Tomatokeftedes (Santorini Tomato Fritters)
Authentic Santorini tomato fritters with fresh mint and red onion. Crispy, fragrant, ready in under an hour. Naturally vegan.
Ingredients
For the fritters
- 500 g cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes about 1 lb
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 125 g all-purpose flour 1 cup, plus more if needed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 small red onion very finely diced
- 3 tbsp fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 0.5 tsp dried Greek oregano
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- pinch sugar
For frying
- 120 ml olive oil 1/2 cup, plus more as needed
To serve
- Tzatziki or thick Greek yogurt
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
- Quarter cherry tomatoes (or cut plum tomatoes into 1 cm dice). Toss with 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a colander set over a bowl. Drain 30 minutes. Pat dry gently.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, oregano, and a pinch of sugar in a large bowl.
- Add drained tomatoes, red onion, mint, and parsley. Stir until a thick, cohesive batter forms. Rest 10 minutes. Adjust with 1 tbsp water if too dry, or 1 tbsp flour if too wet.
- Heat olive oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium heat to about 170-175C (340-345F).
- Drop heaped tablespoons of batter into the oil. Press gently into flat patties about 2 cm thick. Fry in batches without crowding.
- Fry 3-4 minutes on the first side until deep golden brown. Flip once and fry 2-3 minutes more on the second side.
- Transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and tzatziki or thick Greek yogurt.
Notes
Fresh mint is essential and cannot be substituted with dried mint. The closer your tomatoes are to Santorini cherry tomatoes -- small, firm, low in water -- the better result. Salt and drain the tomatoes for the full 30 minutes. Tomatokeftedes are naturally vegan as written.
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Sodium: 480mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g