Corn and Zucchini Fritters
on Jul 17, 2020, Updated Jul 19, 2024
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If there's anything nicer to nibble with a glass of wine at the end of the summer, I can't think of what that would be other than fritters with corn and zucchini.
We need to cram in every last tomato, zucchini. and ear of corn possible during the summer produce season. These fritters combine two of the highlights of summer: zucchini and corn. They make the perfect summer appetizer, and it’s a good alternative to Zucchini Fritti or Baked Zucchini Chips, with the summery addition of sweet little kernels of corn. And a little pause to show our love and respect for the word fritter. What a beautiful word; what a beautiful food!
These fritters are delightful on their own but would also go great with almost any dipping sauce. Try Remoulade, Green Goddess, Pesto, or Tartar Sauce! And serve them with a glass of dry white wine or rosé, or perhaps a glass of red sangria or a cocktail like a French 75.
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Corn and Zucchini Fritters: If there’s anything nicer to nibble with a glass of wine at the end of the summer, I can’t think of what that would be.
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What Is a Fritter?
Fritters can be sweet or savory, and they are essentially little bits of food suspended and bound together in a batter. The mix then gets fried up in a bit (or a lot) of oil until hot and crispy. And then (if savory) salted generously. And eaten as soon as you can stand it.
Burning your tongue or the roof of your mouth on a fritter is as regrettable/non-regrettable as burning your mouth on a bite of drippy, cheesy, fresh-from-the-oven pizza. It’s kind of worth it. A badge of honor? Perhaps that’s taking things too far.
Ingredients for Corn and Zucchini Fritters
- Corn – If fresh corn isn’t available to you (who’s to say when you are reading this?), just lightly steam some frozen corn and proceed — it will be a-okay.
- Zucchini – There’s no need to peel the zucchini before cutting into it unless the skin feels super thick and rough.
- Cream – You can use light or heavy cream or half-and-half.
- Eggs – Hold the fritters together.
- Shallots – Add a touch of oniony sweetness.
- All-purpose flour – The flour thickens the batter and gives it substance.
- Cayenne pepper – For a bit of spice.
- Vegetable or canola oil – These oils are the best for pan-frying at high temperatures.
How to Make Corn and Zucchini Fritters
- Cook the corn: Steam the corn in a large pot with a bit of water until just slightly cooked. Let it cool before using. Then slice the kernels off the cob.
- Make the batter: Combine the cream, eggs, shallots, flour, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Then stir in the zucchini and corn. Rest the batter for about 30 minutes before cooking.
- Fry the fritters: Spoon the batter into a skillet of hot oil. Cook for a couple of minutes until crispy and golden brown, flip, and finish cooking on the other side. Once they finish cooking, sprinkle with a little bit of salt. Cook the fritters in batches. Serve them while they’re hot!
Tips for Making Fritters
I think the best time to make fritters, especially savory appetizer fritters, is when you have a group of friends over who are hang-out-in-the-kitchen kinds of friends. Which really, upon reflection, all friends should be.
Make the batter just before people get there, then put someone in charge of pouring drinks while you fry these up and serve them as they are made. Keep going until every bit of the batter is gone, and eat them as they are done. This is the ultimate fritter experience.
If you want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees, you can keep these warm until you’ve finished frying up all of the batter and then serve them all together. This is practical and pragmatic and a bit less fun, but it’s also good to know if you don’t want to be hitched to the stove for an extended period of time.
Variations
- This recipe is a great way to use up leftover corn, frozen corn, or even grilled corn! The grilled corn will add an amazing smoky flavor to the fritters. If using leftover or grilled cooked on the cob, skip the first step of the recipe where the corn is cooked and start by cutting the corn off the cob.
- You could also substitute summer squash for the zucchini, as the two vegetables are mostly interchangeable.
Reheating Leftover Fritters
I don’t find leftovers to be a big problem with a recipe this delicious, but if you do have leftovers, here are some tips.
Fritters tend to get a little soggy in the fridge. In order to get their crispness back, you should heat them up by frying them again in a pan with a little bit of oil. This would also be a perfect time to break out the air fryer if you have one. Or reheat them on a wire rack resting on a baking sheet in a preheated 400-degree oven for 5 minutes.
What to Serve With Corn and Zucchini Fritters
More Summer Corn Recipes
- Sautéed Corn and Zucchini in Lemony Browned Butter
- Creamy Corn and Potato Salad with Bacon
- Salmon Corn Chowder
- Grilled Corn Salad
- Creamy Sweet Corn Soup
Read More: How to Cook Zucchini and Summer Squash.
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Corn and Zucchini Fritters
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn
- 1 small zucchini
- ½ cup light or heavy cream or half-and-half
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup Vegetable or canola oil (approximately to pan fry the fritters)
Instructions
- Place the corn in a large pot and add about 1 inch of water. Cover the pot, bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat, and simmer for about 4 minutes until the corn is just barely cooked and hot. Remove the corn and let cool.
- When the corn is cool enough to handle, slice the kernels off with a heavy, sharp knife. You should have about 3 cups. Dice the zucchini into 1/4-inch cubes. You should have about 1 cup.
- In a large bowl, combine the cream, eggs, shallots, flour, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir in the corn and zucchini. Let the batter sit for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.
- In a large skillet, pour in enough vegetable oil to be about 1/4-inch deep in the pan — you want a nice thick layer on the bottom for pan frying the fritters, but you’re not deep frying them. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, and a drop of batter added to the pan sizzles.
- Spoon in the batter by the tablespoonful, and cook for about 2 minutes until browned on the bottom. (They can splatter a bit, stand back!) Flip with a spatula and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes, until browned on the other side. Transfer the cooked fritters to the paper towels, give them a sprinkle of salt, and let them sit for a minute. Serve hot, and keep frying them up until the batter is gone; add more oil and, if you need it, and refresh the paper towels as they absorb oil.
Wow, I just served these with grilled pork tenderloin and your cherry tomato salad, what a meal!
hooray!