Ines Zahraoui

Ines Zahraoui is a Tunisian home cook and the co-founder of The Mediterranean Recipe, which she runs with her friend Rachel Mazza in the United States. She was born and raised in Mahdia, a coastal town in Tunisia, where everyday cooking was built on olive oil, seafood, semolina and whatever the market had that morning. She later lived in France, where she studied literature and picked up the French side of her cooking, and her kitchen took on a Moroccan accent after marrying her husband, Abdel Ali, whose family taught her the spice work — ras el hanout, preserved lemon, slow-cooked tagines — that runs through much of the site.She has been cooking and developing recipes since 2020. She is not a professionally trained chef: she teaches French for a living and cooks for her family, which is why the recipes here are written for home kitchens and ordinary home equipment rather than restaurant ones.Ines writes and tests the recipes published under her byline in her own kitchen in Tunisia. Nutrition figures on the site are calculated with the WP Recipe Maker nutrition calculator and are estimates rather than lab-verified values.

October 10, 2026December 14, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy zucchini fritters on white platter with four Mediterranean dipping sauces

Zucchini is mild. Really mild. When you fry it, you get crispy outside and soft inside, but the flavor stays gentle. A good sauce wakes everything up without taking over.

I tried everything – ranch from a bottle, plain sour cream, even ketchup once. Most were just okay. Then I remembered my grandmother always served fried vegetables with yogurt sauce. That’s when things got interesting.

Yogurt-based sauces work because they’re tangy and creamy but not heavy. Plus, people in Greece and Turkey have been doing this forever. They figured it out already.

October 10, 2026December 12, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy zucchini fritters on ceramic plate with tzatziki sauce, fresh dill garnish, and lemon wedges on rustic wooden table

The secret isn’t just one thing—it’s seven specific techniques that turn watery garden zucchini into crispy, golden brown fritters with tender inside. And honestly, once you know them, they’re super easy. Whether you’re drowning in summer squash or just want something healthier than regular fried food, I’m sharing everything that finally worked for me

October 10, 2026December 11, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy gluten free zucchini fritters on white plate with fresh herbs and lemon

My Italian grandmother made frittelle, never measuring. When I adapted it for gluten sensitivity, I realized Mediterranean cooking is about simplicity and fresh herbs. Don’t skip the mint—that’s the secret ingredient everyone asks about.

October 10, 2026November 30, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy chicken zucchini fritters on white platter with tzatziki sauce, fresh herbs, lemon wedges

Real food science happens here. Ground chicken provides lean protein that binds naturally. Zucchini adds moisture so chicken doesn’t dry out (common problem with lean ground chicken). Combined right, you get fritters that are crispy outside and incredibly juicy inside.

October 10, 2026November 23, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Crispy golden sweet potato zucchini fritters topped with herbed yogurt sauce and fresh mint on white plate

I was trying to make sweet potato zucchini fritters. Those sad patties fell apart, turned mushy, and my three kids asked for cereal instead. Ouch.

October 10, 2026November 22, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy zucchini chickpea fritters on white platter with tzatziki, fresh herbs, Mediterranean styling

These zucchini chickpea fritters work year-round. Summer when zucchini floods the markets? Perfect. Winter when you need protein-rich comfort food? Also perfect. They’re naturally vegan and gluten-free (if you use chickpea flour), making them ideal for any dietary preference.

October 10, 2026November 21, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy zucchini corn fritters on white platter with tzatziki sauce, fresh basil, corn kernels scattered

These zucchini corn fritters shine brightest in summer when both vegetables are peak season. Fresh sweet corn cut off the cob mixed with garden zucchini is magical. But frozen corn works great year-round (just thaw and drain well).

October 10, 2026November 20, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Zucchini fritters in air fryer basket with space between for crispy results

Air fryers are basically tiny convection ovens on steroids. Hot air whips around fast, making things crispy without oil. Unlike pan-frying or oven-baking, the air fryer crisps and cooks perfectly without heating up your kitchen

October 10, 2026November 14, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy baked zucchini fritters on white platter with tzatziki sauce, fresh herbs, and lemon wedges - healthy Mediterranean appetizer

The trick to perfect crispy baked zucchini fritters isn’t complicated, but it does require understanding one key fact: zucchini holds an incredible amount of water. We’re talking about a vegetable that’s roughly 95% liquid. When I first attempted baking these without proper preparation, I ended up with something that resembled soggy pancakes more than fritters.

October 10, 2026November 5, 2025 by Ines Zahraoui

Golden crispy kolokithokeftedes (Greek zucchini fritters) with fresh dill and tzatziki sauce on white plate

Here’s what makes these crispy zucchini fritters with feta so special. When you salt the zucchini, it literally pulls the water out. Less water equals crispy fritters instead of mushy ones. The eggs and flour stick everything together. And when you fry them at the right heat, you get this incredible golden crust on the outside while the inside stays soft with little pockets of melted feta.