbspfresh parsley(chopped)
• 3scallions(chopped)
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 1/2 cupvegetable oil(for frying)
• 1 cupplain yogurt(for serving)
• 1 clovegarlic(minced, for yogurt sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the zucchini

   Toss grated zucchini with salt and let sit 15 minutes, then squeeze thoroughly in a clean towel to remove excess water.

   This step is essential — skipping it produces watery, greasy fritters.

2. 2

   Mix the batter

   Combine drained zucchini with eggs, feta, flour, dill, parsley, scallions and pepper into a thick batter.

3. 3

   Heat the oil

   Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

4. 4

   Fry the fritters

   Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the oil, flattening slightly, and fry 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp.

5. 5

   Drain

   Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

6. 6

   Make the yogurt sauce

   Stir garlic into the yogurt with a pinch of salt.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve the fritters warm with the garlicky yogurt on the side.

Variations

• •

  Carrot can be substituted or added alongside zucchini for a slightly sweeter fritter.

• •

  A version with grated potato instead of zucchini is popular in colder months.

• •

  For a lighter version, bake spoonfuls of batter on a parchment-lined tray at 200C/400F for 20 minutes, flipping once.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat in a dry skillet or oven to re-crisp rather than microwaving, which makes them soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions