Easy Zucchini Corn Fritters with Creamy Dip (video)
The best zucchini corn fritters with a creamy, garlicky dipping sauce! Extra crispy and fluffy! Made with parmesan cheese, fresh corn and fresh herbs!
Ingredients
For Zucchini Fritters:
- 3 medium green zucchini
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 ears of corn, 2 cups of corn kernels
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 to 3 cups canola oil, for frying
For Dipping Sauce:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp each: fresh chopped dill, fresh chives
Instructions
Preparing the Zucchini:
- You’ll want to start this recipe with the zucchini. There’s no need to peel the veggies as the peel will improve the texture of the fritters.
- Line a large bowl with a cheesecloth, then grate your washed zucchini into the bowl. I recommend using a coarse cheese grater.
- Sprinkle the zucchini with about 1 teaspoon of salt and gently massage it into the grated zucchini. This will help the zucchini release more water.
- Allow the zucchini to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, squeezing out the liquids every 5 minutes. You want the zucchini to be wrung dry.
Cooking the Corn:
- For cooking fresh corn: Bring a large pot of water up to a boil and add a generous amount of salt. Drop in your cleaned corn and set a timer for 10 minutes.
- Once the corn is cooked, removed it from the boiling water and into a bowl filled with cool water to cool the corn down quickly.
- Once the corn has cooled, use a sharp knife and carefully cut away the kernels from the cob.
- Next, you’ll want to preheat a medium sized frying pan over medium heat and melt the butter. Add in the diced shallot and corn and season with salt and pepper. Sauté the mixture for 6 to 8 minutes, until the corn is golden.
- Add in the minced garlic last and cook for just 30 seconds, then remove the mixture from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Making the Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg. To make homemade buttermilk, simply add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to ¾ cup whole milk. Stir and let sit for a few minutes. Whisk the egg and milk together until smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients next: flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and paprika. Whisk until a thick batter forms.
- Next, add in the grated zucchini, cooled corn and shallot mixture, parmesan cheese, and season with dill, chives, salt and pepper. Use a spatula to mix everything together until uniform and well combined.
Frying the Fritters:
- Pour several cups of frying oil into a deep sauté pan or large pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 300F to 325F (150C).
- Using a small scoop (1 to 1 ½ tbsp), scoop the fritter batter and drop into the hot oil. I usually fry about 8 or 9 fritters at a time, spacing them out as a I drop in the batter.
- Cook the fritters for 3 to 5 minutes, turning them when they get golden on the first side.
- Remove the fritters once they’re a rich, golden color onto a wire rack to cool. Place some paper towels underneath the rack to absorb excess oil.
Making the Dipping Sauce:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream (you can also use Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, onion powder, chives, and dill.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and grate or press the garlic cloves. Whisk everything together and the sauce is done.
Serving Suggestions:
- These zucchini corn fritter will be very hot at first, so let them cool for at least 5 to 7 minutes before using! I recommend eating these as soon as possible as they’re best when fresh, warm and crispy.
Reheating Instructions:
- If you need to reheat them, I suggest doing so in your oven preheated to 425F. Place the fritters on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes. This will keep them crispy!
Note:
- Nutritional facts are calculated per fritter without the sauce. The dipping sauce contains approximately 75 calories per tablespoon.
Nutrition
Serving: 1fritter | Calories: 58kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 115IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.3mg