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Zucchini and Corn Fritters with Chipotle Lime Cream

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Summertime flavors shine in pan-fried Zucchini and Corn Fritters with Chipotle Lime Cream! Like my Creamy Poblano Corn and Zucchini Tacos, these fritters are packed with late summer veggies, and they make a satisfying vegetarian main. They’re freezer friendly too! This recipe is vegetarian, easily dairy and gluten free.  

Zucchini Corn Fritters stacked tall on a plate with chipotle cream.

It’s Zucchini Season! 

It’s that time of year! When we have more zucchini than we know what to do with. I’m not complaining. I love its seasonality and versatility, and look forward to it long before the season arrives.  

How do you feel about it? 

This Zucchini Corn Fritter recipe came about years ago when my Ma was visiting from Texas. She’s a constant source of recipe ideas and inspiration, whether we’re in the kitchen or at a restaurant, picking apart the details and talking about food in general is our thing.

A Southern woman who will stop at anything for fresh corn, she had a brilliant idea; Corn Zucchini Fritters! It took me a mili second to say yes! We got to work.

Dicing poblano peppers on a cutting board.     Cutting corn Niblets off the cob in a pie plate. Corn, poblano peppers and onion in a skillet.

How to Make Corn and Zucchini Fritters

I like masa harina in this recipe instead of corn meal as is sometimes used in fritters. Masa harina is a fine grain corn flour that gives Mexican and Southwestern recipes an authentic flavor.

I use it in my chili recipes as a thickener, and Southwestern inspired recipes where I want that flavor boost. It yields a sweet yet robust corn flavor to any food it’s added to and it’s absolutely is delicious. However, one maker subbed fine corn meal in this recipe with delicious results! I’ve linked to several recipes I use masa harina in to thicken and to flavor in the recipe card notes. 

In summary, here’s how to make zucchini corn fritters (see recipe card for details): 

  • First, shred the zucchini using a box grater or coarse blade in a food processor. Squeeze the zucchini of it’s liquid using tea towels, squeezing and wringing to get the zucchini as dry as possible. 
  • Second, mix the masa harina, flour (or gluten free AP) and spices in a bowl. Set aside. 
  • Third, in a small bowl, whisk the milk, (or nut milk), vinegar and egg. Set aside. 
  • Fourth, saute diced onion and poblano pepper, then add the fresh corn niblets, and garlic. Some charring is good!
  • Fifth, in a large mixing bowl, mix the zucchini, corn mixture, flour mixture and milk mixture together. 
  • Sixth, heat oil in a pan. Once shimmering, scoop 1/4 C- 1/3 C zucchini corn mixture into the pan. Pan fry the fritters for 2-3 minutes on each side. 
  • Next, transfer the fritters to a paper towel lined plate/pan.
  • Last, once all the fritters are pan fried, transfer them to a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for about 10-15 minutes. Baking is optional, but helps crisp the fritters further and they’re all ready to serve warm at once. 

While the corn zucchini fritters are in the oven, whip up the chipotle-lime cream! Or if you prefer, a scrumptious avocado cream can be enjoyed instead. 

Shredded zucchini in a bowl of a food processor.     Shredded zucchini in a towel. Ingredients for Corn and Zucchini Fritters in a bowl.     Mixing ingredients for Gluten Free Corn and Zucchini Fritters in a bowl.

What to Serve with Corn Zucchini Fritters

These fritters require a bit of hands on time, so I like to serve em’ with simple sides. A few ideas:

Overhead shot of Corn Zucchini Fritter with Chipotle Cream on a serving platter.

Expert Tips

  • Make em’ Gluten Free! These zucchini and corn fritters are easily gluten free! I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Flour when testing this recipe. Look for gluten free masa harina or corn meal. 
  • Make em’ dairy free! Opt for nut milk, I use homemade cashew milk. For the Chipotle cream opt for dairy free sour cream, avocado cream or pepita lime creama.
  • To shred the zucchini, I use the coarse blade on a food processor or a microplane. A box greater works well too.
  • When cutting corn off the cob, place the cob in a pie plate, stand the cob on end and gently slice the niblets off the cob. The pie plate catches all the corn and clean up is a snap.
  • A slotted spatula is the perfect tool for pan fried corn and zucchini fritters. It scoops up the fritters with ease and allowed excess oil to flow through, back into the pan.
  • Looking for a Baked Zucchini Recipe? My friend Ayse has a fabulous Baked Zucchini Fritter recipe. 

More Zucchini Recipes to Love

Corn and Zucchini Fritters stacked tall on a plate.
Print Recipe

Corn Zucchini Fritters with Chipotle Lime Cream Recipe

Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes
Servings:12 -13 Fritters
Calories:101kcal
Author:Traci York
Topped with chipotle lime cream, pan fried Roasted Corn Zucchini Fritters with Chipotle Lime Cream are stuffed full of late summer veggies and make a satisfying vegetarian main. They're freezer friendly too! This recipe is vegetarian + optionally dairy free and gluten free.

Ingredients

For the Fritters:

  • 1 lb (475g) Zucchini about two medium zucchini (about 3 1/2 C 400g pre- straining // 2 1/2 C (360g) after straining)
  • 1/2 C (60g) Masa Harina Flour *see note for sub
  • 1/2 C (70g) All Purpose Flour **see note for gluten free
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 3/4 tsp Salt + more for sprinkling
  • 1 tsp Ground Pepper
  • 3/4 C (170g) Milk (nut or dairy) + 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/3 C (40g) Yellow Onion small dice, about 1/2 small onion
  • 2/3 C (65g) Poblano Pepper small dice, about 1 small poblano
  • 2 Ears of Corn to yield about 1 1/2 C / 205g of corn niblets
  • 1 Clove Garlic large, or 2 tsp minced
  • 2 tsp Coconut or Olive Oil + more for frying
  • Chives, Lime Wedges and Cilantro For Garnish

For the Chipotle Cream:

  • 1/2 C (120g) Sour Cream or sub dairy free sour cream
  • 1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce gluten free if needed
  • 1 tsp Adobo Sauce optional for extra spicy (!!) gluten free if needed
  • Pinch of Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 Lime juiced or more to taste depending on how juicy your lime is

Instructions

For the Fritters:

  • Grate the zucchini on the coarse blade of a food processor or a microplane. A box greater works well too!
    Working in two or three batches, place the grated zucchini in a kitchen towel and squeeze, draining over the sink. Continue squeezing and pressing hard to get as much of the liquid out of the zucchini as possible. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside. 
  • In a small bowl, mix the masa, all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • In a measuring cup, mix the milk and apple cider vinegar (or use buttermilk). Wait at least 5 minutes (this allows the milk/vinegar mixture to sour) then whisk in the egg. Set aside.
  • In a medium saute pan, add 2 tsp oil (I like a cast iron skillet or non stick fry pan). Heat oil until it shimmers. Saute the poblano and onion on medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
    Add the corn to the onion and poblano mixture and saute mixture for 3-4 more minutes, until the veggies are soft and with a bit of charring. Toss in the minced garlic the last 30 seconds, stirring to incorporate.
    Remove the corn mixture from heat and transfer it to the large mixing bowl with the zucchini. Set aside. Wipe out the pan (the same pan can be used for pan frying).
  • To the zucchini mixture, add the flour mixture and milk mixture. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed and incorporated.
  • OPTIONAL: for crispy fritter edges, preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. The fritters can be baked briefly after pan frying.
    Line a plate or small pan with paper towel. Set aside.
  • Add about 1/8" (2.5cm) oil to a skillet. Heat until oil shimmers on med high heat. Use a 1/3 C dry scoop to portion out each fritter and use a spoon to help you get the fritter out of the scoop and into the pan. Use the back of the dry scoop to press the fritter to about 1/4" thickness. Be sure not to crowd the pan (I cook three at a time in a medium skillet). Cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes on med to med high heat until golden, adjusting heat as needed. *Be careful here as the corn tends to sometimes "pop" - a fry screen will prevent corn kernels from popping out of the pan*
    Remove fritters from pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Add more oil to the pan as needed to finish frying all the fritters.
  • OPTIONAL: Place the fried fritters on the parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes.
  • Share warm with chipotle cream, chives or scallions, cilantro and lime.

To Store:

  • Refrigerator: Store in the refrigerator in a lidded container for up to three days.
    Freezer: Store cooked fritters stacked between small sheets of parchment paper and in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator on a parchment lined sheet pan then bake for 15 minutes in a 350F oven.

For the Chipotle Cream:

  • In a food processor add the sour cream, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce (if using), sugar, salt and lime juice. Process for 20 seconds, then scrape the bowl down. Process for another 20, scrape down the bowl again. Process for a final 20 seconds and it's ready to serve.
    Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

Notes

*Find Masa Harina in the specialty flours section. I like Bob's Red Mill. One maker subbed corn meal with good results. Look for gluten free if needed.
**For gluten free fritters, 1/2 C (95g) 1 to 1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour - I like Bob's Red Mill
More Recipes Featuring Masa Harina
Recipe adapted from Dinners Dishes and Desserts and also Food Network
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1Fritter | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
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Fritter Pin for Pinterest

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Reader Interactions

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  2. 5 stars
    Awesome fritters!! I love the Masa Harina. You introduced it to me 2 recipes ago and now I am wondering how I made it to 57 without it! I will make these again! These are a refreshing change from the potato cakes I make that are similar. (Shredded potato, jalapeños, onion, and cheese) Thank you again for sharing all these fantastic recipes with us!

    Reply

    • Hiii Laura! Thank you for your note… you’ve found one of my most favorite recipes on the blog! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying that masa flour. It really is a game changer! Your potatoes sound fabulous :D

      Reply

  3. Turned out great! No poblano, so I used a banana pepper and added some cayenne pepper to mixture. Fantastic. Also had no chipotle pepper or adobo sauce so subbed ground chipotle pepper. So much flavor!

    Reply

      • Hello! I had so much zucchini in my fridge from my backyard garden I didn’t know what else to make with it other then zucchini bread and then I found this recipe! My boyfriend and I tried it last night and it was really good! I also could not find any poblano peppers at the store so I used Jalapeño peppers instead but it still came out good. Thank you so much!

        Reply

        • Hi Sarah! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a go! Jalapeno is a fantastic sub, although with a hotter bite, I’ve used em’ here too as a sub! So happy to hear you two enjoyed the fritters!

          Reply

  4. Made these last night with avocado cream. Used almond flour instead of regular and yum they were so good and pretty easy! Even my meat eating husband loved them!

    Reply

  5. These have my name written all over them Traci! Nothing better than some good Jersey corn during the summer. And I am always looking to add zucchini to anything. Perfect little fritters for lunch, dinner or snacking. Can’t wait to give your recipe a try.

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    What a great summer meal – all with ingredients fresh from the local farmer’s market. These were delicious!

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Hi, Trace, this gives me an idea to use the surplus of zucchini instead of bread. I also have extra corn on the cob in my fridge! Thanks so much.

    Reply

  10. You just gave me an idea for Sunday Brunch – I think these will be lovely topped with poached eggs……..

    Reply

    • Hi Bindu! I’ve not tried a sub, but if I did, I’m thinking 3 Tbs of chickpea flour could work. You may need to adjust the hydration a bit to balance the added dry ingredient. After being mixed, the fritter should hold together after giving it a squeeze in your fist. If you try a sub, please let us know how it goes!

      Reply

  12. Thank goodness for Pinterest connecting me with this two year old post. I made these last night and just polished the remains for a late breakfast. Subbed cornmeal for the massa, it seems to have worked. I LOVED these little cakes! I expect to making these the entire month of August. Yum!

    Reply

    • Oh my gosh, Lisa! Thank you for your note. I gotta say, this recipe ranks at the tippy top of summer favorites! So happy you enjoyed them and you’ll be whippin fritters up all summer long! Thank you for your note too on cornmeal. I assumed it would work, but don’t add untested ingredients in recipes I put on the blog – I always have masa on hand so I just use it. BUT, I’ll add a note to see your comment in the notes of the recipe! Thank you for that! August is lookin good! :D

      Reply

  16. I haven’t made them as of yet. I’m wondering how many fritters this recipe makes at 1/3 of cup per for frying. You state 3-4 servings which is how many per person if you’re not a piggy.

    Reply

    • Hi Cookie. Thank you for writing. If I remember correctly, this recipe makes 6 or 7 fritters, which would be 2 per person with a bit of extra if 7. Thank you for pointing this out for me. I’ll correct it as soon as I make it again! :D

      Reply

      • Thank you Traci for the rapid reply. This information really helps out. So when I have a girls night with about 8 girls I know I have to at least triple the recipe. Will be serving with other appetizers also & of course wine.

        Reply

  19. 4 stars
    These fritters are very very good!! I think the masa flour and roasting the corn are the key to your great recipe. I also added fresh thyme and sage and will add chili powder next time. Something that would be very helpful is if you could have included the measured amounts of corn and zucchini (both before and after squeezing) you used. I had more corn than I am sure you used so my adjustments to egg/flour/milk were off somewhat. I would appreciate closer proportions for future use, but none-the-less it’s a recipe I will keep! YUM!

    Reply

    • Hi Kim! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for taking time to write and letting me know your concerns. I looked back at my notes and scribbles on this recipe and noticed I recorded the measurements you indicated (with exception to after squeezing the zucchini), yet they didn’t make it to my recipe here. So I appreciate your letting me know. I have since corrected my omissions. Cooking is much more forgiving then baking, thankfully. Thank you again, Kim. I’m so glad the recipe turned out for you and I’ll keep your comments in mind moving forward!

      Reply

  21. How fun to have your mom visiting! It looks like you guys did some awesome cooking! I’m trying to get in all the corn and zucchini I can before summer is over and these look like the best way ever to do that! I also love the chipotle lime cream, I bet it all tastes amazing together :)

    Reply

    • Hi Isadora! Ah, yes… all the corn and zucchini! I know what you mean… it’s so fun combining and recombining veggies to see what can be created, or… recreated.

      Reply

    • Hi Rachel! Ooooh… I love it when I want to make something and have everything in the pantry! I hope you enjoy the recipe and thanks for stopping by! :D

      Reply

  25. Traci, these look INCREDIBLE! I’ll do pan-frying on occasion as well and it is such a fantastic treat. The colour on the outside -oh my gosh. I can almost imagine the crispy sound they’d make when you cut into them. Topping it with chipotle cream is pretty much the best thing I’ve read all week. Stellar!

    Reply

    • Oooo… crispy! Yes, and the chipotle cream really adds a good kick of spice to this. I bet cashew cream would work great here too! Thanks, Allison!

      Reply

    • Hi Arpita! No doubt zucchini is abundant right now! I can’t seem to get enough either, but Rob… I think he’s growing tired of it. :D Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  29. These look wonderful. I’m not a big “fryer” either so I love the pan frying method. This is a great way to use up those summer veggies – I’ll miss corn when it’s gone! Thanks, Traci – beautiful photos as always. PS: Glad you’re having fun with your mom!

    Reply

    • Hi Clare! Oh yeah, these fritters filling meal for sure. I make this with a big salad and an avocado dressing. It’s delicious! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  31. These are BEAUTIFUL. The crisp, perfectly browned tops, the creamy, vibrant chipotle cream, the bright lime.. truly a masterpiece. Love how you paired these bright summer flavors together, and the photography is just spot on. Awesome work Traci!

    Reply