I don’t know about you, but I love a fritter. There is just something about the crispy outside and soft inside that I find impossible to resist. That is why I am so excited to share my Courgette Corn Fritters recipe with you… they are unbelievably quick (they take just 30 minutes!), easy and simple - and perfect to make during courgette season.
You can enjoy them pretty much any time of the day, whether that be as a delicious snack or starter with my sriracha mayonnaise dip, or as veg-packed breakfast, brunch or lunch topped with perfectly poached eggs. What’s more, this recipe makes plenty so you can batch cook the fritters in advance, then simply reheat as needed… I love a preppable recipe like this as it makes such a speedy and delicious lunch, just like my recipe for Greek Orzo Salad.
Why you will love these Courgette Corn Fritters
- They are super easy and super delicious - a great one for the whole family.
- They are a great way to use up leftover herbs/vegetables at the bottom of the fridge and the rest of the recipe is made up of basic cupboard ingredients.
- It's a great prep-ahead recipe, as you can fry all the fritters and then freeze them for the future. All they need is to bake in the oven until they are warmed through and lunch is served!
You will need the following ingredients:
Courgettes - (also known as zucchini), opt for firm, young courgettes for the best flavour and texture. They naturally contain a lot of liquid so it is really important to get rid of as much as possible.
Spring onions - these bring a mild, onion flavour to the fritters that isn’t too overpowering.
Tinned sweetcorn - I always have a tin in my larder. They taste delicious and are great for adding to recipes to up the veg and add a lovely sweet flavour.
Eggs - these help to bind the fitters. Use free-range large eggs if you can. I always choose ones stamped with the British Lion mark.
Milk: I use semi-skimmed usually but most milks will work here, even plant based milks as it's just to loosen the batter a little.
Salt - I recommend Maldon Salt for the best flavour. Both their garlic and/or chilli options would work really well with these fritters.
Black pepper - freshly ground black pepper adds a subtle pepperiness. You could also use freshly ground mixed peppercorns for a more complex flavour.
Plain flour - also known as all-purpose flour. You could use gram (chickpea) flour too.
Baking powder - this helps lift the batter and create lighter fritters.
Smoked paprika - this adds a lovely subtle smoky flavour which works so well with the sweetcorn. You could swap for chilli flakes if you prefer more heat.
Coriander: Obviously if you hate coriander, swap it for something else like parsley or chives.
Mayonnaise - I love serving fritters with a dip (and mayonnaise is one of my favourites). Opt for a good quality full-fat version for best results.
Sriracha - I find the spicy flavour of sriracha hard to resist - and it works so well with the mayonnaise as a dip for these fritters. You can use any other hot sauce you wish, or try the other dip suggestions listed in the FAQs.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements
Substitutions and Variations
In general, fritters are very customisable, making them a great recipe to use things up at the bottom of the fridge.
Coriander: I always add in some roughly chopped herbs that might be a little wilted in the fridge drawer - I've used chives, basil, parsley and coriander, all are delicious.
Dried herbs: Adding generous pinches of dried herbs to the batter, then serving with a garlic mayonnaise dip is another way I like to do it!
Spices: Add some aromatic spices to the batter and serve alongside a cooling mint and cucumber raita and some mango chutney. This gives it a bit of an Indian-inspired flavour.
Flour: You could use chickpea flour if you want to make these gluten free.
How to make Courgette Corn Fritters
This step-by-step guide will show you a few images to make the recipe as simple as possible. As always, the full recipe is below.
ONE: Mix the batter - eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper, flour, baking powder and smoked paprika
TWO: Tip the courgette into the bowl as well as the spring onions, coriander and sweetcorn. Mix together.
THREE: Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat. Add a heaped tablespoon of the batter and repeat - I normally cook 3 at a time.
FOUR: Cook the fitters for about 3 minutes on each side - or until golden brown and cooked through. Use a spatula or palette knife to help you flip them. Drain on kitchen towel after frying and serve with dip!
Cooking Tips
Removing liquid from courgettes: Courgettes are naturally full of water, which you don't then want in your fritter. Once it's grated, add to a clean tea towel, wrap it up and twist and squeeze over the sink to remove the liquid. Keep going and repeat a few times, you want it as dry as humanely possible! This will get best possible results.
Keeping warm: If I am serving them immediately, I keep the oven on low at 50c to keep the fritters warm whilst frying the rest as you can only fry a few at a time to avoid them sticking together.
Making in advance: Another reason I love this recipe is that you can batch cook the fritters, leave to cool completely then store in the fridge for up to 3 days or pop in the freezer for 3 months (make sure you put some non-stick baking paper between each one to stop them from sticking together). I freeze them on a plate/tray all spread apart so they don't stick. Once they are frozen, I tip them all into a tupperware or freezer bag and pull them out as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fritters are pretty much any food mixed with batter and fried until crisp. Every country has their own versions, including sweet (French beignets, Italian bigne and Greek loukoumades) and savoury (Indian pakoras and Italian fritto misto) recipes. They can be deep fried or shallow fried to produce their signature (and rather addictive) crispy texture. My version doesn’t belong to a particular cuisine, but I have taken inspiration from a number of cultures and techniques to create something truly delicious.
Yes! These Courgette Corn Fritters are a delicious vegetarian option to serve to friends and family.
More FAQs: serving
I love serving these with my sriracha mayonnaise dip for a tasty snack or starter - but you can serve with whatever dip you fancy. Aioli, sour cream and chive, raita… it is entirely up to you. You could also top them with perfectly poached eggs for a delicious breakfast, brunch or quick and easy lunch.
Preheat the oven to 180C Fan and place the fritters on a non-stick baking tray. If cooking from chilled, bake for about 10 minutes or until warm and crispy. They can also go in the air fryer at the same temperature for about 5 minutes. They will take longer from frozen.
More recipes you might like
In the summer months, I am obsessed with courgette and use it in lots of ways. My Weeknight Courgette Pasta is super easy and quick - the perfect crowd pleaser. If you want a courgette pasta that is a little more fancy, I adore my recipe for Creamy Lemon & Courgette Spaghetti. When it comes to lunches, the quick and easy recipes are the best. This Salmon Omelette is a great one with very few ingredients, or these classic Sweetcorn Fritters (no courgette like in this recipe) make a great lunch and brunch.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintCourgette Corn Fritters
Simple is sometimes best, these courgette corn fritters are no exception. They are so good and easy at the same time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Makes 12-14 fritters 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the fritters:
- 2 medium courgettes, grated (about 400g)
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 small tin of sweetcorn, drained (about 198g)
- 2 large eggs
- 50ml milk (see notes)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 120g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- About 2 tbsp olive oil
- Small handful of coriander, chopped
To serve: (optional)
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoon sriracha, or to taste
- Fully prepared and ready-to-eat rocket
- A few coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Start by placing the grated courgette in a clean tea towel. Wrap it up and twist to get out as much moisture as you can. Repeat several times - the more moisture you remove, the better the fritters will be.
- In a bowl, add the eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper, flour, baking powder and smoked paprika. Whisk together.
- Tip the courgette into the bowl as well as the spring onions, coriander and sweetcorn. Mix together.
- Preheat the oven to around 50C Fan (this is just to keep the fritters warm).
- Line a plate with kitchen towels and set out a non-stick baking tray.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat. Add a heaped tablespoon of the batter and gently flatten slightly. Repeat with another heaped tablespoon, ensuring you leave enough space between the two so they don’t stick together (I normally cook 3 at a time). Cook the fitters for about 3 minutes on each side - or until golden brown and cooked through. Use a spatula or palette knife to help you flip them.
- Once the fritters are cooked, carefully use your spatula (or palette knife) to remove them from the pan and place on the prepared baking sheet to allow the kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Place on the baking tray and pop in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have about 12-14 fritters.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the sriracha, to taste, to make the sriracha mayonnaise dip, if using.
- Serve the fritters warm with a sprinkling of flaky salt, fresh rocket, some more coriander, and the sriracha mayonnaise dip, if you like.
Notes
The batter should look like a thick pancake batter. You can add a splash more milk if needed but better the batter to be too thick than too loose so go slowly. It depends a little on your courgettes too.
Leave a Reply