Greek Rice Fritters with Feta and Refreshing Tzatziki Sauce

Greek rice fritters with feta and tzatziki are a crisp, meat-free summer dinner for two, ready in about 25 minutes.

Greek Rice Fritters with Feta and Refreshing Tzatziki Sauce

The perfect summer dish: crisp fritters on the outside, juicy inside, with an essential cold cucumber sauce.

Full summer menuQuick Dinners for Hot Days: 7 Summer Recipes for the Whole Week

Prep time: 25 minutes Serves: 2, about 6 to 8 fritters

For the fritters

• 250 g cooked rice (a great way to use leftovers from the day before; alternatively, cook fresh rice and cool it completely)
• 1 small zucchini
• 100 g feta cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 to 3 tbsp breadcrumbs (plus a little more if needed)
• 1/2 bunch fresh dill and parsley, finely chopped (use some for the tzatziki)
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• oil for frying or pan-cooking

For the tzatziki sauce

• 1/2 fresh cucumber
• 150 g Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• a few drops of lemon juice
• a pinch of salt

Method

1. Prepare the tzatziki first. Grate the cucumber. Add a pinch of salt and leave it in a colander for 5 minutes.
2. Remove the water. Squeeze the grated cucumber firmly with your hands to remove as much water as possible, as it would thin the sauce.
3. Finish the sauce. Mix the squeezed cucumber, Greek yogurt, grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley and dill, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Refrigerate.
4. Prepare the zucchini. Grate it in the same way as the cucumber and squeeze it firmly with your hands to remove the water.
5. Mix the fritter mixture. Place the cooled cooked rice, squeezed zucchini, hand-crumbled feta, egg, finely chopped dill and parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl. Be careful with the salt because the feta is already salty. Mix everything well with a fork or clean hands.
6. Add the breadcrumbs. Mix in 2 to 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. The mixture should be firm enough to shape into fritters with your hands. If it is too wet, add another tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
7. Shape the fritters. With wet hands, shape 6 to 8 fritters about 1.5 cm thick.
8. Cook the fritters. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Place the fritters in the hot oil and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on one side until golden brown and crisp. Gently turn them with a spatula and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side.
9. Serve. Place the fritters on a paper towel to absorb excess oil, then serve them warm with cold tzatziki sauce and a little fresh salad.

Summer trick: How do you prevent cucumber sauce or zucchini fritters from becoming watery?

Always salt grated cucumber and zucchini and leave them in a colander for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Then wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly, as if wringing out wet laundry. You will be surprised by how much water drains away. This is the only way the tzatziki will stay thick and creamy, while the fritters remain crisp and do not fall apart during cooking.

More quick dinner ideas7 Quick Bell Pepper Dinners: Easy Recipes for the Whole Week

AI summary: Greek Rice Fritters with Feta and Refreshing Tzatziki Sauce are a meat-free summer dinner for two. The fritters use cooked rice, grated zucchini, feta, egg, breadcrumbs and fresh herbs, while the sauce combines Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and lemon. The recipe is ready in about 25 minutes and fits the 30 minute meals category.