August means one thing if you grow your own zucchini: too much of it, all at once. These Lithuanian zucchini fritters with farmer's cheese are one of my go-to ways to use it up, but I want to reset your expectations first. These aren't the crispy, lacy zucchini fritters you'll find everywhere else online. The farmer's cheese, varškė in Lithuanian, keeps the inside soft and set, more like a savory little quiche than a crunchy pancake. You'll get some color on the outside if you fry them right, but the texture you're after is tender in the middle, not crackling. Once you know that going in, they're an easy, forgiving way to work through a zucchini glut.
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Recipe Highlights
THE TEXTURE: These aren't crispy, lacy fritters, the varškė keeps the middle soft and set, more like a savory little quiche than a crunchy pancake.
THE SQUEEZE FACTOR: 270g raw zucchini needs to come down to about 160g squeezed; skip that step and the batter turns to soup.
THE NAME: Lithuanian doesn't actually bother with a word for "fritter," potato, cheese, or zucchini, if it's fried in a pan like this, it's just blynai (pancakes).
What is Varškė (Farmer's Cheese)?
Varškė is Lithuania's fresh curd cheese: soft, slightly tangy, drier than ricotta but softer than pressed cottage cheese. It's the base of half the savory and sweet pancakes and dumplings in Lithuanian cooking.
Look for farmer's cheese at an Eastern European grocer or a well-stocked cheese counter. If you can't find it, quark is the closest match; well-drained cottage cheese or ricotta also work, though they carry more liquid, so squeeze your zucchini extra thoroughly if you use either.
Ingredient Notes
Zucchini: this is the step that makes or breaks the recipe, so squeeze harder than feels necessary. Grate it, wrap it in a clean tea towel, and twist until your arms complain. From 270g raw zucchini you should end up with roughly 160g once squeezed. Come in well above that and the batter turns watery, the fritters won't hold together in the pan, and the middle stays soggy instead of set.
Egg: one large egg is enough to bind this.
Farmer's cheese: 150g of varškė, quark, or well-drained cottage cheese or ricotta. Whatever you use, make sure it isn't sitting in liquid.
Herbs: dill, parsley, and green onion together is the classic Lithuanian combination. Don't skip the dill; it's what makes these taste distinctly Lithuanian rather than generic.
Cheese: parmesan is sharper and saltier, cheddar milder and softer. Both work.
Flour: all-purpose flour or semolina both work.
Fun Fact
Lithuanian doesn't actually have a word for "fritter." Potato, cheese, zucchini, it doesn't matter what's in it, if it's fried in a pan like this, we just call it blynai (pancakes). The name for these in Lithuanian is Cukinijų Blynai su Varške.
Top Tips
Get the squeeze right 160g squeezed zucchini from 270g raw is the benchmark. If you're well above that, keep squeezing, or add a little extra flour to compensate. Excess liquid is the number one reason zucchini fritters fall apart or are soggy.
Fixing the batter Loose batter that won't hold its shape means the zucchini wasn't squeezed enough; add flour a tablespoon at a time until it firms up. Batter should be stiff and not spread much in the pan. You should flatten it with the back of a spoon.
Why Fritters Stick, and How To Stop It
This is the most common complaint with zucchini fritters, and it comes down to three things that all need to be true together:
- Use a genuinely non-stick pan, not a well-worn one you're hoping will behave. A tired non-stick pan is the number one cause of fritters tearing apart on the flip.
- Get the oil hot before the first fritter goes in. You don't need much, a thin film across the pan is enough, but it should be shimmering, not just warm, or the batter will sit and seep instead of setting.
- Leave them alone once they're in the pan. Don't nudge or peek underneath. Let each fritter fry undisturbed, usually 2–3 minutes, until it releases cleanly on its own. That's your cue to flip, not before. Move too early and it will stick, tear, and leave half of itself behind.
Make-ahead prep You can squeeze the zucchini and refrigerate it, covered, up to a day ahead. I wouldn't mix the full batter more than an hour before frying, since the baking powder starts working the moment it meets the wet ingredients, and you'll lose some lift by frying time.
Serving suggestions
Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream, the classic pairing, or with Farmer's Cheese Dip & Spread for more flavor. A scattering of fresh dill on top does a lot of work. These make a good light lunch with a simple salad, or a side alongside something heartier.
Storage and make-ahead
Fritters keep 2–3 days in the fridge. Reheat in a dry pan to bring some texture back rather than using the microwave, which turns them soft all over. They freeze well once cooked; reheat from frozen in a pan or oven, not the microwave, or they'll go soggy instead of setting back up.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, as long as it's well-drained. Cottage cheese holds more liquid than varškė, so squeeze your zucchini extra thoroughly to compensate, or the batter will end up too wet.
You can, though you'll lose the color and the texture will be softer throughout. Bake at around 200°C/400°F on a lined tray, flipping halfway, until set and lightly golden. Frying is the tested method and gives the best result.
More Lithuanian Fritters and Pancakes
Lithuanian Zucchini Fritters with Farmer's Cheese
Equipment
- Box Grater
- Cheese Cloth or Clean Kitchen Towel for squeezing zucchini
- Non-Stick Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 270 g (about 9½oz) zucchini (courgette), grated — should weigh roughly 160g / 5½oz after squeezing
- 1 large egg
- 150 g (⅔ cup) farmer's cheese (varškė) — quark or well-drained cottage cheese work as substitutes
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 15 g (about ¼ cup, packed) fresh herbs, finely chopped — dill, parsley, and green onion is the classic mix
- 10 g (2 tbsp) parmesan or sharp cheddar finely grated
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour or semolina
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- Coarsely grate the zucchini. Wrap it in a clean tea towel and twist hard to wring out as much liquid as you can — you're aiming for about 160g of squeezed zucchini from 270g raw. This step decides whether your fritters hold together, so don't rush it. Tip the wrung zucchini into a large bowl.
- Add the egg and farmer's cheese. Break everything up with a fork and mix well.
- Add the garlic, herbs, and grated parmesan (or cheddar). Mix again.
- Add the flour and baking powder, then season with salt and pepper.
- Let the batter rest 10 minutes.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan. Drop in a heaped tablespoon of batter per fritter, flatten slightly and fry for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and set through.
- Serve warm with sour cream or Lithuanian Farmer's Cheese Sauce.
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