These crispy zucchini corn fritters are an easy way to add healthy veggies to your summer meal. This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and is perfect as an appetizer, side, or snack!
Zucchini fritters and corn fritters are great on their own. Combine the two together for a sweet, flavorful zucchini corn fritter that will make you wish it was summer year-round!
These fritters are the perfect way to use fresh summer produce like zucchini and corn, but they also work with canned or frozen corn!
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Recipe features
- Quick & easy: The zucchini fritters are ready in less than 30 minutes using just 10 ingredients. They can be made in a skillet or in the oven.
- Flavors and texture: Sweetness from the corn is balanced out by smoky paprika. Corn also adds a wonderful texture to these fritters!
- Easy to customize: You can make these your own by adding Parmesan cheese, making a double batch, or freezing for later. They work with fresh, frozen, or canned corn.
- Dietary features: vegetarian, soy-free, nut-free, vegan optional, and gluten-free optional. Can be made vegan using a flax egg.
Ingredients
FYI - the zucchini above is huge and made 4 cups of grated zucchini!
- Zucchini: One medium zucchini usually makes about 1 cup of grated zucchini. You will need either 2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini.
- Corn: I use frozen sweet corn kernels but canned corn or fresh corn also work. Frozen corn needs to be completely thawed before use.
- Basil: Fresh basil pairs with paprika and garlic for a lovely burst of summer flavor. If needed, replace 1 tablespoon fresh basil with 1 teaspoon dry basil.
- Flour and egg are the main binding ingredients. See below for dietary substitution tips.
Zucchini prep tips
How to shred
To shred zucchini easily, use a box grater (also known as a cheese grater). Use the side with medium holes for coarsely shredded zucchini.
Try to avoid finely grated zucchini, as this will make the mixture more watery. The goal is zucchini the size of hashbrown shreds or farm-style shredded cheese.
How to remove water
Pro tip: Removing excess water from the zucchini is key to a crispy fritter. It also prevents them from falling apart during the cooking process.
Zucchini is naturally high in moisture. If you don't squeeze excess moisture from the zucchini, the fritters are more likely to be soggy.
To remove some of the moisture or "sweat" the zucchini, line a colander or fine mesh strainer with shredded zucchini. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Salt draws out water from the zucchini.
Let the salted zucchini rest for 10 minutes. Use paper towels or clean hands to press zucchini into the strainer. This will push water through the strainer. You can also wrap the zucchini in a towel and wring it out.
Cooking instructions
Make the zucchini corn fritter batter by mixing together all of the remaining ingredients except for the oil. The batter should be relatively wet and easily scoopable.
Heat a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium heat. Once hot, add in enough neutral oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.
Make sure that the oil is hot before adding the fritter batter to prevent them from sticking to the pan! Flatten the batter to allow the fritters to cook completely through.
Flip the fritters once completely golden and cooked through on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Cook fritters in batches if needed.
Cassidy's tips
- Fritter size: Use a ¼ cup measure or cookie scoop to scoop out 6 medium fritters. Make sure to flatten the fritters or they may not cook through.
- Cooking tip: Wait to flip the fritters until they are completely golden. Decrease the temperature to medium heat if the fritters blacken instead of brown.
- Zucchini: Grate zucchini into hashbrown-sized pieces instead of finely shredded pieces. Always squeeze excess liquid out of zucchini to avoid soggy fritters.
- Make it cheesy: Kick things up a notch by adding ¼ cup shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese to the fritter batter. Cheese is optional but this makes the fritters extra crispy and flavorful!
- Serving ideas: Serve with a dollop of sour cream top or with chipotle lime ranch dressing or sweet vegan BBQ dipping sauce.
- Make it spicy by adding ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauce.
FAQ
Yes, I tested this recipe with a vegan version and non-vegan version and can confirm that both work well. Use 1 flax egg in place of a whisked egg to make vegan zucchini corn fritters. Make a flax egg by whisking together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let the flax egg rest for 5 minutes before using.
Yes, you can make gluten-free zucchini corn fritters by using an equal amount of all-purpose gluten-free flour blend like Bob's Red Mill brand. This recipe can't be made without a flour substitute because flour binds the ingredients together.
Fritters usually crumble because there is too much moisture in the mixture. Make sure to sweat shredded zucchini before using it. When frying, don't flip the fritters until they are completely cooked through on one side.
If the batter is too runny you may end up with soggy fritters. The batter should be wet but scoopable. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time to thicken the batter.
Storage tips
Leftovers: Zucchini corn fritters are best enjoyed immediately but they do keep for up to 3-4 days. Store in a closed container in the fridge and reheat on the stove over medium heat. The fritter batter will also keep for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Although best enjoyed immediately, you can freeze fritters in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let them cool to room temp before freezing. I have not tried freezing the fritter batter.
Reheating: Reheat both frozen and refrigerated fritters on a skillet over medium heat until crispy on both sides and cooked through.
Looking for more summer recipes?
You can use up extra zucchini with these vegan zucchini banana muffins or vegan zucchini bread.
Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating in the recipe card or a review in the comments below. Or check out my cookbook and keep up to date with my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or newsletter!
Recipe
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Zucchini Corn Fritters
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated zucchini ~2 medium zucchini; see note #1
- ½ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon salt divided
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels thawed; see note #2
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
- 1 large egg whisked; or 1 flax egg, see note #3
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- sour cream or Greek yogurt for topping
Instructions
- Layer shredded zucchini in a single layer in a colander or fine mesh strainer. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Let rest for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, pat with a paper towel or clean hands to push excess water through the strainer.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients except olive oil (zucchini, ¼ teaspoon salt, thawed corn, minced garlic, all-purpose flour, paprika, black pepper, basil, whisked egg), until a wet batter forms. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil or enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, use an ice cream or cookie scoop to portion out fritters onto the hot oil (or use a ¼ cup measure if you don't have a scoop). Pat the fritters with the back of a spatula to flatten.
- Cook until browned (about 2-3 minutes), then flip and cook the other side until browned. Don't flip until one side is truly browned or the fritters may not hold together.
- Enjoy immediately. Top with your choice of dairy or vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt. Sprinkle with additional paprika and basil for serving.
Video
Notes
- Zucchini: 1 medium zucchini usually yields ~1 cup shredded zucchini. Shred zucchini to hashbrown size using a box grater.
- Corn: I use frozen sweet corn. Make sure to let it thaw for at least 30 minutes before using or zap in the microwave for a minute. Fresh corn and canned corn also work.
- Flax egg: To use a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Let rest 5 minutes before using. The fritters with a flaxseed egg are slightly softer, but it should work well to hold everything together.
- Leftovers: Best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium heat.
- Freezing: Freeze room temp fritters for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove.
- Gluten-free option: Make this recipe gluten-free by using an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Nutrition information does not include Greek yogurt or sour cream.
AmySue says
Am I missing something? Says See Note 3 fir Flax Egg but isn't addressed.
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
Oops thanks for pointing out, that note must have gotten erased in one of the recipe revisions! To use a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Let rest 5 minutes before using. The fritters with a flaxseed egg are slightly softer, but it should work well to hold everything together.
PB says
This was fantastic! Kid and mom approved, even without the cheese!
Cassidy Reeser says
Awesome thanks for the review!
MICHELLE ROTHWELL says
Soooooo good!!!!
Cassidy Reeser says
Yay! Thanks for the review! 🙂
Becky says
I wonder if the mixture could be used as base for a frittata instead of potatoes. We have a Denver frittata often and that might just be a nice change
Cassidy Reeser says
That is a fun idea! I don't see why it wouldn't work...if anything, the fritters may get very soft in the frittata. I would love to hear if you try it out!
Angela says
If I need to party prep and make these a day ahead … how do you think an air fryer would work to reheat?
Cassidy Reeser says
I don’t have much experience with air fryers but it seems like it should work, if anything they may be a little less crispy… would love to hear if you try it out!
Joyce says
Can you use an. Oven to bake instead of frying
Cassidy Reeser says
I haven't tried with this recipe but it does work for my broccoli cheddar fritters, so I don't see why it wouldn't work! I recommend baking on parchment paper at 350F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Dawn says
This was delish! I added some corn starch, onion, jalapeño, and cheddar cheese. Tons of flavor! We’ll make a bunch with our garden zucchini and freeze them. Thank you!
Cassidy Reeser says
Yum to those additions! Thanks for the review!
Candace Peterson says
I love these, but they always fall apart. I don't know if I should add another egg or more flour?
Cassidy Reeser says
My guess is that there’s too much moisture from the zucchini. I would try adding a tablespoon flour at a time until the batter is scoopable but still a little wet. Only flip them when they are completely golden on one side. I hope that helps!
Susan says
Delicious! I cooked them in a non stick pan w/o oil and they still came out good, but not crispy. I made a Caesar/BBQ dipping sauce. Yum
Tegan says
These were amazing - I made them on the sandwich press to cook evenly on each side so I wouldn't have to flip them. No oil needed as the press is non-stick. I added a third zucchini as the ratios didn't seem quite right and the batter was too dry to form a dough. This seemed to do the trick. I did too good a job of squeezing out the water from the zucchinis. Great recipe - will make again!
Cassidy Reeser says
Thank you for the review! I love that you used a sandwich press, that makes it so easy.
Mona says
These made me rethink my relationship with zucchini. Simply delicious and easy to make!
P-money says
Not a huge fan of zucchini but these are amazing and are quick to make. I was mostly surprised that this combination of healthy ingredients can taste so good. The first time we made them, I accidentally ate all of them, but I guess accidents happen.
Cassidy Reeser says
Thanks Phil 🙂
Mary Fran says
Awesome and easy! My husband said they were “out of this world”. But he doesn’t like the name fritter and wants to call them pancakes! Delicious with any name. Served them with tzaziki. Thanks for a great recipe. Looking forward to more of your recipes.
Cassidy Reeser says
I'm glad you both liked them whether they are fritters or pancakes! 🙂 Thank you!
Brittany says
These turned out great, thank you! I added a little Cajun seasoning to add a little spicy-ness ?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
That sounds like a delicious addition! Thank you 🙂
tase25 says
Mine turned out really mushy inside. Is that normal?
Cassidy Reeser says
They should be soft inside but not mushy. If the outsides were done then it may be that the heat was up too high and the insides didn't get a chance to cook through. I am happy to help you troubleshoot!
Christina says
Can the flour be substituted for almond flour?
Cassidy Reeser says
Hi Christina, I’m not sure that would work because it won’t bind as well. You could use a gluten free all purpose flour blend to make the recipe GF.
Jocelyn says
Oh so delicious!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Thank you!