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Whether you’re firing up the backyard grill or cooking indoors on a griddle, these egg-free corn fritters are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. They make an incredible side dish to complement any summer BBQ spread, but are tasty enough to take center stage as a vegetarian main course.
Corn is most definitely the quintessential ingredient that announces “summer is here.” There’s nothing quite like taking that first bite of corn on the cob for the season! The sweet juicy kernels just bursting in your mouth; I swear it transports me back to childhood and the carefree days running around at sunset with my neighborhood friends and smelling everyone’s grilling in the air.
Corn fritters are a fun and delicious way to use up fresh corn (also check out making corn dip and cornbread with all your corn). When it’s peak season, corn fritters allow you to make the most of those sweet, juicy kernels. This recipe, unlike many out there, is completely egg-free which means that if you or anyone that has an egg allergy can enjoy these worry-free!
How to Make Corn Fritters
- Grill the corn or brown the corn. Turn your outdoor grill on high and grill your corn until nice and charred on the outside, about 2-3 minutes, rotating occasionally. Allow cool enough to touch then slice off the corn kernels. Alternatively, if making on the stove, slice the corn kernels off the cob and toast the corn kernels until golden brown on the stove.
- Make the batter. Whisk and stir together ingredients for the batter (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, parsley, and milk).
- Assemble the fritters. Add the corn kernels to the batter and mix until well-combined, the corn kernels being covered in batter.
- Cook the fritters. Place cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Add a little oil to the skillet then once hot, use a large cookie scoop and scoop corn fritter batter and gently drop into the skillet. Fry corn fritters like pancakes, once you see the top bubbling and when one side is cooked and browned, flip to cook the other side. Place cooked fritters onto a paper towels to drain. Repeat until all the batter has been used.
- Serving suggestions: Corn fritters are a blank canvas for delicious toppings and dips. Of course, plain grilled corn fritters are delicious on their own, but they’re also the perfect vehicle for everything from zesty salsas and creamy dips to flavored aiolis or compound butters. A dollop of sour cream is also pretty tasty!
Corn Fritter Variations
- Add zucchini. Another popular variety is to add shredded zucchini into these corn fritters since zucchini are so plentiful in the summer as well! I’ve got a corn and zucchini fritters recipe just perfect for this addition!
- Spice it up. If you’re looking for some spice, add some cayenne pepper to the batter to spice it up!
- Make it cheesy. Adding freshly shredded cheddar cheese to the batter would make this creamy and cheesy!
- Optional add-ins. Prefer green onions over parsley? Add in thinly sliced green onions to the batter. Want some garlic flavor? Sprinkle some garlic powder into the batter. You don’t want to use minced garlic as if some of the garlic is on the exterior of the fritter, they’ll burn.
FAQs
The biggest culprit is too loose of a batter. The batter in this corn fritter recipe is supposed to be thick, not loose. If you find that you added too much liquid, add in a little more flour or cornmeal to bind it back up.
I haven’t tried this myself but you might be able to if you add more flour and cornmeal to help bind it together.
Storage Instructions
For any leftovers, wrap fritters tightly in plastic wrap or place them into an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, reheat on the stovetop or toaster oven until heated through. Fair warning: they will be a little dense and tough reheated so these are definitely better eaten fresh.
Corn Fritters
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups (308 g) corn kernels
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the batter:
- ⅓ cup (53 g) yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Handful of parsley, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (81 g) milk
Instructions
- Turn outdoor grill to high and grill corn on the cob until corn is charred and cooked. Allow to cool enough to touch before slicing the kernels off. Alternatively, if you're doing this on the stovetop, slice the kernels off the cob then toast the kernels over medium-high heat (be careful, they pop!) until golden brown.2 cups (308 g) corn kernels
- In a large bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Add milk and mix together with a wooden spoon until thick and thoroughly mixed through.1/3 cup (53 g) yellow cornmeal, 1/4 cup (31 g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, Handful of parsley, 1/3 cup (81 g) milk
- Heat up a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add some vegetable oil to the pan.Vegetable oil
- Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup or large cookie scoop, scoop corn mixture out and place into the skillet, gently pressing the mound down so it's flattened. Cook for 5 minutes on one side, or until it's browned, flip, and cook another 5 minutes, or until it's browned. Remove and repeat for all the other corn fritters.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
3 thumbs up for these! The best and I Topped them with shrimp and
avocado and greek yogurt sauce with fresh lime and jalepeno..wow
thanks for the recipe
Cant wait to try these. Should the vegetable oil just coat the bottom of the skillet?
Yes, lightly coated :)
We just made these tonight. They were absolutely fabulous, Nice crisp crust and the cornmeal added a nice element. While the flavors appear to be simple, the taste just reminds you of summer. We served ours with a creamy avocado puree made with avocado, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, onion, cilantro and a drop of hot sauce. My sister is now sold on your blog and I have been requested to make them again for a family gathering.
Love sweet corn! Can’t wait to try this! Will be trying more of your “Recipes for Two.” Cooking for mother and myself now. I grew up learning to cook for 7,”4 of family was men. Big appetites!” Retrain the brain, ha!ha! for smaller amounts. Thanks for the delicious recipes.
My recipe says vegan. Totally wrong! There is milk in it.
If you’re coming from Pinterest or any other website…they’re a horrible source for describing/categorizing what a recipe really is. I didn’t claim this was vegan so I’m sorry that you thought it was. I dislike these websites that label our recipes as something when it’s very clearly not!
All you have to do is substitute with a non dairy milk! All other ingredients are vegan. I tried them and came out great.
I made mine vegan by just using cashew milk instead. They came out great. At least there’s no egg in it :) easily adaptable
Delicious recipe, thank you! I served it for brunch with sauteed shrimp and peppers.
Dammit, this got my hopes up but cruelly dashed!
In the UK these would be called fried, not grilled. Fried in a frying pan, not grilled in a skillet. Grilled here means what Americans call broiled.
The grilled is a misnomer – it appears to be referring to the corn itself before being added to the fritters – not the preparation of the fritters themselves. The grilling would give the corn a smoky flavor before adding them to the fritters.
I was a little confused too! Grilled in the US means on an outside grill with gas or charcoal. Broiled here means in an oven under the high heat, upper element.
What else would you eat with these if you were to have them at dinner? Just looking for some ideas for dinner this week. In face would you plan my whole week of meals for me? ;) jk
You could put these on top of a salad!! That’d be super good! Or you could have some Thai noodles on the side. I have a recipe for pad see ew that it would pair really well with: https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/pad-see-ew-recipe/
I saw a similar recipe that had them stacked with fried green tomatoes – 2 pf each in a tower!
I would serve with grilled shrimp on top, and maybe sour cream thinned with lime juice? maybe over a bed of greens? Grilled Mahi Mahi resting on top? Slice pork loin rubbed with adobo seasoning and a little lime juice?
Topped these with sour cream and home made salsa. Cole Slaw, and a nice BBQ chicken thigh. Thats what was for dinner!
Also, do you have an idea of how many calories these are?
No, sorry! I don’t calculate nutritional information.
Based off what I calculated there is about 100 calories in each fritter. https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=3082336
These are delicious! But, I am wondering if you have any suggestions for a sauce to go with?
Hmm, good question. If you like spicy, I love mixing mayo and sriracha hot sauce together :)