Zucchini Corn Fritters

Published: Jun 17, 2022 · Modified: Jul 20, 2024 by Debra Klein · This post may contain affiliate links · 33 Comments

Zucchini Corn Fritters scream fresh summer produce. They’re vegan, gluten-free, easy to make and taste incredible! The perfect summer side dish for all the BBQs, or serve them for breakfast, as an appetizer or a light dinner.

Plate with three fritters, one with jalapenos on top, one has mango salsa and the other is being eaten with a fork. Background shows a cob of corn a couple whole zucchini and more fritters.r

This post was updated from the original published August 13, 2018.

Jump to:

Why you’ll love this easy vegan recipe:
Ingredients and Substitutions
FRITTER FLAVOR VARIATIONS PLUS TOPPINGS:
How to make Zucchini Corn Fritters
What about all that liquid from the zucchini?
Debra’s Pro Tips
MEAL PREP AND STORAGE
More Healthy Zucchini Recipes:
📖 Recipe

When gluten free corn fritters and vegan zucchini fritters get together I call that summer perfection. Corn and zucchini fritters use simple ingredients, are easy to make and are a great way to bring on summer in the most delicious way! Top your veggie fritters with some pineapple mango salsa if you’re feeling fancy!

Too much zucchini from your garden (is there really such a thing??) and you’ve already made vegan stuffed zucchini, healthy zucchini bread, vegan zucchini muffins? Crispy zucchini corn fritters to the rescue. You’re going to love these delicious vegan fritters so much, next year you’ll plant even more zucchini!

Why you’ll love this easy vegan recipe:

Three corn and zucchini fritters on a plate. A small bowl of mango salsa, plus a stack of fritter and some fresh zucchini and a cob of corn in the background.

So delicious, but also healthy, light and satisfying….as far as fritter recipes go, this one takes the cake!
They’re vegan, gluten-free and easy to make. Hello trifecta.
Summer…tastes like summer!
EASY: Sweetcorn fritters can also be made with frozen corn!
VERSATILE: Perfect for a light dinner, veggie side dish, appetizer, or even a healthy breakfast.
Vegan fritters….and they hold together perfectly! Yay.
TWOFER: The cool thing about combining zucchini and corn into vegetable fritters means you don’t have to decide between the two!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients for corn and zucchini fritters: zucchini, scallions, fresh corn, corn meal, chopped cilantro, chia seeds, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic.

Zucchini: The main ingredient of these vegetable fritters. Substitute yellow summer squash, but keep in mind they generally have a higher water content.
Corn: Use fresh corn, or frozen corn for these sweet corn fritters. Fire roasted frozen corn will result in a more savory flavor than the frozen sweet corn, but either will work for these healthy corn fritters. Canned corn is NOT a good sub.
Green onion: The white and green parts of the scallions are sliced thin to add great flavor. Substitute spring onions, red onions or shallots. If you use leeks, saute them before adding to the batter.
Chia seeds: My preference for helping this vegan fritter recipe hold together. You could also use a flax egg with good results. I have not tried just egg, let me know in the comments if you do!
Corn meal: I love the extra corn flavor. Substitute with all purpose flour, gluten-free flour, or whole wheat flour per your dietary needs. Gluten free corn fritters can also be made with chickpea flour, but almond flour or coconut flour have different moisture profiles and wouldn’t be even swaps.
Garlic: I love the addition of fresh grated garlic cloves, but garlic powder will also boost the savory flavor.
Cilantro: Fresh herbs add so much natural flavor. Use chopped parsley, oregano, thyme or chives if you don’t care for cilantro.
Baking powder: Will help draw moisture out to the surface while frying so you don’t wind up with soggy fritters.
Salt + Pepper: The batter is vegan, so go ahead and taste…taste again before adding additional salt. I prefer the subtle smokiness of white pepper, but freshly cracked black pepper would also work well in this recipe.

FRITTER FLAVOR VARIATIONS PLUS TOPPINGS:

Sweet Corn Fritters: Omit the salt and pepper, add 1-2 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup and ½ teaspoon cinnamon into the batter. Top with pineapple mango salsa.
Spicy Zucchini Fritters: Finely dice a jalapeno into the batter or add 1-2 teaspoons cajun seasoning. Top with vegan sour cream that’s mixed with 1 Tablespoon sriracha or fresh tomato salsa.
Savory Summer Fritters: Increase the fresh herbs to include another ¼ cup of parsley, chives, tarragon or thyme. Add finely chopped sauteed mushrooms or red peppers to the batter before cooking. Top with more chives and fresh vegan sour cream.
Mexican Style Corn and Zucchini Fritters: Stir in ½ teaspoon each chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic powder with the dry ingredients. For a spicy Mexican corn fritter, use chipotle chili powder or a dash of cayenne pepper. Add a can of drained black beans for added fiber and protein with a Mexican flair. Top with tomatillo salsa verde, chipotle dressing, or homemade guacamole.

How to make Zucchini Corn Fritters

The first step in making vegan corn fritters is to get the chia seeds mixed with water so they can gel while you’re prepping the rest of the ingredients. Mix together 2 Tablespoons chia seeds with ½ cup water and set aside. While that chia egg sets, get your fresh ingredients ready to mix together.

Wooden cutting board and sharp knife thinly slicing scallions with a small bowl off to the side with already sliced green onions.

Thinly slice scallions. Use both the white and the green part. Roughly chop cilantro and set aside.

Large cutting board showing corn cut off the cob. A small glass dish with corn kernels, some corn husks and empty cobs are also shown.

Shuck the ears of corn. Lie one ear on its side and cut the kernels off the cob. Turn and continue until all sides have been done.

Large mixing bowl with side of box grater, showing shredded zucchini into the bowl. Other ingredients for vegetable fritters shown around the bowl.

You can shred the zucchini by hand, using a box grater or use the shredding disc of your food processor.

What about all that liquid from the zucchini?

Some recipes for zucchini fritters call for placing the shredded zucchini in a clean dish towel and squeezing out the excess water, then adding the drained zucchini to the fritter batter.
Not a bad idea, but kinda time consuming and messy. There are other ways to deal with the excess liquid and create healthy zucchini fritters.
Instead, plan for the water content from the grated zucchini, and let the chia seeds and cornmeal absorb it. This is especially true of large zucchini or summer squash and you may need an additional Tablespoon or two of cornmeal so your fritter batter isn’t too soupy.
I think this is the perfect way to keep this recipe simple.

Ingredients for fritters in a glass bowl: corn kernels, grated zucchini, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro and grated garlic.

Add corn, cilantro, scallions and grated garlic to the bowl with the shredded zucchini. Mix well.

Shredded zucchini plus corn mixture with 2 chia eggs poured on top in a large glass bowl.

Give the chia egg one final mix before adding it to the bowl and give it a good stir. Eggless fritters hold together well with a chia egg as long as you’ve given it time to gel. A flax egg will also give good results.

Mixture of wet ingredients for zucchini corn fritters, topped with dry ingredients like cornmeal, baking powder plus salt and pepper.

Lastly, add the dry ingredients and stir to thoroughly combine.

Batter for vegetable fritters in a large glass bowl.

Batter may seem dry at first. Allow it to sit a couple minutes as the moisture from the zucchini continue to emerge. It will create a pasty, thick batter.

Large cast iron skillet with 5 corn and zucchini fritters frying. 2 have already been flipped and show golden brown, the other 3 shows the shredded zucchini batter.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Swirl in some avocado oil and then add the batter with a ¼ cup measure. Use the back of the measuring cup or a spoon to slightly flatten the batter. Cook for about 3 minutes. Wait for the bottom to turn golden brown and then flip. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Crispy fritters draining on a paper towel.

Line a large plate with a double layer of paper towels. Transfer crispy fritters to the plate as soon as they’re finished to absorb the extra oil.

Debra’s Pro Tips

Stack of sweet corn fritters with pineapple mango salsa in the background along with fresh zucchini and an ear of sweet corn.

If using frozen corn, allow to defrost and pat it dry before adding to the fritter batter.
Cast iron will retain the heat well and you can turn it down to medium heat once it’s ready. Test the pan by sprinkling a couple drops of water into it. If the water sizzles, then the pan is ready!
For crispy fritters, make sure your pan and the oil are hot before scooping out the batter.
Larger zucchini will be more watery. Let the batter sit and the moisture will emerge. Add in 1-2 Tablespoons additional cornmeal if needed.
Summons your patience. Especially on the first batch. Do not try to flip the fritters until they’re golden brown. If they seem to be sticking to the bottom of the pan, they’re not ready to flip. They will naturally release and hold together when the time is right.
Looking for a healthy and delicious appetizer? Follow the same directions, but use only a couple Tablespoons batter for each fritter. Finger food never tasted so good!
A dollop of vegan sour cream is really all you need to top this delicious recipe,but check out my topping suggestions on the recipe card for more ideas.

When summer rolls around, I’m all about the fresh sweet corn. I always get some in my CSA shares and I like to take advantage of what’s available at my local farmers market. Recipes like vegan corn chowder, Israeli corn salad and vegan street corn are summer staples around here….along with these sweet corn fritters…we just can’t get enough.

MEAL PREP AND STORAGE

SERVE: Vegan zucchini and corn fritters are best eaten fresh from the pan. Serve with a simple side salad for a light dinner or as a veggie side dish, or delicious vegan appetizer.
PREP AHEAD: Batter can be made and stored in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking. Or follow freezer directions below.
STORE: Already cooked fritters will stay good in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or 375 preheated oven until heated through.
FREEZE: Make batter as directed. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and scoop out ¼ cup portions onto the prepared pan. Press down to form even circles that are about ¼″ thick. Freeze until hard and then transfer to freezer safe bags and store for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, take out as many as desired, and allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Cook as directed.

More Healthy Zucchini Recipes:

If you have extra zucchini in your garden, here are some delicious recipes the whole family can enjoy.

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