Is it just me, or are there butterflies everywhere?
Maybe it’s butterfly hatching season…. that’s a technical term: butterfly hatching. Obviously.
Exhibit A: On a particularly rough day at work, a butterfly just about the size of my hand fluttered around me showing off its black, yellow and red wings. Absolutely gorgeous.
Exhibit B: Just this morning a butterfly whizzed past my nose as I rode a bike through the Oakland hills. High speed butterflying.
I don’t even need an Exhibit C, I’m tellin’ you… there’s something in the air: butterflies.
So, all of this beautiful fluttering action has lead me to, well… look for a little meaning in all of it.
I know… totally cheese ball, right? It’s just that I feel something in the air. Maybe it’s the change of season, or maybe it’s my sun sign doing God knows what to my moon sign. Who knows? I just feel a flood of change coming my way. I think that’s what all these butterflies are trying to tell me. Change is a’comin’, in more ways than I might already think. That… or it’s just butterfly hatching season. I don’t know.
In other news: I have a fridge full of zucchini and I made zucchini pancakes.
You probably know me well enough by now to understand my lengthy and well documented affection for pancakes.
That being said… these pancakes aren’t the sweet breakfast treat that you might expect from me. Think of them more like a potato pancake… the kind you might top with sour cream or apple sauce. These are the zucchini version of potato pancakes. They’re super easy to throw together and all sorts of fun to eat. I topped mine with a bit of sour cream and sweet paprika. Dinner, made so easy.
Zucchini Pancakes
makes about 18- 20 2-inch pancakes
adapted from Stephanie Gallagher
- 4 cups shredded zucchini (or a combination of shredded zucchini and shredded yellow squash)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
- a few dashes of Tabasco
- 1/4 cup onions, finely diced and grilled
- 2 Tbsp. plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Grill diced onions in 2 teaspoons of olive oil until they are slightly browned and set aside.
Place zucchini and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt in a colander. Drain for ten minutes, pressing down with paper towels to push out all the excess water. You can also place shredded zucchini in a very clean dish towel to squeeze out excess water after it has sit with the salt for 10 minutes.
Whisk the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, Tabasco, and eggs together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, garlic, grilled onions and zucchini. Mix until all the ingredients are well-combined.
Place the olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, drop the zucchini mixture by rounded tablespoons. Flatten gently with a fork. Cook 2 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Flip and cook another two minutes. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Serve immediately.
Maggie
These are so addicting!! I am eating one at this very second. I think I am in love.
Shirley
I made these this evening and they were so good! I also topped them with some salsa! Next time I will try them with almond flour- and see how they turn out gluten free!
thanks joy
Kristin
Zucchini is pretty much a staple in my life so any recipe that includes this savory vegetable…I’m in! Can’t wait to try this…and ilkin…mint and feta…you’re a genius! This is a dish I so look forward to munching on!
xoxo
BK Crew
Jazzalto
OMG, I just made this with roasted beets instead of zucchini and I do believe they have taken over the potato pancake part of my heart!
Thank you!
ilkin
Made these yesterday. Great with yogurt! I know a similar version which is fried in lots of oil. This is much lighter with almost no oil. I will add some fresh mint and feta next time. Thank you for this recipe.
lcwhitty
yikes…this one was a total flop for me! The batter was so runny, after 8 min. per side they still weren’t cooked through (yes, I drained/salted/squeezed the zucchini). Attempted to make-good on the recipe and bake it in a pie dish. Failed here too. Just never solidified. Oh well. Thanks for mixing up the savory with the sweets, Joy. LOVE the Farro recipe! Made that one 3x already. Obsessed!
Lynne
I was just given some zucchini today… so along with my chilli tonight, I’m going to whip up a batch of these! thanks for the great idea.
Kristen D.
Joy, maybe you have, but I haven’t seen it, talk about your love for plates. I can tell that you love them because you use such nice ones in your photos. I collect plates and nothing at flea markets and tag sales makes me more excited than finding one I’ve never seen. Every time you use this one, I wish I had it! A whole set for 12 would be grand, but I digress, anyway, can you flip it over and tell me the name so I can eBay for one? pretty please?
Tami
These were the most wonderful! I used to eat potato pancakes as a child and these were very much like those only BETTER! I had to call my dad and tell him about them. He’s always telling me about things, so it was nice to tell him something for a change.
Thanks for this!
Tami
Megan
I just have been day dreaming about about these for a few days now. Waiting for farmers market zucchini’s saturday!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
I’m one of those people that notices Butterflies too (loved them so much they were part of our wedding theme). These look delicious and can I just say that china and flatware setting are just gorgeous! They’re also things that I really notice! :P
Charley
I made these last night for dinner and they were a hit! I goofed just a bit and didn’t squeeze enough water out so they were mooshier than I wanted. My boyfriend insisted that I pack the leftovers in his lunch for today! Thanks for helping me please my man!
Emily
Man, I wish my husband would eat squash. He says it makes him gag (real mature, I know)! I’ll have to make these sometime when he’s not around to complain. They sound delicious!
Carrie
Oh, Joy! Only you could make me want to eat vegetables in my pancakes!
Singapore Short Stories
Wow so nice!
Emily (Lauren's friend in SF)
My mom used to make a version of these all the time growing up, from the Moosewood cookbook. They were my fave!! The recipe she uses has feta and a touch of mint in them, and egg whites folded in. I’ll have to send Lauren the recipe. She served them with sour cream or plain yogurt and turkey kielbasa. So good!!
B
oooh
i actually make these al the time with goat cheese in them
deliciousss
Patty
Oh, Joy! My recently departed, Italian mother would have absolutely loved these pancakes. She had an affinity for all things zucchini, including stuffed zucchini flowers. She made a mean potato pancake as well. Sadly, I never mastered her recipe. I shall make this as a loving tribute to her…thank you.
Lori
They sound delicious!
Jean Bean
just out of curiousity…what is your sun and moon sign? and ascendent (if you know) Im such an astrology geek :)
I’m a cancer with a taurus moon and vergo ascendent (pisces descendent)
The Duo Dishes
Oh but of course. Zuke cakes are the best way to use them up. Other than pairing them with chocolate. Also good. :)
Kate @ Savour Fare
Great minds think alike, or maybe we just shop at the same farmer’s markets. I use feta in mine and they are divine.
Elizabeth
MMmm, I love zucchini pancakes. Maybe it’s the fact that I get to dip them in sour cream. And my kid will eat them too, so I don’t have to make two dinners. Yup, I love em.
Alison
‘…through the Oakland hills…’ Seriously? Joy the freaking Baker is in my neighborhood? Oh this is too good. Too bad we couldn’t organize a picnic for these Bay Area lovers of Joy. Hope you’re enjoying all the east bay has to offer.
Noreen
Joy, I want to say I like the New new blog design (or it looks different to me now than before). I had a little trouble in the beginning with the front page setup and now I am able to manuever much better =) Thanks as always for great recipes & content!
Sandy
Clever girl – eating your veggies in pancake form! I’ll be trying these out on my kids, as we are fans of all things pancake in this house. (Today we’re having whole wheat strawberry banana pancakes for lunch – yumm)
PS – how are those aprons coming? Can you make the neck straps adjustable, thanks!
stephchows
mmm paprika sounds like the perfect topper for these! And so exciting about the butterflies, I think it means lots of good luck coming your way :)
Nicole
You got me! I definitely thought a sweet pancake was in our future, but these are a nice savory option. Yum!
Lora
I would plop some greek yogurt with chopped fresh dill on top! Can’t wait to make this.
Kayleigh
I like my zucchini pancakes with cumin and dill and feta. Then I make a cumin scented yogourt (meaning I just put cumin in regular yogourt, lol). Sooo good!
Casey
You know, just so happens I was looking for something to go along with dinner tonight. Found a winner! Thanks, Joy!
Frenchie
I don’t know when you changed your blog’s format, but I absolutely love it. I really enjoy reading your blog all the time, you have such a friendly and warm way of writing and your pictures and recipes are wonderful. I hope you never stop baking and blogging. Thank you.
Deanna
Dang no one gave me zucchini this year! But again these would make a great dinner for my veggie hubby. Thanks for the great ideas.
malgosia
mmhmmm zucchinis! Yeay! Zucchinis are my top vegetable this year – especially those little ones. I will try panckaes for todays dinner. And You know, despite You can already feel the Autumn here in Warsaw (Poland), I have seen two butterflies today :-) Really those flying guys have cheered me up, as saying “don’t worry, there is still some Summer left”.
I don’t know if You have that saying in English, but in Poland when You say that You feel butterflies in your stomach it means that you are in love. Strange, isn’t it?
Indigo
We do have that saying! But, in England anyway, it can also mean that you’re nervous (eg, if you had to perform on stage or something, you might ‘have butterflies’). Though if someone ‘gives you butterflies’ in your stomach it means you’re in love. =]
Jessica
YUM! I have a TON of zucchini to get rid of and you just gave me an excellent idea Joy! Thanks! :)
ABowlOfMush
DELICIOUS!!
Jill in Atlanta
I’ve been getting the “oh no! Not squash again!” from my kids. Our CSA has been full of yellow squash and will be again, today. I will try these pancakes on the boys and see if it goes over. Anything with sour cream must be good! (and thanks Ally, I’ll do bread too. I’d been sticking with sautes or squash casserole things, but we clearly need some more variety.)
And, it is butterfly migration season starting. The generation that has just hatched will live 9 months to migrate to Mexico and back in the spring. Following generations will each live a few weeks until the last one in the fall that does this all again. Pretty cool stuff.
Jen @ MaplenCornbread
Ive not seen ONE butterfly since I left home…Canada…almost 4 years ago. It seems there arent any around here? strange.
Now these zucchini pancakes…look..AMAZING! Great for brunch or dinner! I love your plate too :)
Amy
At my local zoo, they have an actual butterfly exhibit that runs from June through Labor Day, and let me tell you – it is SO awesome. Butterflies of all sizes and colors, fluttering about, and they land you. A season pass is worth purchasing just so you can see this exhibit as many times as possible.
Now, about these zucchini pancakes? They are so reminiscent of zucchini potato latkes my mom used to make once a year when I was growing up. YUMMY. Now I’m homesick!
Samantha
I love a potato pancake and CAN NOT wait to try these!
One question about the baking powder: I can’t find it in Italy, could I leave it out or sub in baking soda or something else? Thanks!
Ally
Oooh Joy – there’s something going on with zucchini’s too! I just made zucchini bread a couple of days ago – now I’ll have to try the pancakes!