Corn fritters are deliciously crispy and are a great main meal or side you can make quickly with pantry staples.
What are corn fritters?
Corn fritters are fried ‘cakes’ made with corn in a batter of flour and milk, often with the addition of cheese. They are a convenient meal, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
This recipe is portioned for one person, making it an easy meal for one. However, you can alter the portions if you’re preparing fritters for more people.
Are corn fritters healthy?
No food is implicitly healthy or unhealthy. Such dichotomous (black and white) thinking stems from diet culture.
It is true that certain foods are health-promoting, while others if eaten in excess, can have health consequences for certain people. However, there are no absolute healthy or unhealthy foods. The health benefits or health risks of a food also depend on what else is eaten throughout the day and whether your meeting your daily nutritional intake needs.
So, let’s ditch thinking of food as healthy or unhealthy!
As to whether corn fritters are healthy, as a university-qualified nutritionist, I can simply say they are delicious and satisfying. They comprise a fulfilling balance of fat, protein and carbohydrates. And are enjoyable for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Eating without food rules is always the healthiest option, in my opinion.
Corn fritter ingredients
You can make corn fritters with fresh corn. However, one of the appeals of this recipe is that it can be an easy staples recipe made with frozen or canned corn, flour, eggs, cheese and olive oil.
How do you make corn fritters?
Begin by whisking the egg.
Then, combine all the remaining ingredients until you have a thick batter.
Then, it’s time to heat olive oil in a frying pan and spoon in the batter. You then cook the fritters on both sides until golden brown.
Delicous!
How to serve fritters
Serve fritters with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole or avocado slices and sprinkle with finely chopped chives.
Try with a dollop of relish, sweet chilli sauce or minted yogurt for additional flavour.
You could also top with salsa or pico de gallo. Try my salsa recipes with either pineapple or kiwifruit.
Also delicious would be an avocado and edamame salsa made with ½ avocado, cubed; 25 g shelled edamame beans, steamed and cooled; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or mint; and 1 teaspoon lemon rind.
What to serve with corn fritters
For a complete meal, serve alongside:
- steamed or roasted veggies
- chips or wedges
- fresh salad such as green leafy veggies, tomato, cucumber, herbs or sprouts
- poached or fried egg
- bacon
You could also serve a few fritters on top of a grain bowl.
Make a fritter stack
You could even create a fritter stack. Try either a:
- BLT stack with corn fritters, mayo, lettuce, tomato and bacon; or
- Avocado fritter stack layering smashed avocado or guacamole between the fritters.
Over to you to get creative. And do share how you enjoyed this recipe in the comments below.
Frequently asked questions about vegetarian corn fritters?
For vegan fritters, you can substitute the egg with an egg replacer you can purchase from the supermarket.
My preferred option is to omit the flour and egg. Then switch with 4 tablespoons of Besan (chickpea) flour combined with 2 tablespoons of water, soy or almond milk and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
Ground flaxseeds (linseeds) and chia seeds combined with water can be used as vegan egg replacements. However, the Besan flour will provide better texture and colour for corn fritters.
I would also add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to give a cheesy flavour to your corn fritters. Learn more about nutritional yeast and see how I have used it to make a Vegan Parmesan ‘Cheese’ or Dairy-Free ‘Cheese’ Sauce.
Absolutely. Substitute the flour for gluten-free or Besan (chickpea) flour.
It’s best to make fritters in a non-stick frying pan.
Ensure the frying pan is warm before adding the oil. Then, check the oil temperature by dabbing a drop of the mixture into the pan and seeing if it sizzles.
The temperate is perfect for cooking if you achieve a sizzle.
Another reason corn fritters may stick to the pan is because the mixture is too moist, which could be due to using larger eggs. You may need to add a little more flour before frying.
Also, ensure you use enough oil to prevent the fritters from sticking.
Isn’t it harmful to cook with olive oil?
The carcinogenic effect of cooking with olive oil is untrue.
Recent research shows that the opposite is true: the antioxidants in olive oil protect against the free radicals produced during cooking. Thus, in cooking, extra virgin olive oil is pretty much neutral.
When olive oil is heated, you won’t get as much of the antioxidant benefits of olive oil, but it will do you no harm. So, the choice to use it is more so about flavour and choosing monounsaturated fats over saturated fats for cooking.
To achieve deliciously crispy fritters, ensure the oil is hot enough. Otherwise, the batter will absorb the oil and become soggy.
Also, once cooked, place the fritters on a cooling rack or paper towel. Don’t stack them on each other, as they will likely steam and soften.
If using frozen or canned corn, drain well to eliminate excess moisture.
Yes, you can make these fritters on the bottom plate of a sandwich press. Just don’t close it during cooking and flip the fritters over instead.
These fritters are best when served freshly made.
If you don’t plan to serve fritters immediately, place them on a baking tray in the oven at 125oC to keep them warm. Alternatively, you can refrigerate and reheat them.
You can store them in the fridge for 3-5 days. Or freeze them, defrosting them before reheating.
Reheat fritters in a frying pan on medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Reheat both sides until warmed through.
Did you try this recipe?
I’d appreciate you sharing if you enjoyed this recipe or maybe sharing what you served it with.
If you are looking for other veggie fritter recipes, you may like to try carrot and potato fritters or parsnip and potato hash browns.
Salads that would be delicious alongside fritters would be green leafy salads or a bean salad for something more substantial.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Corn Fritters [Vegetarian]
Equipment
- Non-stick frying pan
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk or fork
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
- 1 egg
- ½ cup corn kernels (frozen or canned)
- ¼ cup grated cheese (Edam, Parmesan or crumbled feta)
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1 tablespoon chives or spring onions, finely chopped, optional
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Pinch of chilli flakes, optional
Instructions
- Whisk egg in a small bowl.
- Combine egg, corn and cheese. Then, mix through the remaining ingredients.
- In a large non-stick frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. The oil is warm enough if a small drop of batter instantly sizzles in the pan.
- Spoon two tablespoons of mixture into the frying pan for each individual fritter. The mixture will make 2-4 fritters, depending on desired size.
- Flip the fritters over after about 2-3 minutes when you see the edges begin to brown.
- Repeat for the other side.
- Remove fritters from frying pan, holding them on the spatula for a moment to remove excess oil. Alternatively, place on a kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil.
Notes
How to serve corn fritters
Serve with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole or avocado slices and sprinkle with finely chopped chives. Try with a dollop of relish, chutney, sweet chilli sauce, minted yogurt, salsa or pico de gallo for additional flavour.What to serve with corn fritters
For a complete meal, serve the fritters alongside:- steamed or roasted veggies
- chips or wedges
- fresh salad such as green leafy veggies, tomato, cucumber and herbs or sprouts
- poached or fried egg
- bacon
1 comment
Delicious! Make great apps and family loves them!