Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (2024)

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Katerina

4.94 from 16 votes

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Summertime, and the livin’ is easy… especially when you have an Air Fryer and a great recipe! And these Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters are that recipe. Filled with sweet corn, fresh zucchini, and a hint of satisfying Parmesan, they are so full of flavor, you’ll make them again and again!

Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (2)

    CRISPY AIR FRYER ZUCCHINI CORN FRITTERS

    One of the awesomest things about summer is the explosion of fresh, delicious produce. In fact, sometimes the sheer amount and variety of seasonal produce is a little overwhelming. That’s what I love about recipes like this. Combining zucchini and corn, this fabulous fritter recipe showcases and enhances the natural delicacy and sweetness of the ingredients — and helps use up your summer bounty of fresh veggies! 🙌

    WHY USE AN AIR FRYER FOR FRITTERS?

    So fritters, by definition, are little fried patties, usually of fruit or veggies. So far, so good, right? But let’s be honest: deep-frying is kind of a pain. Dropping food into a saucepan or skillet full of hot oil, carefully lifting out the food items, draining them, and repeating the process – it’s a lot.

    The mess, odor, and potential for injury (um, yikes?!) is enough to make you avoid deep-frying completely. Not to mention the health risks associated with typical frying oils, and the cost of using oil in large volumes, only to toss it afterwards!

    Air Fryers, on the other hand, work super well to crisp up foods, giving them that classic fried texture and taste – with hardly any oil! Even better, there’s virtually no mess, so cleanup is easy and quick. All you have to do is lightly spray your fritters with healthy cooking oil, place into the fry basket, and go! The convection heat does the rest!

    Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (3)

    RECIPE INGREDIENTS

    • Fresh Zucchini: Grate your zucchini with the large holes of a cheese grater.
    • Corn Kernels: You can use fresh, frozen, and even canned.
    • Parmesan Cheese
    • Onion: The onion should be grated like the zucchini.
    • Salt, Pepper, and Paprika
    • Dried Parsley, Basil, and Oregano: You can also use fresh, finely chopped.
    • Eggs
    • Flour: You can use all-purpose, or go with almond flour for a keto, low carb, GF version.
    • Baking Powder
    • Oil Spray: Any high-heat cooking oil spray will work.

    Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (4)

    HOW TO MAKE THESE ZUCCHINI CORN FRITTERS

    1. Prepare Zucchini and Onion: Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the zucchini and onion separately. Place the grated zucchini into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as possible.
    2. Mix Up the Fritter Batter: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except flour, baking powder, and oil spray. Mix well to combine, and then gently stir in the flour and baking powder until just combined.
    3. Make Patties: The batter should be firm enough to make into patties, rather than runny. If necessary, add more flour to get a firm consistency. Shape into 10 to 12 patties.
    4. Air-Fry the Fritters and Serve: Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place fritters in basket (work in batches so you don’t crowd the fritters). Spray the fritters lightly with oil and cook 6 minutes. Turn, spray again, and cook 6 minutes more. Serve warm.

    TIPS FOR THE BEST FRITTERS

    Follow these tips to make the most of this tasty dish!

    • Chill out: To ensure the fritters are firm and won’t fall apart, try chilling the formed patties for 5 to 8 minutes before frying.
    • Bread ‘Em Up: For extra crunch, try pressing a layer of breadcrumbs or crushed pork rinds onto the outside of the fritters before frying.

    Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (5)

    SERVING SUGGESTIONS

    These fritters are perfect as an appetizer, or as a side dish for a casual meal! Here are a few of my favorite serving ideas to really bring out the flavors:

    • Pork Chops: Try serving the fritters alongside a juicy pork chop recipe, like my Instant Pot Pork Chops with Creamy Ranch Sauce.
    • Chicken Enchilada Soup: Take things for a Southwest spin with my easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup. The Tex-Mex flavors of the soup work perfectly with the zucchini and corn in the fritters!
    • With a Variety of Dips: You can also serve the fritters with any dip you like, from french onion to jalapeno guacamole!

    HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVERS

    • To Freeze: Wrap fritters tightly in freezer paper or plastic wrap to keep out as much air as possible. Then place the wrapped fritters in freezer bags, pushing out as much air as possible before sealing.
    • To Refrigerate: Wrap the fritters loosely with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture, and then pack the wrapped fritters in food storage bags or containers. Store for up to 5 days.
    • To Reheat: If reheating from frozen, first thaw in the refrigerator. Then, unwrap the fritters and place on a jelly roll pan or other baking dish. Heat in the oven at 350˚F until warmed through.

    Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (6)

    More Zucchini Recipes

    • Creamy Parmesan Baked Zucchini
    • Grilled Zucchini Salad with Corn and Tomatoes
    • Zucchini Tomato Casserole

    ENJOY!

    Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (7)

    Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters

    Katerina | Diethood

    A light and summery fritter recipe combining sweet corn, fresh zucchini, onion, and Parmesan.

    4.94 from 16 votes

    Servings : 10 to 12 fritters

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

    Prep Time 15 minutes mins

    Cook Time 15 minutes mins

    Total Time 30 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound zucchini, (about 2 medium zucchinis)
    • 1 cup corn kernels, (canned or frozen)
    • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 cup yellow onion, grated
    • 1 clove garlic, finely minced
    • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
    • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
    • 1 cup almond flour, OR all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • oil spray
    • sour cream, yogurt, herb dip, ranch dressing, etc..., for serving, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat Air Fryer to 360˚F.

    • Shred the zucchini using the large holes on a box grater; transfer grated zucchini to a kitchen towel.

    • Wrap kitchen towel around the zucchini and squeeze out as much water as you possibly can. Transfer zucchini to a large bowl.

    • To the zucchini, add corn kernels, cheese, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, paprika, and beaten eggs; stir to combine.

    • Add flour and baking powder; stir until everything is well incorporated. If mixture is too wet, add more flour. The drier the zucchini, the less flour you'll need to use.

    • Shape the mixture into 10 to 12 patties.

    • OPTIONAL: Place the raw patties in the freezer for around 5 to 8 minutes to keep their shape.

    • Grease the air fryer basket with cooking spray.

    • Working in batches - DO NOT crowd the air fryer basket - place the patties in the air fryer in a single layer and spray each patty with cooking spray. Cook for 6 minutes.

    • Flip over the patties; spray with cooking spray and continue to cook for 6 to 8 more minutes, or until browned.

    • Remove from air fryer and serve.

    Notes

    • OPTIONAL: Place the raw patties in the freezer for around 5 to 8 minutes to keep their shape.
    • NET CARBS: 5 g

    Nutrition

    Calories: 95 kcal | Carbohydrates: 7 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 35 mg | Sodium: 319 mg | Potassium: 205 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 192 IU | Vitamin C: 9 mg | Calcium: 80 mg | Iron: 1 mg

    Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

    Course: Side Dish/Appetizer

    Cuisine: American

    Keyword: air fryer, best zucchini recipes, corn side dish recipe, zucchini fritters

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

    Categories:

    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizers
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters - Easy Zucchini Recipe! (2024)

    FAQs

    Why are my fritters not crispy? ›

    The most common causes for soggy fritters are too much batter (basic flour and egg batter like used in pancakes will never cook up crispy), and whatever you're frittering leeches too much water when cooking.

    Does baking soda make fritters crispy? ›

    Is baking soda or powder best for frying? A pinch of baking soda can help produce crispy fried foods. It reacts with the acid in the batter to create carbon dioxide bubbles. These lead to an airy batter and a crisper, fluffier result.

    How do you stop soggy fritters? ›

    Tips and Tricks
    1. Squeeze out any excess water from the vegetables such as potatoes and zucchini after grating to prevent soggy fritters.
    2. If you find the mixture is too wet, add additional flour.
    3. Try and make the fritters approximately the same size so that they cook evenly in the oven.
    Jul 17, 2023

    Why are my zucchini fritters sticking to the pan? ›

    If your zucchini fritters are falling apart, it's likely because the fritters are sticking to the skillet or the batter was too wet. Getting the zucchini dry before preparing the batter so the binding agents can hold the fritter together. If you have a non-stick frying pan, opt for that as well.

    What makes batter more crispy? ›

    Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy.

    What powder makes food crispy? ›

    But the baking powder is key, because it acts like a salt. It helps draw moisture to the surface, where it can evaporate. Since they have similar reactions, we typically combine baking powder and table salt to amplify this effect, resulting in extra-crispiness.

    What makes batter crispy baking soda or baking powder? ›

    Baking soda doesn't, but baking powder does. Don't use it in huge quantities, but like, a teaspoon of baking powder to a cup of flour when making a batter will elicit extra crispiness.

    Why do you put baking powder in fritters? ›

    They just need a simple, light batter of flour, cornstarch, and baking powder mixed with seltzer to tie them together. The seltzer and baking powder ensure that the fritters are shatteringly crisp–even slightly tired vegetables emerge from the oil crunchy, fresh, and sweet.

    Why is my fried zucchini mushy? ›

    Zucchini is made of over 90% water. When cooked, it gets soft and slowly releases that water into whatever dish you're cooking. If zucchini is overcooked, it will have a mushy, soft texture. In certain recipes, the author may recommend that zucchini be patted dry or salted and drained before cooking.

    Why are my veggie fritters soggy? ›

    The eggs you use need to be small and cold. Larger eggs have more water from the egg white, resulting in wetter batter and soggy fritters. Add flour to your wet batter! Most veggies have a high water content (which we know equals soggy fritters).

    Why are my corn fritters falling apart? ›

    If your oil temperature drops, the fritters will soak up excess oil while cooking, leaving them soggy. Why are my corn fritters falling apart? If using frozen or canned corn, make sure to drain well to eliminate excess moisture. Always spoon and level dry ingredients to make sure your measurements are consistent.

    How do you keep zucchini crisp when cooking? ›

    The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

    How do you crisp soggy zucchini? ›

    Slice and salt zucchini in advance of cooking to draw out some of the vegetable's excess moisture (while also seasoning it more thoroughly). To do this, cut up a pound of zucchini and toss it with ½ teaspoon of table salt. Let it drain in a colander for about 30 minutes before patting it dry and cooking it.

    Why are my fritters soft? ›

    When frying, work in batches and avoid sticking the fritters too close together in the pan. If they are too close, they'll create steam which will make them too soft. Use hot oil! Don't add the fritters to the pan until the oil is nice and hot.

    Why are my potato fritters soggy? ›

    If your potato fritters are soggy, it's likely because too much liquid remained in your vegetables or the oil and skillet weren't hot enough. A hot skillet with hot oil is how you keep potato pancakes crispy.

    Why did my apple fritters get soggy? ›

    Frequently Asked Questions. Why are my apple fritters soggy? This is most likely the result of oil temperature. If your oil is too cool, your fritters will take a long time to fry and will end up greasy.

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