These Zucchini Corn Fritters are the perfect combination of two summer favorites, with a crispy exterior and soft inside. Served with a wonderful sour cream lime dipping sauce. Great as an appetizer or snack!
Crispy Zucchini Corn Fritters Recipe
Let me just say for the record that moving forward, all summers at my house will include Zucchini Corn Fritters. I made up a batch of these and they were gone in minutes. So good!
The corn and zucchini flavors in these fritters are apparent, yet subtle, making them great for people who love these ingredients…and for people who don’t. They’re like a super food. Lol.
Ingredients Needed
These vegetable fritters call for just a handful of common ingredients including zucchini and corn, of course!
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Flour – Simple all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder – This gives the batter a little lift
- Seasonings – Salt and a cayenne pepper for just a bit of heat.
- Egg – Gives the batter structure.
- Whole milk – Thins out the batter a bit.
- Unsalted butter – Makes the batter nice and rich!
- Zucchini – Shredded and squeezed of any excess liquid.
- Corn – Fresh sweet corn kernels.
- Jalapeño pepper – Diced fine.
- Cheddar cheese – Freshly shredded for best flavor.
Recipe Variations
- Try a different cheese. I used shredded cheddar cheese in mine, but you could easily swap that out for other types of cheese – a Mexican blend would be great, or Parmesan, or Pepper Jack for a kick.
- Replace the Zucchini. Shredded carrot in place of the zucchini would be delicious!
- Jalapeño pepper. I used some finely diced jalapeño pepper in these fritters, but if you want them spicier, you could use a habanero instead. Or you can simply omit the pepper entirely.
- Can I use canned corn? Yes! Nothing is like sweet fresh summer corn, but when corn isn’t in season, canned (drained) corn would totally be fine! This way you can enjoy fritters all year round. I guarantee these would be a hit if you’re having friends over to watch a football game.
How to Make Zucchini Corn Fritters
Making corn fritters is easy with just a few steps. Here’s a summary:
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details and don’t miss the helpful tips and video below.)
- Combine ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add in the egg, milk, butter, zucchini, corn, jalapeño, and cheese; stir to combine.
- Fry in batches. Warm vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet or nonstick fry pan over medium heat. When the oil sizzling, working in batches, spoon rounded tablespoons of the mixture into the pan, making sure they don’t touch each other. Flatten slightly – they should be about 2-3 inches in diameter. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.
- Drain off the grease and keep warm. Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt, and place in a 300F oven to keep warm until all are cooked.
- Serve with the dipping sauce. Combine the sour cream, lime juice, and scallions. Serve immediately with the fritters and enjoy!
Tips for Success
Here are some helpful tips to make sure your fritters come out perfectly!
- Remove excess moisture. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the grated zucchini. If there’s too much moisture, the fritters won’t get crispy.
- Use a cookie scoop for uniformity. Use a tablespoon sized cookie scoop when portioning them into the hot pan. This helps them be uniform in size and cook at the same rate.
- Press to flatten. Once you scoop them into the pan, press the fritters down to flatten slightly. This allows for quicker and more even cooking.
- Don’t flip too soon. Give them enough time to cook before flipping. I know, I’m impatient too. But you want them to be perfectly golden before turning or you’ll end up with raw fritters.
- Pay attention to the oil and heat setting. If your fritters start to burn, adjust your temperature, cooking time, and/or change out your oil for a clean amount.
Video: Zucchini Corn Fritters
What to Serve with Corn Fritters
These are fantastic served with our Tzatziki sauce or Remoulade sauce for dipping!
Proper Storage
- Leftovers. Any cooked leftovers should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze. These corn fritters freeze quite well, too, for up to 1 month. To enjoy after being frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or set out on the counter and bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Then reheat.
- Reheat. Reheat in a 400 degree oven until warm and crisp, about 5-10 minutes.
More Favorite Corn Recipes:
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Corn Chowder
- Homemade Cornbread
- Creamy Corn Salad
- Creamy Cornbread Casserole
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Zucchini Corn Fritters
Ingredients
For the Dipping Sauce
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 scallions , diced
For the Fritters
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg , lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted
- 1 cup shredded zucchini , squeezed of any excess liquid
- 3/4 cup fresh sweet corn kernels (about 1 ear corn on the cob)
- 1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeño pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For Frying
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more, if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
- In a small serving bowl, mix together the sour cream, lime juice, and scallions. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add in the egg, milk, butter, zucchini, corn, jalapeño, and cheese; stir to combine.
- Warm the oil in a large cast iron skillet or nonstick fry pan over medium heat. When the oil sizzling, working in batches, spoon rounded tablespoons of the mixture into the pan (I use a cookie scoop for this!), making sure they don’t touch each other. Flatten slightly – they should be about 2-3 inches in diameter.
- Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. (If they start to burn, adjust your cooking time and/or change out your oil for a clean amount.)
- Transfer the fritters to the lined baking sheet to drain, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt, and place in the oven to keep warm until all are cooked.
- Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and enjoy!
This is a staple for us during zucchini season! I make a couple of triple batches and freeze to have out of season.
I made these ahead of time and reheated just before serving. We loved them.
I already froze my zucchini… will it still work?
These were so good, I could have eaten half the batch myself! I can’t wait to make again.
I make zucchini pancakes, so I knew I would love these. They were so good!