10-Minute Zucchini & Corn Fritters

These Zucchini and Corn Fritters are the mix of two classic summer veggies into one delicious and easy recipe. Perfectly crispy, enjoy them as a savory breakfast, as a snack, or as as veggie-loaded side dish to any meal!

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

My weekly CSA has been a great source for recipe inspiration as of late. It is like I can see the seasons slowly start to change from spring to summer with the shift of produce that I get each week.

Like with the endless zucchinis and corn this week! So much of both that it just called for a little veggie-loading experimenting in the kitchen to help us enjoy the tastes of the season. I love recipes with corn, but had a hankering to try it in something other than my ‘ol standby recipes. I got to thinking and dreaming about simple vegetarian breakfast recipes and these fritters were soon taking form.

These Corn and Zucchini Fritters are so easy, delicious and make the perfect little savory pancake. They are a great way to get veggies in at breakfast, add to lunch with some smashed avocado or put on the dinner menu to get some bonus veggies on the table in a different and exciting way! Prep takes me about 5 minutes, everything is mixed in one bowl and cooking is done in about 10 minutes. They are a perfect addition to any meal.

How to squeeze out your zucchini

If you are a regular here on The Natural Nurturer, you will know that I LOVE adding grated zucchini to all the foods. But more often than not, I (and many other recipe developers) HIGHLY recommend in our recipes to squeeze out the moisture before adding it to the batter.

Why? Because zucchini holds onto a lot of water naturally that will ultimately make your recipe wetter than expected.

Booooo. Wet recipes are no fun. So let’s squeeze out the moisture from the zucchini before adding it to this (or other) recipe! Here is how!

1. Place grated zucchini in the middle of 1-2 clean paper towels or clean tea towel.
2. Wrap the towel around the zucchini to create a bundle.
3. Press down on the wrapped zucchini to help draw out the water, or gather up the towel, twist and squeeze out excess water over the sink.
4. Let the wrapped zucchini hang out in the towel for a few minutes while you get the rest of the ingredients for these corn fritters ready. This will let the towel absorb as much water out of the zucchini as possible.

Tips for making corn zucchini fritters

• Be sure to squeeze out the zucchini! I know we are all busy and kitchen shortcuts are life. But don’t skip this step! Zucchinis are naturally high in water and skipping on squeezing out the moisture might make for a soggy fritter. Blah.
• If using frozen corn, be sure to defrost and drain off extra water. Frozen veggies also tend to release extra water when they defrost and can throw off the balance of a recipe. So before adding frozen corn to the fritter batter, thaw it out and pour the extra liquid down the drain.
• Add dried or fresh herbs to the batter! Jazz these up with herbs you have on hand or to meet your personal taste preferences.
• Add some spice! Add some paprika, red pepper or even some finely chopped jalapeños to the batter to add a kick of spice.

Why are my fritters falling apart?

There are a few reasons your zucchini corn fritters aren’t staying together like mine. Here are two of the most common culprits:

A binding agent was omitted. Like the egg or cheese. These two ingredients are quite important in holding together the fritters, so don’t skip them. If you need egg-free, you likely can use a product like Just Eggs (an egg replacement) instead of the egg. For dairy-free, you might be able to use a vegan cheese that gets melty. I like Chao brand, but haven’t tried it in this recipe yet.

The zucchini wasn’t squeezed out enough. Those suckers hold onto a lot of water. Not squeezing out as much moisture as possible will result in mushy fritters that fall apart. So give the zuc a good ‘ol squeeze before tossing it in the batter.

Are these zucchini corn fritters vegan?

This recipe is vegetarian, but not vegan since it has cheese and eggs. I have not tested it with plant based alternatives, but if you do, let me know how they work!

Are zucchini and corn fritters gluten free?

There is a little whole wheat flour in these fritters, so the recipe as written is not gluten free. But, you can sub the wheat flour with a gluten free cup-for-cup flour blend (I like this one)

Suggested adaptations for corn and zucchini fritters

• Use whatever cheese you have on hand. I love these with shredded cheddar but mozzarella, parmesan or whatever you have on hand will work, too.
• Use whatever corn you have on hand! Cut fresh off the cob, defrosted from the freezer and drained, or drained corn from a can.
• Replace the zucchini with grated summer squash! Just be sure to also squeeze out the moisture before adding it to the batter!

Other zucchini loaded recipes

• Savory Vegetable Muffins
• Healthy Zucchini Lemon Muffins
• Healthy Zucchini Bread
• Veggie-Loaded Chicken Bites
• Chickpea Vegetable Nuggets

Did you try this veggie-loaded recipe and now you’re hungry for more? 

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