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Zucchini Corn Fritters are full of tender zucchini, fresh herbs, and sweet corn kernels. The batter is mixed up in one bowl and they are easily pan fried (no deep frying needed!) to a crispy result.
Fritters are great as an appetizer with sour cream or lemon aioli for dipping. They’re also great as a side to entrees like grilled chicken kabobs or grilled tri tip.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients – You likely have a lot of the ingredients already!
- Use Up Zucchini – When zucchini season comes around, I’m always looking for new ways to use it up!
- Crispy – Perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Ingredients
- Fresh Zucchini – Look for a medium size (6-7 inches) in length; larger ones may contain too much water.
- Sweet Yellow Onion – If you don’t have on hand, you can omit or substitute with minced green onion.
- Egg
- Corn Kernels – You can use either fresh cut or frozen, thawed corn kernels.
- Minced Garlic – Fresh is best, but the kind in a jar works too in a pinch.
- Lemon Zest
- Minced Fresh Herbs – Chives and Dill
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cornmeal
- Butter or Oil for pan frying
How To Make Zucchini Corn Fritters
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Zucchini Corn Fritters can be mixed up in one bowl and then easily pan fried (no deep frying!).
Prep Zucchini – Start by shredding the zucchini either using a box grater or the shredding blade of your food processor. Use a tea towel or cheesecloth to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Mix Fritter Batter – In a large mixing bowl, stir together the zucchini, shredded onion, and egg. Mix in the corn kernels, garlic, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and salt. Mix in the flour and cornmeal, and you should have a thick batter.
Pan Fry Fritters – Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet and fry in batches until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Recipe FAQs
Using a hot skillet is important so that the fritters start cooking once they hit the pan. A crust is formed that keeps the corn fritters from falling apart.
If the batter is too thin or the pan is not hot enough then the fritters will not get crispy. The pan should be hot and the batter should be thick.
These Corn and Zucchini Fritters are amazing served with sour cream, ranch, or even dipped in marinara sauce.
Fritter batter should be thick to help keep the fritters from getting soggy and falling apart. Try to squeeze as much liquid from the zucchini as you can. If you still find your batter to be thin, you can add a little bit more flour.
Storage
Refrigerator – Cool completely, then store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days.
Freezer – Cool completely, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating – There are a few ways to reheat the fritters:
- Heat a table of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Pan fry, covered, until heated through and crispy.
- Bake on a sheet pan in a 350℉ until warmed through.
- Air fry at 350℉ for 4 minutes, or until crispy and warmed through.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat – pan fry, covered, over medium heat, bake in a 350℉ oven until heated through, or air fry at 350℉ until crispy, about 4 minutes.
Helpful Tips
- Squeeze Liquid From Zucchini – It is important to squeeze the liquid from the zucchini, otherwise your batter can be too liquidy. If this is the case, you can add more flour, to correct the consistency.
- Fresh Herb Swaps – Herbs can be swapped out for what you have on hand. Parsley, tarragon, basil, or thyme would all be delicious in this recipe.
- Cornmeal vs Flour – The cornmeal gives the fritters a little crunch and texture. If you’d prefer a more smooth texture, you could swap this out for an equal amount of flour.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Grilled Zucchini
- Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
- Zucchini Bread
- Fried Zucchini
- Smoked Sausage and Zucchini Skillet
Zucchini Corn Fritters
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound medium zucchini shredded
- 1/2 cup sweet onion diced
- 1 cup corn kernels thawed if frozen
- 1 egg lightly scrambled.
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh chives minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- Canola oil or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Using the large holes on a box grater or using a shredding blade on a food processor to shred the zucchini. Place zucchini in a tea towel or piece of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, twisting the towel to help ring out the liquid.
- Shred the onion with the box grater or food processor.
- Add zucchini, onion, corn, and egg to a large mixing bowl. Mix well to fully combine.
- Add garlic, lemon zest, chives, dill, and salt to the zucchini mixture and stir to combine.
- Stir in the flour and cornmeal. Mix well to form a thick batter.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and add enough oi to just coat the bottom of the pan.
- Spoon heaping tablespoons of batter into the hot skillet, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry on one side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes; flip and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm.
