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!
More zucchini you say!? Why, yes! My Ma was here, all the way from Texas, to help me with this one. Our CSA share continues to provide copious amounts of zucchini and I couldn’t help but load up on corn at Prairie Bottom Farm, knowing my Ma would go crazy for it. Then, my very Southern Ma, who will stop at anything for fresh corn, had a brilliant idea; roasted corn zucchini fritters?! We got to work.
My Ma has been visiting for about 2 1/2 weeks and just left a few days ago. We did a lot of cooking, eating and discussing recipes. She is an excellent cook, and whatever we talk about, it usually ends up being about food.
She is a consistent source of ideas and inspiration, whether we are in my kitchen or at a restaurant, picking apart the details and talking about it is our thing.
To shred up the zucchini, I use a microplane, which makes the job fast and easy. What’s not so easy is cutting corn off the cob. It takes a bit of effort, but the flavor of fresh corn is irresistible.
I opted for masa harina in this recipe instead of the traditional corn flour typically used in fritters. Masa harina is a fine grain corn flour that is often used in making corn and flour tortillas, as well as tamales. It yields a sweet yet robust corn flavor to any food it’s added to.
Mom and I decided a poblano pepper would be best suited for a bit of heat in the fritters. We figured a jalapeño would be a bit too hot with the added chipotle cream sauce, and wanted something a bit milder. The poblano yields a nice, low-key kick with a mellow smoky flavor.
I’m not much of a fryer… but when it comes to pan frying, I’ll do it on occasion. Of course, a fritter just wouldn’t be a fritter without a bit of pan frying!
Ma picked up a slotted spatula for me and it’s the perfect tool for this job! It scooped up the fritters with ease and allowed excess oil to flow through, back into the pan. This is an advantage, especially if you’d rather have the oil in the pan and not on the fritters after they’re done frying.
After pan frying, I popped these fritters in a 350F oven for 15 minutes. This helps crisp the outer edges of the fritters. Strange, I know. But it works! I used this time to whip up the chipotle cream.
Crisp, smoky, spicy, creamy and irresistibly corny (huh?)…. all at the same time.
Roasted Corn Zucchini Fritters with Chipotle Lime Cream
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!
Ingredients
For the Fritters:
- 2 lbs Zuchinni medium (about 1 1/2 C after straining or 3 1/2 C pre- straining)
- 2 Ears of Corn (about 1 1/2 C of ...corn - off the cob)
- 1/3 C Sweet White Onion small dice, about 1/2 small onion
- 1/3 C Poblano Pepper small dice, about 1/2 small poblano
- 1 Clove Garlic large, or 2 tsp minced
- 1/2 C Masa Harina Flour
- 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 1/4 tsp Salt divided
- 1 tsp Ground Pepper
- 3/4 C Milk (nut or dairy) + 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar or use 3/4 C Buttermilk
- 1 Egg
- 2 tsp Coconut Oil + Coconut Oil for Frying about 1/2 C
- Chives Lime Wedges and Cilantro For Garnish
For the Chipotle Cream:
- 1/2 C Sour Cream
- 1 in Chipotle Pepper adobo sauce
- 2 tsp Adobo Sauce
- Pinch of Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 Lime juiced
Instructions
For the Fritters:
- Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400. Wrap the corn, husks on, in aluminum foil. Roast corn for 1 hour.
- Grate the zucchini on a box grater or microplaner. Place the grated zucchini in a colander over the sink. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt over the zucchini and mix well. Allow to drain for 25 minutes.
- Dice the poblano and onion into small dice. In a saute pan, add 2 tsp coconut oil. Heat oil until it shimmers. Saute the poblano and onion on medium heat for about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. The onions will become soft and the poblano should get a bit of a black char on them. This will bring out their flavor. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and place in a large mixing bowl. Remove the onions and poblano from heat and place in the large mixing bowl with the garlic. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the masa, all purpose flour, baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a measuring cup, mix the milk and 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar (or use buttermilk). Wait 5 minutes (this allows the milk/vinegar mixture to sour) then whisk in the egg. Set aside.
- Squeeze out the zucchini by placing it between kitchen towels or paper towels. Work in 1 cup batches to get it as dry as possible. Place the zucchini in the bowl with the onion, poblano mixture.
- When the corn is finished roasting, remove it from the foil and allow to cool. Remove the husk and cut the wide end off. Carefully, cut the kernels off the cob by placing the wide end perpendicular to the cutting board and glide the knife down the cob removing the kernels. Place the kernels in the bowl with the zucchini mixture. Mix well.
- To the zucchini mixture, add the flour mixture, mix well. Add the milk mixture and stir.
- Add about 1/8" coconut 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. Cook on each side for about 2-3 minutes on med to med high heat. Remove 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.
- Place the fried fritters on SilPat or parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, serve with garnishes and chipotle cream.
For the Chipotle Cream:
In a food processor add the sour cream, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce 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 30 seconds and it's ready to serve. Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Recipe Notes
These fritters freeze well. Store cooked fritters stacked between small sheets of parchment paper and slide into 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.
Recipe adapted from Dinners Dishes and Desserts.
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I could eat these for brunch or dinner….they look yummy. Perfect way to use zucchini!!
Agreed! And the subtle kick from the pablanos make these sooo tasty! I’m looking forward to zucchini season! :D
This website was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something that
helped me. Thanks!
Hooray! So happy to help Carla! :D
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.
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
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.
I always make my zucchini fritters with carrot. You have inspired me to try them with corn! These look so freeking yum!
:D Thanks so much Julie! Go get that frozen corn!
Ooh, fritters, of course! I have a huge pile of zucchini in my fridge and was wondering what to do with it and what to make for dinner. You just answered both questions!
Yessssss! I hope you enjoyed the recipe, Nora! I curious about the type of flour you used…. :)
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!
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!
That’s just great!!! Thank you for the addition and reply:)
;)
This looks great – corn and zucchini is one of my favorite combinations!
Hi Claudia! Ooooo.. it’s one of mine too! Thanks for stopping by!
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 :)
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.
These fritters look amazing!! I never made fritters, but I really want to try these – I even have most of the ingredients! Definitely giving these a go.
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
Traci, these look delicious! Zucchini and corn looks like a wonderful combination. And that chipotle cream sauce is making my stomach growl! I love how easy it is to make sauces/dips in a food processor. Thanks for sharing such a lovely recipe.
Haha! Julia! Thank you! Yeah, that food processor works hard in my kitchen. It makes whipping things up quick and easy! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Traci, this recipe looks AWESOME! I can’t wait to try this. And as usually your tutorial pictures are great! Have a wonderful weekend ;-)
Hi Olivia! Thanks so much!
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!
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!
I just love fritters.. just cant get enough of Zucchini.. these fritters look amazingly flavourful.. Yummyyyy!!!
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!
These fritters look amazing!!!
Hi Marla! Thank you! :D
Hello Traci!
Your roasted corn zucchini fritters with chipotle lime cream looks just amazing and very healthy.
Hi Anita! Why, thank you! I hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
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!
Thank you, Geraldine! I’m wishing I had another freezer for all the corn i’d freeze! It’s so good straight from the husk!
Oh my, I think my family could make a meal of these! And if they don’t I could.
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!
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!
Cheryl, this Traci’s Ma, all the way from Texas. I wanted to tell you how much I enjoy you comments and how encouraging you are. In fact, every time Traci and I taste tested a recipe, no matter where we were, our exclamations were a direct quote from your comment, “Damn! STOP IT!” It was a perfect way to express our joy!!
Hi Traci’s Ma! :) That’s so sweet of you to say. Traci writes and photographs beautiful recipes so I want to be able to say I knew her when.. just saying! But I’ll give her that.. she’s a bit frustrating. How does she keep coming up with such simultaneously elegant but homey dishes?! Damn…. just stop it!!
:D
LOL :D
Damn, Ma! STOP it!
Thanks, Cheryl! You’re the best! :D