Zucchini Corn Fritters Recipe

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Zucchini corn fritters make a good vegetarian dinner alongside a simple green salad. They also work well as finger food for a party. You can serve them warm or at room temperature, and they even reheat pretty well in the toaster oven if you’re into that kind of thing. (I so am.)

Why we love this recipe

This recipe is a slight update on the very first Crisper Whisperer post I ever contributed to Serious Eats way back in 2009. (Zucchini Corn Fritters Rule the World. For Reals.) The prose over there is like whoa. That’s how you’ll feel whether you like it or not. I mean, I hope you like it. But either way, seriously.

Zucchini corn fritters are one of the best ways to use up a ton of zucchini, but to be honest we also seek out zucchini to make them on the regular. They're packed with veggies but also feel slightly indulgent and totally satisfying. And they're big hits with kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make these fritters:

• Zucchini
• Salt and pepper
• Eggs
• Corn (fresh or frozen)
• Yellow onion or shallots
• Scallions
• Cilantro
• All-purpose flour
• Parmesan or pecorino cheese
• Safflower or another neutral-tasting, high-heat oil, for pan-frying
• Sour cream, for serving (optional)

How to make zucchini and corn fritters

Here's all you need to do to make this easy recipe. You can see all the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post.

• Shred the zucchini with the shredding disc of a food processor or on the large holes of a box grater.
• Place the shredded zucchini in a colander in the sink or over a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Toss to combine. Let drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Crack the eggs into a large bowl and scramble lightly. Cut the kernels from the corn cobs and add the kernels to the bowl along with the diced onion, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, flour, grated cheese and pepper.
• Pick up the shredded zucchini in small handfuls and squeeze out and discard as much liquid as you can. Add the zucchini to the bowl.
• Mix well to combine.
• Pour the oil into a frying pan to a depth of about ¼-inch.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Drop batter by the ¼-cupful into the pan and press lightly to form disc-shaped fritters.
• Cook in batches without crowding (about 3 or 4 at a time, depending on the size of your pan) until golden brown on the underside (about 2 minutes) and then flip and cook until golden brown on the second side.
• Remove to paper towels to drain. Add a bit more oil between batches if necessary.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with sour cream.

Protip

Tossing the shredded zucchini with salt not only flavors the zucchini but also helps to draw out some of the excess moisture. As with zucchini noodles, squeezing out as much of the liquid from the shredded zucchini after letting it sit with the salt and before adding it to the recipe goes a long way.

What to serve with these fritters

For lunch or dinner, try a simple salad like this one or mixed greens dressed with perfect balsamic vinaigrette or magic blender dressing.

For breakfast, top with a fried egg or seven-minute egg.

On a brunch buffet, try some of our favorites.

Like fritters? Don’t miss:

• Latkes
• Sweet potato latkes
• Colcannon cheddar skillet cakes
• Spinach, fava bean, and quinoa cakes
• Falafel