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Vegan Zucchini and Corn Fritters

These are the most amazing vegan zucchini and corn fritters you’ll ever have. Crispy and delicious, they’re perfect as a side to a nice fresh salad, or dipped into your favorite dip! If you’re craving some good vegan fried food, then look no further.

A stalk of zucchini corn fritters on a plate.

If you’ve ever planted zucchini in your garden, you know how bountiful the harvest can be. Zucchini is such a great vegetable because it doesn’t have a strong flavor. You can use it in anything from sauces, to baking, to even replacing noodles (zoodles!).

The health benefits are also a big plus. Zucchini has no fat, improves digestion and lowers blood sugar levels because of their fiber content.

So whether you’re adding zucchini into your diet because of the health benefits, or you’re looking at what to do with so much zucchini, these zucchini and corn fritters are a fantastic option, and delightfully tasty. 

Fritters in a Cast Iron Pan

Why This Recipe Works

Vegan corn fritters (just like my vegan German potato pancakes) are amazing if you’re craving something crispy and need to add more vegetables into your diet (another bonus is that it is yet another sneaky way to get kids to eat those veggies!).

It’s also really easy to make this corn zucchini fritter recipe totally vegan! Instead of using an egg to make everything stick together, simply replace it with achia egg” or a “flax egg”.

Use three tablespoons of water and one tablespoon of chia seeds or ground flax seeds. Let the mixture thicken for 5 minutes and it is ready to use.

Corn and zucchini fritters also keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, so you can make a batch and bring it with you on an outing, a picnic, or take them with you for lunch.

If you still have a lot of zucchini and corn to use, or you love the flavor, be sure to try these mouth-watering vegan Grilled Zucchini and Corn Tacos.

One more great thing about this zucchini fritter recipe is that it’s very forgiving. You can add more or less jalapeño to your liking, or any other spices, it’s hard to go wrong. 

Look at all the amazing veggies that go into these fritters! Nutrient-dense, flavorful, balanced and amazingly delicious combo!

Prepped Veggies for Zucchini Corn Fritters

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (or whole grain)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 chia/flax egg (1 tbsp chia seeds/ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water)
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ½ cup grated zucchini, shredded, squeezed and drained (about 2 medium-sized zucchini)
  • 1 ear corn, kernels cut off the cob (about 1 cup corn kernels)
  • ½ jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 scallions, diced
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley/cilantro
  • 1 tbsp lime juice/lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, to fry
  • Marinara sauce/vegan sour cream, to serve

Ingredients for Zucchini Corn Fritters

How To Prepare Zucchini

To prepare the zucchini, you’ll need to get the excess liquid out of it.

Grate about 1 ½ cups of it (about 2 medium-sized zucchini) into a bowl or colander that is prepared with a clean dish towel or cheese cloth that is laid into it. 

Grated Zucchini Before and After Squeezing

Next, add a pinch of salt, and leave for 10 minutes. Finally, take the edges of the towel (like you would a garbage bag), twist the top of the cloth over a sink or bowl until it squeezes the zucchini and drains the excess liquid.

This is an important step as zucchini retains a lot of water. Too much water will make it difficult to fry the fritters, so be sure to squeeze out as much as you can! 

Squeezing Grated Zucchini in a Bowl

How to Make Zucchini and Corn Fritters

Once your zucchini is squeezed and drained, you’re ready to go.

Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the chia egg, almond milk and olive oil and mix again.

Batter for Fritters

Finally, add grated zucchini, corn kernels, finely chopped jalapeño, minced garlic, diced scallions and chopped parsley. Sprinkle with lime juice. Mix all of the ingredients together and portion out one heaped tablespoon of batter per fritter.

Adding Veggies to Fritters Batter

Heat up a pan to medium heat and place one or two tablespoons of oil into the pan. Fry in batches over medium heat for about five minutes per side.

Cover the vegan corn fritters after flipping.

Fritters in a Skillet

And serve with your favorite dip, or a yummy salad! 

What To Serve With It 

Vegan corn fritters make for a nutritious snack or light portable lunch that you can even eat cold. They taste great with a side of fresh green salad or a dip like this delicious baba ganoush eggplant dip, vegan buffalo sauce or Canarian green sauce or red sauce.

Sick of green salads? Try serving corn and zucchini fritters as a side to this Corn and Black Bean Salad. Skip the feta cheese (or use vegan feta) and enjoy a completely vegan, totally filling meal. 

Some other serving options you could consider are:

A portion of fritters with dipping sauces

Top Tips 

  • These vegan corn fritters are amazing if you need to add more vegetables into your diet or need another sneaky way to get kids to eat their veggies.
  • To prepare the grated zucchini, you’ll need to get the excess liquid out of it (see instructions above).
  • This recipe uses a “chia egg” or a “flax egg” as a replacement to normal eggs. Use three tablespoons of water and one tablespoon of chia seeds or ground flax seed. Let the mixture thicken for 5 minutes and it is ready to use.
  • Serve the fritters with dipping sauces like marinara, sour cream or vegan equivalent, baba ghanoush, guacamole or avocado dressing, with your favorite salad (my recommendations are Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad and Mexican Chopped Salad), with veggie sticks, as a side to a wrap, sandwich or bagel.
  • These fritters keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, so you can make a batch and bring it with you on an outing, a picnic, or take them with you for lunch.
  • You can freeze them for up to three months. To reheat, bring them to a room temperature and fry again.

Recipe Variations

  • Use all-purpose flour or whole grain flour. I like to use a 1:1 ratio to make the fritters more nutrient-dense.
  • For the “egg” you can use both chia seeds OR ground flax seeds.
  • You can replace almond milk with other nut milks.
  • No fresh corn? Use a cup of frozen or canned corn instead.
  • You can add more or less jalapeño to your liking.
  • Use either parsley or cilantro, maybe even both.
  • Instead of lime juice, use lemon.
  • Replace marinara sauce with sour cream for a non-vegan alternative.

Vegan Zucchini Corn Fritters Stalked on a Plate.

 
Print
4.75 from 4 votes

Vegan Zucchini and Corn Fritters

The most amazing vegan zucchini and corn fritters you’ll ever have. Crispy, delicious and perfect with a salad or dipped into your favorite dip.
Course Main course/starter/side dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings or 12 fritters
Calories 205kcal
$5

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour or whole grain
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 1 chia/flax egg 1 tbsp chia seeds/ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water, see notes
  • ½ cup almond milk or other nut milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ½ cup zucchini grated, squeezed and drained (about 2 medium-sized zucchini)
  • 1 ear corn kernels cut off the cob (about 1 cup corn kernels)
  • ½ jalapeño pepper finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 scallions diced
  • 1/3 cup parsley or cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tbsp lime juice or lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or other frying oil, to fry
  • Marinara sauce/vegan sour cream to serve

Instructions

Prepare the zucchini

  • Grate 2 medium-sized zucchini (about 1 ½ cups) into a bowl or colander that is prepared with a clean dish towel or cheese cloth that is laid into it. Add a pinch of salt, and leave for 10 minutes. Take the edges of the towel (like you would a garbage bag), twist the top of the cloth over a sink or bowl until it squeezes the zucchini and drains the excess liquid. Try to squeeze as much liquid as you can.

Make the chia egg

  • Mix three tablespoons of water and one tablespoon of chia seeds or ground flax seeds in a small bowl. Let the mixture thicken for 5 minutes.

Mix the batter

  • Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the chia egg, almond milk and olive oil and mix again with a whisk.
  • Add grated zucchini, corn kernels, finely chopped jalapeño, minced garlic, diced scallions and chopped parsley. Sprinkle with lime juice. Mix it all together.

Fry the fritters

  • Heat up a pan to medium heat and place one or two tablespoons of oil into the pan. Portion out one heaped tablespoon of batter per fritter and fry in batches over medium heat for about five minutes per side. Cover after flipping.

Serve

  • Serve the fritters with your favorite dip or salad (more serving suggestions below).

Notes

Top Tips 

  • These vegan corn fritters are amazing if you need to add more vegetables into your diet or need another sneaky way to get kids to eat their veggies.
  • To prepare the grated zucchini, you’ll need to get the excess liquid out of it (see instructions above).
  • This recipe uses a "chia egg" or a "flax egg" as a replacement to normal eggs. Use three tablespoons of water and one tablespoon of chia seeds or ground flax seed. Let the mixture thicken for 5 minutes and it is ready to use.
  • Serve the fritters with dipping sauces like marinara, sour cream or vegan equivalent, baba ghanoush, guacamole or avocado dressing, with your favorite salad (my recommendations are Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad and Mexican Chopped Salad), with veggie sticks, as a side to a wrap, sandwich or bagel.
  • These fritters keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, so you can make a batch and bring it with you on an outing, a picnic, or take them with you for lunch.
  • You can freeze them for up to three months. To reheat, bring them to a room temperature and fry again.

Recipe Variations

  • Use all-purpose flour or whole grain flour. I like to use a 1:1 ratio to make the fritters more nutrient-dense.
  • For the “egg” you can use both chia seeds OR ground flax seeds.
  • You can replace almond milk with other nut milks.
  • No fresh corn? Use a cup of frozen or canned corn instead.
  • You can add more or less jalapeño to your liking.
  • Use either parsley or cilantro, maybe even both.
  • Instead of lime juice, use lemon.
  • Replace marinara sauce with sour cream for a non-vegan alternative.

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 681IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Follow @happykitchen.rocks on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #happykitchenrocks!

Quick Step-by-Step Instructions

If you want to see quick step-by-step instructions, tap the following link to watch the Vegan Zucchini Corn Fritters recipe web story:

Vegan Zucchini Corn Fritters Story

A stalk of vegan zucchini corn fritters Pinterest Image.
Recipe Rating




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Tracy

Saturday 31st of July 2021

This was tasty! For future readers, Could you elaborate a bit in the instructions and blog about covering them after you’ve flipped them because I missed this and it’s a vital step! The first batch I made were gluggy because I didn’t do the steaming part.

Elena Szeliga

Thursday 5th of August 2021

Hi @Tracy, I'm sorry it wasn't clear enough about covering the pan after flipping - I'll make sure to elaborate on that in the post.

Tracy

Monday 2nd of August 2021

Also they remained gluggy after steaming for me but they are cooked through and delicious

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About Elena Szeliga

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Elena Szeliga is the founder of Happy Kitchen.Rocks, where she shares delicious and healthy vegetarian and vegan food, from weeknight dinners to veganized classics and gourmet appetizers. Her recipes have been featured at Better Homes & Gardens, BuzzFeed, Country Living, The Kitchn and Reader’s Digest. Her mission is to help cook easy vegetarian and vegan meals with simple and fresh ingredients. Read more about Elena.

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