These Crispy Tomato Fritters Taste Like Summer on a Greek Island

Imagine sitting on a quiet beach in Greece on a hot summer day. The clear, cool sea glides softly over the small gray rocks dotting the coastline, the water a perfect shade of turquoise. As the afternoon heat peaks, it's time for a long, leisurely lunch. A taverna table is dappled with sunlight. You order a Greek salad, grilled fish, fried potatoes, and a meze spread. Among the dishes is a platter of vegetable fritters—still warm, glistening from the oil, their golden edges irresistible. Dipped in tangy yogurt, they're the ideal companion to the salt air and slow pace of summer.

Why Fritters Belong in Summer

That scene may sound romantic, but it speaks to a truth: Vegetable fritters are one of the best summer dishes, no matter your setting. They're a delicious, practical way to make the most of peak-season produce, and their appeal stretches across many cuisines, the Greek table among them. 

Meet Ntomatokeftedes: Greek Tomato Fritters

One of my favorite Greek fritters is ντοματοκεφτέδες, written as ntomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) in English. Ntomatokeftedes, also spelled tomatokeftedes, are one of Greece's most iconic vegetable fritters, a beloved specialty of Santorini. The island's dry climate and volcanic soil yield tomatoes with concentrated flavor and minimal water content, perfect for fritters. You'll also find versions throughout many Greek islands, particularly in the neighboring Cycladic islands and on the Greek mainland.

The term keftedes is often associated with meatballs. Still, in Greek, it also refers to any small fried round—whether it's made from zucchini (kolokithokeftedes), chickpeas (revithokeftedes), or, as in this case, tomatoes.

The Best Tomatoes for Greek Tomato Fritters

One of the joys of this recipe is its flexibility. Got bruised tomatoes from the market? A few underripe ones languishing on the counter? Use them. Juicier tomatoes may require extra flour, while firmer ones need less. And though these are best made in summer with ripe fruit, they're forgiving enough to satisfy off-season tomato cravings, too.

A Fritter Built on Juicy Tomatoes

Unlike many fritters, such as zucchini fritters, which require squeezing out moisture from the main vegetable to achieve crispness, tomato fritters embrace their juicy star ingredient. This recipe balances tomato's natural moisture with flour, egg, herbs, and briny feta to create a spoonable batter that's dolloped directly into hot oil—no fussy shaping required.

The texture of the batter is key. It should be somewhere between loose tuna salad and a thick scoopable dip like tzatziki. If, after mixing, the batter feels too loose—often the case with juicier, ripe tomatoes—add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it just holds its shape without becoming stiff or cakey. I like to use a blend of both chopped and grated tomatoes in my fritters. The chopped tomatoes create bursts of flavor and vivid red flecks on the surface, while the grated tomato gives the fritters an even, sunburnt hue and a lush tomato flavor throughout.

Serving the Fritters

Once fried to a deep golden red, the fritters are best served warm with a generous dollop of full-fat Greek yogurt. Crisp-edged, craggly, and rich with tomato, herbs, and feta, they're an ideal appetizer or meze.

Another great thing about this recipe is how easily adaptable it is to whatever is in your crisper: Pick a star vegetable, combine it with herbs, aromatics, cheese, egg, and flour, and fry until golden. It won't physically transport you to Santorini, but it'll take your taste buds there.