Zucchini & Corn Fritters

A quick and simple zucchini and corn fritter is the perfect way to use up the best of the late summer season. An easy-to-make batter is mixed together, and small pancake-shaped fritters are fried on the stovetop. When paired with a chipotle sauce, these are a scrumptious side dish!

Need a new way to use up zucchini and sweet corn?

Growing zucchini every year often means I have extra zucchini. Never wanting to waste, I usually make the zucchini fritters my grandma would make. Originally these would not have had the fresh sweet corn. The corn adds a hint of sweetness to the fritters. Zucchini is a chameleon that can hold onto numerous flavors. This is not about masking zucchini or hiding it but bringing it front and center. The high zucchini ratio gives the moisture needed to bind the fritters and soaks in the spices. Next time you find someone giving away extra zucchini, you may be more excited to take them to make these fritters.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Sweet corn adds little pockets of sweetness along with great texture to these fritters. It’s best to find locally grown sweet corn so you know it was picked fresh and has all of its sugar content intact. Make sure to see how to freeze your own sweet corn!
• Zucchini can take on a lot of flavors, so it’s the perfect way to add the moisture needed but also soak in the spices and balance out the sweetness of the corn. Zucchini should be picked when it’s small to medium in size. If using a large zucchini, make sure to remove the seeds.
• Flour will bind together the high-moisture content of the zucchini with the sweet corn. Just a small amount is needed to create these pancake-like fritters.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Prepare the vegetables. To a bowl, add the eggs and whisk them to break up the yolks. Separately, using a grater, grate the zucchini and add this to the eggs in the bowl. Chop up the onion and add it directly to the bowl. Slice the sweet corn from the cob (or use canned corn) and add directly to the bowl as well. Mix the vegetables together to coat them with the eggs.
2. Add in the dry ingredients and mix. To the vegetable and egg mixture, add the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, flour, salt, baking powder, and Parmesan cheese. Mix all of the ingredients together until everything is well-mixed and resembles a cohesive batter.

3. Fry the fritters on the stove. To a skillet heated over medium heat, add two tablespoons of ghee or a high-heat oil, such as avocado oil. Let the ghee (or oil) melt fully, and then using a scoop (or two spoons), add fritters to the pan. I can usually fit four fritters in my skillet (is there a size, Kaleb?) comfortably. Once all four fritters are in the pan, press each fritter out slightly using a spatula or spoon. This ensures that each fritter will cook evenly. When the bottom of the fritter turns brown, flip it to brown on the other side. Once fully browned, remove each fritter and let them cool on a rack.

4. Prepare the chipotle sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chipotle powder, Mexican oregano, crushed garlic clove, and lime juice. Mix all ingredients until everything is smooth and creamy.
5. Serve the fritters with the sauce. Top each fritter (or stack or fritters) with a dollop of the chipotle sauce and a sprinkling of cilantro, if desired. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and enjoy!

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• If you have a very large zucchini, either in your garden or from the store, cut it in half. Then scoop out the seeds from the inside so that there is not as much water content. If the seeds from a large zucchini are used, it could affect the texture of the fritter.
• Leave the zucchini skin on or take it off. This is a personal preference. Personally, I leave the zucchini skin intact as I do not notice a difference in the final texture of the fritter. However, if you have a very large zucchini, you may want to remove the skin as it can be tough when that size.
• When frying the fritters, do not crowd the pan. If there are too many fritters in the pan at once, they will steam rather than cook, which means they won’t get the crispy exterior that’s desirable.
• To ensure your fritters do not get cold while you’re frying the rest of them, place them on a rack in a 200°F degree oven. This will keep them warm and crispy and prevent them from getting soggy.

You’ll love these other side dish recipes.

• Easy pasta salad
• Family favorite potato salad
• Grandma’s truly homemade baked beans
• Easy macaroni salad
• Fresh herb pasta salad
• The perfect picnic coleslaw
• Ginger miso broccoli salad

Watch how to make this recipe.

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