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Easy Zucchini and Corn Fritters

Easy Zucchini and Corn Fritters are quick to make using canned corn and freshly grated zucchini. They fry up golden and delicious for a delicious appetizer, main, or side dish!

Zucchini and corn fritters stacked together on a plate next to a bowl of sour cream.

Just like these easy zucchini and corn fritters, this large Carrot Zucchini Pancake Fritter is also a must-try.

🌽 Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy to make.
  • Uses canned corn.
  • Great for breakfast.
  • Can be made ahead of time.

When you need to make something for dinner quickly, easy fritter recipes are great to turn to.

Not only are they simple and fast to make, but they’re also healthy using staple kitchen ingredients.

Serve them with a side of Roasted Canned Air Fryer Potatoes to complete the meal.

If you don’t have an air fryer to roast potatoes, my Oven-Baked Garlic Smashed Potatoes turn out golden and crisp!

A stack of the fritters with a dollop of sour cream and fresh parsley on top.

🥗 Serving Suggestions

To create a dish with these corn and zucchini fritters, try serving them with your favorite meat, potatoes, veggies, salad or these easy individual quiches with puff pastry.

A few more of my favorite dishes:

I personally love having these fritters for breakfast on a piece of toast topped with Greek yogurt or sour cream and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce, AMAZING!

Finish off your evening with a dessert you’ll love, such as this quick and easy apple crumble after your corn and zucchini fritters or this sticky toffee pudding cake!

The fritters in a serving bowl garnished with fresh parsley.

📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Ingredients need to make this recipe are all-purpose flour, zucchini, canned corn kernels, celery, spring onion, parsley, egg, garlic powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper.
  • Zucchini – Medium and large zucchini work best.
  • Corn – Canned corn is used in this recipe, be sure to drain the corn and discard the liquid. You can also use corn on the cob, use 1 1/2 cups or 250g of kernels.
  • Spring onion – Can be substituted with finely sliced leek, shallots, or chives.
  • Celery – Can be substituted with finely chopped fennel or radish.
  • Parsley – Can be substituted with freshly chopped basil, oregano, or rosemary.
  • Garlic powder – Or use 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced.
  • Ground cumin – Substitute with half as much of either ground caraway, ground coriander, or curry powder.
  • All-purpose flour – Is also known as plain flour in Aus.

🥣 Step By Step Instructions (with photos)

How to make these easy corn zucchini fritters from scratch in 7 easy steps!

A full and detailed recipe card is at the bottom of this post.

Step one: In a large mixing bowl, grate zucchini. Or grate in a food processor. 

Step two: Place the grated zucchini in a sieve and drain the liquid from the zucchini by pressing it down into the sieve. Discard the liquid and place the zucchini back into the bowl. 

Grated zucchini in a mixing bowl and then in a sieve pushing out the liquid.

Step three: Add the drained corn to the zucchini along with the spring onion, celery, parsley, garlic powder, and ground cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon well combined. 

The zucchini, corn kernels, spring onion, celery, and spices in a mixing bowl and then mixed together.

Step four: Mix through the egg.

Cracked egg in bowl and mixing it through the fritter batter.

Step five: Add the flour and mix until well combined, ensuring not to over-mix, just until all the flour is mixed through and you have a thick batter.

Adding the flour and mixing it through using a wooden spoon.

Step six: Scoop up one heaping tablespoon of batter and place it into the heated skillet, flattening it into a thick disc. Repeat with 3-4 more fritters, cooking in batches to not overcrowd the pan.

Step seven: Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden and slightly crispy.

The fritters in a skillet with oil.

💭 Tips For Recipe Success

  • Drain the liquid from the zucchini easily in a sieve by pressing it down so the liquid drains out. Or use a piece of cheesecloth. 
  • To guarantee extra crispy fritters, dry the corn kernels after draining off the liquid using a paper towel or sit the kernels aside on a baking sheet until they’re dry.
  • Canned corn kernels are convenient, but to use corn on the cob, scrape off the kernels and use the same quantity which is 1 1/2 cups.
  • Don’t over-mix the batter when mixing through the flour or your fritters can turn out tough and chewy.
  • Use enough vegetable oil to just cover the base of the skillet and enough to fry the fritters in so they don’t stick.
  • If cooking fritters in batches, keep the cooked ones in a warm oven while the others cook in the pan.
Cooked fritters on a white plate next to a bowl of sour cream garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

⏲️ Storage Instructions

Store cooked leftover corn fritters in a sealed container, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.

Reheat from the fridge either in an air fryer, oven, microwave, or back in a skillet with oil until they’re warmed through.

Freeze cooked fritters by cooling them completely and placing them in a single layer, either in freezer-friendly zip-lock bags or a sealed container, labeled with the date and what they are. Freeze for up to 2 months.

If you need to stack them when freezing, place a sheet of parchment paper between any layers.

Reheat from frozen by thawing them overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for several hours then warming them either in an air fryer, oven, microwave, or in a skillet with oil until warm, golden, and crispy.

Cooked fritters stacked together on a plate next to a bowl of sour cream.

💬 Recipe FAQ’s

How to stop fritters from falling apart?

Heat the oil and your skillet before adding the fritters until it’s hot. This will seal the outside of the fritters and prevent them from falling apart when you flip them.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! Cook up your fritters and they’ll keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days. Just reheat when needed!

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes! Substitute the flour with the same quantity of gluten-free all-purpose flour.

Can these be baked in the oven?

This recipe has not been tested in the oven. If you would like to try, create the fritters and flatten them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them in the oven at 200ºC (400ºF) until golden and cooked through.

If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x

Cooked fritters stacked together on a plate next to a bowl of sour cream.

Easy Corn and Zucchini Fritters

Samantha Pickthall
Easy Zucchini and Corn Fritters are quick to make using canned corn and freshly grated zucchini. Delicious as an appetizer, main, or side dish!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 10 fritters
Calories 94 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 medium-large zucchinis, trimmed
  • 420 g canned corn kernels, drained, or 1 1/2 cups corn kernels
  • 5 stalks spring onion, finely chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, trimmed with leaves removed
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup (150g) all purpose flour
  • Olive oil for frying, or vegetable oil of choice
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt, to serve

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl, grate zucchini. Or grate in a food processor.
  • Grab a sieve, pick up the grated zucchini and place it in the sieve.
  • Over the same mixing bowl, drain the liquid from the zucchini by pressing it down into the sieve using a spatula, spoon, or your hands. NOTE: Depending on the type of zucchini will depend on how much liquid comes out.
  • Discard the liquid and place the zucchini back into the bowl.
  • Add the drained corn to the zucchini along with the spring onion, celery, parsley, garlic powder, and ground cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon well combined. 
  • Stir through the egg.
  • Add the flour and mix until well combined, ensuring not to over-mix, just until all the flour is mixed through and you have a thick batter.
  • Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a large cast iron skillet or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.
  • Using your hands or a spoon, scoop up one heaping tablespoon of batter and place it into the skillet, pressing down with a spatula to flatten it into a thick disc. Repeat with 3-4 more fritters or what your skillet can hold, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
  • Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden and slightly crispy. Adding more oil if needed into the pan.
  • Remove fritters from the pan and serve immediately, or if cooking in batches, keep the cooked fritters in a warm oven.
  • Enjoy warm fritters dolloped with sour cream or Greek yogurt!
  • Store leftover cooked fritters in a sealed container, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 365IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Let us know how it was!

First published in June 2021, this recipe was updated in January 2024 to include new step-by-step images, expert recommendations, storage guidelines and more.

6 Comments

  1. These aren’t vegan as there is egg in them, some prior research to actually work out what a vegan diet consists of would be appreciated if you are going to fool everyone into thinking they are vegan, very unprofessional.

    1. My apologises Lily. I have now changed it vegetarian, as that is what I was meant to do prior to publication, sometimes we make mistakes. I’m very well aware of what a vegan diet consists of and it was not my intention to “fool” my readers into thinking otherwise. Thanks!

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