Zucchini Corn Fritters (2024)

These crispy zucchini corn fritters are an easy way to add healthy veggies to your summer meal. This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and is perfect as an appetizer, side, or snack!

Zucchini fritters and corn fritters are great on their own. Combine the two together for a sweet, flavorful zucchini corn fritter that will make you wish it was summer year-round!

These fritters are the perfect way to use fresh summer produce like zucchini and corn, but they also work with canned or frozen corn!

Recipe features

• Quick & easy: The fritters are ready in less than 30 minutes using just 10 ingredients. They can be made in a skillet or in the oven.
• Flavors and texture: Sweetness from the corn is balanced out by smoky paprika. Corn also adds a wonderful texture to these fritters!
• Easy to customize: You can make these your own by adding Parmesan cheese, making a double batch, or freezing for later. They work with fresh, frozen, or canned corn.
• Dietary features: vegetarian, soy-free, nut-free, vegan optional, and gluten-free optional. Can be made vegan using a flax egg.

Ingredients

FYI - the zucchini above is huge and made 4 cups of shredded zucchini!

• Zucchini: One medium zucchini usually makes about 1 cup of shredded zucchini. You will need either 2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini.
• Corn: I use frozen sweet corn kernels but canned corn or fresh corn also work. Frozen corn needs to be completely thawed before use.
• Basil: Fresh basil pairs with paprika and garlic for a lovely burst of summer flavor. If needed, replace 1 tablespoon fresh basil with 1 teaspoon dry basil.
• Flour and egg are the main binding ingredients. See below for dietary substitution tips.

Zucchini prep tips

How to shred

To shred zucchini easily, use a box grater (also known as a cheese grater). Use the side with medium holes for coarsely shredded zucchini.

Try to avoid finely shredded zucchini, as this will make the mixture more watery. The goal is zucchini the size of hashbrown shreds or farm-style shredded cheese.

How to remove water

Pro tip: Removing excess water from the zucchini is key to a crispy fritter. It also prevents them from falling apart during the cooking process.

Zucchini is naturally high in moisture. If you don't squeeze excess moisture from the zucchini, the fritters are more likely to be soggy.

To remove some of the moisture or "sweat" the zucchini, line a colander or fine mesh strainer with shredded zucchini. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Salt draws out water from the zucchini.

Let the salted zucchini rest for 10 minutes. Use paper towels or clean hands to press zucchini into the strainer. This will push water through the strainer. You can also wrap the zucchini in a towel and wring it out.

Cooking instructions

Make the zucchini corn fritter batter by mixing together all of the remaining ingredients except for the oil. The batter should be relatively wet and easily scoopable.

Heat a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium heat. Once hot, add in enough neutral oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.

Make sure that the oil is hot before adding the fritter batter to prevent them from sticking to the pan! Flatten the batter to allow the fritters to cook completely through.

Flip the fritters once completely golden and cooked through on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Cook fritters in batches if needed.

Tips for success

• Fritter size: Use a ¼ cup measure or cookie scoop to scoop out 6 medium fritters. Make sure to flatten the fritters or they may not cook through.
• Cooking tip: Wait to flip the fritters until they are completely golden. Decrease the temperature to medium heat if the fritters blacken instead of brown.
• Zucchini: Grate zucchini into hashbrown-sized pieces instead of finely shredded pieces. Always squeeze excess liquid out of zucchini to avoid soggy fritters.
• Make it cheesy: Kick things up a notch by adding ¼ cup shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese to the fritter batter. Cheese is optional but this makes the fritters extra crispy and flavorful!
• Serving ideas: Serve with a dollop of sour cream top or with chipotle lime ranch dressing or sweet vegan BBQ dipping sauce.
• Make it spicy by adding ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauce.

FAQ

Storage tips

Looking for more summer recipes?

You can use up extra zucchini with these vegan zucchini banana muffins or vegan zucchini bread.

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📖 Recipe

Author's note: This recipe was originally shared June 2019 and was updated June 2021 with new tips and a video. The recipe remains the same.