By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 1 hour's refrigeration
- Rating
- 4(90)
- Notes
- Read community notes
I’ve modeled these delicious and easy grated beet fritters after traditional Greek zucchini fritters. Make sure to buy beets that have a generous amount of greens attached. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of oil: About half of it will still be in the pan when you’re finished, if you are careful to get it hot enough before you add the fritters.
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Ingredients
Yield:16 to 18 fritters, serving 5 to 6
- 1bunch beets, with greens, peeled and grated on the wide holes of a grater or food processor (about 1 to 1¼ pounds beets)
- Salt
- Greens from 1 bunch beets, stemmed and washed in 2 changes of water
- 2eggs
- ½cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, like as fennel, dill, mint, parsley
- 2teaspoons ground cumin
- 1teaspoon ground caraway
- 1cup fresh or dry bread crumbs (more as necessary)
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2ounces feta, crumbled (½ cup)
- All-purpose flour as needed and for dredging
- ¼cup canola oil
- ¼cup extra virgin olive oil
- Plain Greek-style yogurt or aioli for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
386 calories; 25 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 574 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Salt the beets generously and leave them to drain in a colander placed in the sink or in a bowl for 1 hour, tossing and squeezing the beets from time to time (wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the color). After an hour, take up the grated beets by the handful, squeeze out as much liquid as you can and transfer to a bowl.
Step
2
While the beets are draining, heat a large pot of water over high heat and stem and wash the beet greens in 2 changes of water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the beet greens. Cook for about 1 minute, until tender, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze dry and chop fine. Alternatively, steam the greens for 2 minutes above 1 inch of boiling water.
Step
3
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add the grated beets, herbs, cumin, caraway, beet greens, bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, and feta. Mix together well. Take up a small handful (one to 2 tablespoons) of the mixture, and if it presses neatly into a patty, it is the right consistency. If it seems wet, add more bread crumbs or a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour. When the mixture has the right consistency, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or longer.
Step
4
Combine the oils in a large frying pan and heat until rippling, about 275 degrees. Meanwhile, take up heaped tablespoons of the beet mixture and form patties. Lightly dredge in flour. Carefully transfer to the pan, taking care to fry them in batches so you don’t crowd the pan, and fry until patties are golden brown on both sides. Use tongs, a slotted spatula or a spider to turn the fritters over. Remove from the oil and drain briefly on a rack, then serve, with yogurt or aioli if desired.
Tip
- Advance preparation: You can make the beet mixture up to a day ahead and refrigerate.
Ratings
4
out of 5
90
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Cooking Notes
cookingforfun
I often make this recipe in three stages. As opposed to grating raw beets, I roast them (rub olive oil over washed beets and roast at 400 degrees for an hour), and wash and blanch the greens, when I first buy them. Then I peel and blend the beets before making the mixture. I skip the caraway seeds and particularly like mint in this recipe. Then I make the patties and sauté them.
What a very pleasant surprise!
These were surprisingly good! Looked terrible in the making but so very flavorable. A definite repeat!
Ann Priester
I really liked this. I didn't have feta, so I substituted mozzarella, and it was fine. It didn't have the tang of feta, but I used some lemon juice for that.
Jen
This recipe is endlessly riff-able. I made my own spice blend (roasted/ground cumin, fennel, coriander seeds, plus black peppercorns) since I didn't have any caraway seeds. I had no feta so I drained/pressed some cottage cheese then added some lemon juice, zest, and a tiny bit of salt. Made a bit of yogurt sauce w/ pressed garlic, lemon zest, and a tiny bit of juice plus a little bit of freshly-ground black pepper. Others might prefer more salt, but for me it was really good and balanced.
natalie
I used chickpea flour to make it gluten free, and coated them with gluten free breadcrumbs. I also added toasted and crushed cumin, mustard seed, and coriander. It was a big hit!
Jen
Delicious! Definitely will be making it regularly. I baked beets at 400 for 40 minutes then grated. I wanted that grated texture but also wanted them cooked more. I also added chopped pecans for more texture.
Luiza
For a GF version, I substituted I cup of cooked quinoa for i cup bread crumbs and 3/4 cup cassava flour for 1 cup all purpose flour. I don't have the frying just right yet, but I think the patties may not need to be dredged when you use cassava flour, because it is so sticky. They freeze well too, which is good because the recipe does make a lot. A good option for an overflow of beets in the last few weeks of a summer CSA.
john
We added two shallots, four cloves of garlic and 1/2 tsp of chili flakes to kick it up a notch
triciadeer
Surprisingly good
Matt
Grating beets on a box grater and you can skip arm day at the gym!
Ann Priester
I really liked this. I didn't have feta, so I substituted mozzarella, and it was fine. It didn't have the tang of feta, but I used some lemon juice for that.
cookingforfun
I often make this recipe in three stages. As opposed to grating raw beets, I roast them (rub olive oil over washed beets and roast at 400 degrees for an hour), and wash and blanch the greens, when I first buy them. Then I peel and blend the beets before making the mixture. I skip the caraway seeds and particularly like mint in this recipe. Then I make the patties and sauté them.
BrooklynG
It makes a LOT, so I have leftover batter in my fridge. They were super delicious and definitely serve with the yogurt. Maybe I didn't squeeze the beets out enough because I had to add about 50% more bread crumbs. Also, I didn't trust the amount of cumin and caraway called for, so I halved the spices to let the beet flavor really come through.
cookingforfun
This recipe is a family favorite. We make it at least 1, sometimes 2, times a month.
What a very pleasant surprise!
These were surprisingly good! Looked terrible in the making but so very flavorable. A definite repeat!
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