These crispy corn fritters are savory eggless pancakes packed with fresh corn kernels, diced onions, flour, and coconut milk, all bound together with a light and fluffy batter. Pan-fried to golden perfection, they're a delicious appetizer or snack that's sure to please everyone, even the pickiest eaters. Here’s how to make it with stepwise pictures and a quick video tutorial. I have included some useful tips to make the fritters crispy. Eggless and vegan recipe.
Fresh summer corn is in season. I love to make crispy corn fritters, fresh corn salsa, grilled corn salad, etc. They are healthy & a filling snack. My kids love them too. Serve it with their favorite fruit, honey, sour cream, or a scoop of Greek yogurt. And the best part? They're easy to make, so you can whip up a batch in no time.
These vegan corn fritters are crispy on the outside, enveloping a moist and juicy interior. So delectable, you won't be able to resist going back for seconds, even I do. They are easy to customize with your favorite veggies and seasonings, they're perfect for a quick meal prep solution for busy weeks.
About This Corn Fritters Recipe
Traditionally corn fritters are made with corn kernels, egg, flour, milk, and melted butter. They can be deep-fried, shallow-fried, or baked. Here in this recipe, I made a few changes, I skipped eggs and used coconut milk as a substitute to make it vegan corn fritters.
I also reduced the amount of all-purpose flour and added some ground corn kernels for better binding in the fritter batter. They are seasoned with chili powder, cumin, pepper and salt. These corn fritters taste delicious.
Instead of deep-frying the corn fritters, I shallow-fried them in a pan, which turned out super crispy. They weren't greasy at all, and the taste was amazing.
Each bite offered a hint of sweetness from corn, a touch of savory goodness, and a satisfying crunch that had me reaching back for more. These are the best corn fritters I've ever had.
Ingredients for Corn Fritters
These easy corn fritters are the perfect way to use fresh summer corn. Made with simple, pantry-staple ingredients, they're ready in 30 minutes and can be customized with your favorite add-ins, like cheese or chilies. For a detailed list of ingredients please check out the recipe card below.
- Corn Kernels - For this recipe, I used fresh sweet corn kernels. Blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Canned or frozen corn can be substituted. See the recipe card notes for guidance on using canned or frozen corn.
- Red onions - Onions add a depth of flavor to fritters.
- Ginger & garlic - Use very finely chopped ginger and minced garlic for the best flavor. Ginger-garlic paste is a convenient substitute. Garlic powder can be substituted for fresh garlic. If you don't have ginger, you can skip it.
- Cilantro or coriander leaves - Fresh cilantro or coriander leaves are optional, but they add a very nice flavor to the fritters. You can substitute them with fresh parsley or dill leaves.
- Baking powder - makes the corn fritters light and crispy.
- For seasoning - Lemon juice, red chili powder, cumin powder, black pepper & salt.
- Milk - I used coconut milk in this recipe, but any non-dairy milk will work. For those who aren't vegan, regular dairy milk can be used.
How to make crispy corn fritters
Prep the corn kernels. If using fresh corn kernels blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside. If using canned corn, you can proceed to the next step.
Make the ground corn paste. Grind ½ cup of the corn kernels in a food processor or blender without adding water. You want a slightly coarse texture, not a completely smooth puree. Set the ground corn kernels aside.
Prepare the Corn Fritter Batter - In a large bowl, add the remaining corn kernels, onion, ground corn kernels, ginger, garlic, cilantro, baking powder, lemon juice, all-purpose flour, red chili powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder & salt. Combine all the ingredients well.
Add coconut milk & stir to make the batter. Do not over-mix the batter. Set it aside.
Pan fry the corn fritters - Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the base of the pan. When the pan is hot, pour the batter with a spoon. Press the batter gently with the back of the spoon to flatten it (like a pancake). You can also use a cookie scoop to scoop out the batter.
Let the fritter fry on one side for 2-3 minutes. Do not try to flip it immediately after pouring the batter. Wait for 2 minutes after pouring the batter, check at the base of one fritter by gently lifting it. If it is golden, flip it & fry on the other side until golden & crisp. Serve hot with tomato sauce or any dip.
5 Tips for Making Crispy Corn Fritters
1) Batter consistency: Make the fritter batter slightly thick. The fritters will be crisp when fried. The batter should have less water content. If you add more milk than required it will make the batter soggy.
2) Oil temperature: Oil temperature is crucial for achieving crispy, golden fritters. Too low and they'll absorb too much oil, becoming greasy and soggy. Too high and the exterior burns before the interior cooks. Do a batter drop test. Carefully drop ½ teaspoon fritter batter in hot oil.
- Perfect temperature: If the batter sizzles and begins to cook right away, the oil is at the perfect temperature.
- Oil not hot enough: If the batter doesn't sizzle and just sits in the oil, the oil is not hot enough. Increase the heat slightly and wait a couple more minutes before testing again.
- Oil too hot: If the batter sizzles rapidly and browns immediately, or even burns, the oil is too hot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the oil cool down a bit before testing again.
3) Do not over-mix the batter. This is the key to getting crispy corn fritters. Overmixing the batter develops the gluten in the flour, making the fritters tough. A gently mixed batter creates a crispier texture when fried.
4) Do not overcrowd the pan when frying the fritters. This will give enough room for the fritters to fry & be crisp. Crowding the pan lowers the oil temperature around each fritter, preventing them from crisping up properly and leading to greasy, soggy results.
5) Baking powder or baking soda creates tiny air bubbles that rise during cooking, leading to a lighter and crispier fritter.
What to serve with fritters?
Corn fritters are a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or side dish. Here are some ideas for what to serve with them.
- Dipping sauces: Aioli (regular or spicy), fresh corn salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt.
- Salads: A refreshing cucumber tomato salad, greek yogurt coleslaw, or Asian slaw.
- Top it with your kid’s favorite fruit jam, fresh fruits, poached eggs, or honey.
Related Recipes
If you like this recipe, you may also like these appetizer recipes:
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Recipe Card
Recipe Card
Crispy Corn Fritters (Vegan & Easy)
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cup fresh corn kernels or canned corn kernels
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped/minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro or coriander leaves substitute parsley or dill leaves
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or use red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder refer notes to make cumin powder.
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup coconut milk or any non-dairy milk For non-vegans use dairy milk.
- oil to fry
Instructions
- Prep the corn kernels. If using fresh corn kernels blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well, pat dry with clean kitchen towel and set aside. If using canned corn, you can proceed to the next step.
- Make the ground corn paste. Grind ½ cup of the corn kernels in a food processor or blender without adding water. You want a slightly coarse texture, not a completely smooth puree. Set the ground corn kernels aside.
- Prepare the corn fritter batter. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining corn kernels, onion, ground corn kernels, ginger, garlic, cilantro, baking powder, lemon juice, all-purpose flour, red chili powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder & salt. Combine all the ingredients well. Now add coconut milk & stir to make the batter. Do not over-mix the batter. Set it aside.
- Pan fry the corn fritters - Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the base of the pan. When the pan is hot, pour the batter with a spoon. Press the batter gently with the back of the spoon to flatten it (like a pancake). You can also use a cookie scoop to scoop out the batter.
- Let the fritter fry on one side for 2-3 minutes. Do not try to flip it immediately after pouring the batter. Wait for 2 minutes after pouring the batter, check at the base of one fritter by gently lifting it. If it is golden, flip it & fry on the other side until golden & crisp. Serve immeditely with tomato sauce or any dip.
Video
Notes
- Roast cumin seeds on heated pan until aromatic. Cool down to room temperature. Crush in mortar and pestle to make cumin powder.
- If using frozen corn, make sure to thaw it first & drain off the excess liquid.
- If using canned corn, drain it & pat it dry.
- Make the fritter batter slightly thick. The fritters will be crisp when fried. The batter should have less water content. If you add more milk than required it will make the batter soggy.
- Oil temperature is crucial for achieving crispy, golden fritters. Too low and they'll absorb too much oil, becoming greasy and soggy. Too high and the exterior burns before the interior cooks.
- Do not over-mix the batter. This is the key to getting crispy corn fritters. Overmixing the batter develops the gluten in the flour, making the fritters tough.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying the fritters. This will give enough room for the fritters to fry & be crisp.
- Baking powder or baking soda creates tiny air bubbles that rise during cooking, leading to a lighter and crispier fritter.
- If you are not making a vegan version, use regular dairy milk to make the fritters.
- You can season the fritters with only black pepper & salt to make it a kid-friendly snack.
- The addition of red chili powder is optional. If you like to spice it up then add it. You can also add red pepper flakes instead of red chili powder.
- If you find the fritter batter looks dry then add more milk. But use only 1 or 2 teaspoon extra. If you add more milk to the batter then the batter will be watery & the corn fritters will be soggy.
- Using an ice cream scooper. This tool helps portion the batter evenly and creates a round shape for even cooking.
- Storage - Let the prepared fritters cool down completely. You can freeze them in a zip lock bag or air-tight container. It stays good for a month. Thaw them for 30 minutes on the counter. Reheat it in a pan & enjoy it.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Shanaya
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