Delicious zucchini corn fritters, with feta cheese, green onion, jalapeños and a touch of cumin. Served with a lime sour cream and lime zest.
These zucchini corn fritters are a Summer favourite. With a bit of a Tex-Mex vibe, these are fabulous for breakfast or brunch, maybe served with a fried or poached egg or enjoy them as a side dish for dinner or as a meatless main.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Zucchini – While I generally make these with fresh zucchini, if you have frozen, shredded zucchini, it should work here as well. Thaw completely and as with fresh zucchini, try to get as much water out of the zucchini as possible.
If you are starting with one of those monster zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out some of the seeds and pulp before grating, just to cut down on some of the moisture.
I always leave the skin on the zucchini, but you can peel, if you prefer. (The skin on really large zucchini can be tough).
Corn – I used corn cut off a cob of corn here, but thawed frozen corn or even drained canned corn will work here. If using thawed frozen corn or canned corn, be sure to pat dry with a paper towel before adding to the bowl.
Feta – I love feta cheese in these fritters, as feta adds a perfect salty note. And since feta doesn’t melt, it doesn’t make these gooey at all.
Jalapeño Peppers – I’ve used fresh jalapeño peppers here. Be sure to dice quite fine.
Step-by-Step Photos
Recipe Tips
- Try your best to get as much liquid out of the zucchini as you can. I like to use a clean tea towel to wring and squeeze it (don’t worry, it doesn’t stain!).
- A cast iron skillet is perfect for fritters, as it distributes the heat so efficiently. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a non-stick skillet is fine.
- Don’t crowd the pan when frying the fritters, as you want them to brown and not steam. I generally just do two at a time. As they are going into the oven for a bit anyway, they will stay warm while you make more batches.
- I don’t like to press down on the fritters as they cook. I simply nudge the batter into a thin round shape and let them cook. This keeps them nice and creamy on the inside.
- When frying the fritters, you don’t want the outside to brown too quickly, so adjust the burner down a bit, as necessary. It should take 3-4 minutes per side, to turn lovely and golden.
- Don’t rush the first flip. Getting a nice, golden crust underneath helps to keep these fritters together well when flipping.
How to Serve Zucchini Corn Fritters
I love to serve these fritters with a drizzle of lime sour cream, some lime zest and flaky salt. (I also like to scoop out any stray pieces of corn from frying and use them as a garnish).
Enjoy these fritters as a side dish, for a meatless dinner, or for a warm lunch or breakfast. These are perfect with a fried or poached egg alongside or on top!
Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing
These zucchini corn fritters are lovely enjoyed freshly made, but they will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days and are still nice re-warmed.
To re-warm, pop into a non-stick skillet over medium heat and heat until warmed through or warm in the microwave. The skillet will restore a bit of the crisp.
Cooked zucchini corn fritters also freeze well, for up to 3 months.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb zucchini, about 2 medium
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup corn kernels, cut from cobs, thawed frozen or drained canned corn
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Tablespoons jalapeño pepper, finely diced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive, vegetable or canola oil, for frying
For frying:
To serve:
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice, from about 1/2 lime
- lime zest, for garnish
- Flaky salt
Instructions
- Using a box grater, grate the zucchini into a large bowl, using the large hole side or the grater. Sprinkle the zucchini with the Kosher salt and stir to combine. Allow to sit 15-20 minutes, to draw the moisture out of the zucchini.
- Preheat oven to 250F (regular bake setting/not fan assisted) and have a baking sheet ready.
- Remove the zucchini to a clean tea towel. Wring and squeeze the zucchini in the tea towel, allowing the liquid to drain into the bowl. Remove as much moisture from the zucchini as you possible can!
- Add the squeezed zucchini to a clean medium bowl. Add the corn kernels, feta cheese, green onion and jalapeño to the bowl and stir to combine. Add the lightly beaten egg and stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and cumin. Add to the zucchini mixture and stir to combine. Season with some freshly ground pepper and just a pinch of salt.
- Tip! Don't rush the first flip. Making sure they are nice and golden underneath before flipping will ensure they stay together well once flipped.
- Heat a shallow layer of cooking oil in a cast-iron skillet or non-stick frying pan, setting the heat between medium and medium-high, until the oil is shimmering. (Oil should just cover the bottom of the pan evenly). Using a large scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop 2 or 3 mounds of batter into the hot pan. *Don't over-crowd the pan or they will steam instead of brown. Using the edge of a spatula, gently nudge the batter outwards into a thinner round. Allow to cook 3-4 minutes, or until golden underneath (adjust heat under the pan as needed, if they aren't browning quickly enough or if they are browning too quickly.) Flip the fritters over and allow the other side to brown, another 3-4 minutes.
- Tip! I prefer not to press the fritters in the skillet as they cook. I flatten them by simply nudging the batter outward into a thinner round. This keeps the insides nice and creamy, which is nice with the crispy outsides.
- Remove browned fritters to a baking sheet and pop into the preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat making more batches with the remaining batter, adding them to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.
- Tip! Remove any rogue corn kernels from the skillet regularly and save them for garnishing the finished fritters.
- When all the fritters have been fried and added to the baking sheet in the oven, increase the oven temperature to 350F and allow to bake for 5-10 minutes to set well.
- While the fritters are in the oven, mix up the lime sour cream by stirring the lime juice into the sour cream and stirring well.
- When fritters are done, place onto a plate or plates. Garnish with sour cream, lime zest and some flaky salt.
Notes
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
These were so good! Even a zucchini sceptic had seconds. Made them verbatim, including the lime sour cream (with a bit of hot sauce). Agreed on the great directions. Thanks for another delicious recipe Jennifer :-)
So glad you enjoyed these, Nick! Thanks :)
These were delicious – I haven’t made any kind of fritter before so appreciated the step by step photos! Reheated well the next day for lunch, too.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them and yes, I thought they were surprisingly good re-heated, too:) Thanks!