Crispy on the outside, moist and bursting with juicy summer corn kernels on the inside, these crave-worthy vegan corn fritters are easy to make and absolutely scrumptious!
Nothing says summer quite like sweet, juicy fresh corn kernels. Summer corn is my favorite, and I find myself buying up LOTS of it during these warmer months.
But while I love plain old corn on the cob, sometimes I like to shake things up and incorporate my delicious sweet corn into fun new dishes. That's what inspired me to come up with this vegan corn fritters recipe.
If you've got some corn to use up and want something really delicious, then these fritters are for you! They're super easy too. Whip up a quick batter and these fritters cook in minutes, whether you're frying them on the stove or baking them in the oven.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Corn. Ideally you'll want to use fresh corn that's just been cut from the cob, but you can certainly substitute frozen corn when fresh isn't in season.
- Flour. I've only tested the recipe with plain old all-purpose wheat flour, so I can't guarantee results with anything else.
- Cornmeal.
- Baking powder.
- Ground cumin. This is optional, but I love the flavor that it adds to these fritters.
- Salt.
- Non-dairy milk. Use a variety that's unflavored and unsweetened. Soy milk, almond milk, or cashew milk would all be good choices.
- Peanut oil. This ingredient is for frying and can be skipped if you'd like to bake your fritters. Just about any high-heat oil can be substituted, such as canola, corn, or vegetable oil.
Optional addition: Jalapeño slices, for topping your fritters!
How They're Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- First you'll need to cut your corn from the cob. Shuck your corn, then place an ear in a large bowl. Use a large, sharp knife (such as a chef's knife) to slice the ear downward, removing the corn kernels.
- Make your batter. Stir the corn, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cumin and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour in the non-dairy milk and stir everything together just until combined.
Frying Method
- Heat a generous amount of oil in a medium nonstick skillet. You want the oil to be about ⅛ inch deep or more.
- Drop the batter into the hot oil, using about ⅓ cup for each fritter. Optionally, you can place a jalapeño slice on top of each dollop of batter.
- Fry the fritters for a few minutes on each side, being careful and testing each fritter to make sure it's solid before you flip it.
For Baked Fritters
- Drop the batter onto a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper and bake the fritters until fully set.
Tip: Baked corn fritters are delicious, but they won't be as crispy as fried. Their texture is soft and fluffy, almost like mini corn pancakes!
Leftovers & Storage
Vegan corn fritters are best served immediately, but if you do have leftovers they'll keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
To reheat your fritters, first thaw them if they're frozen (on the counter or in the microwave), then place them under a hot broiler until they begin to crisp back up.
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven't tried making them gluten-free, but I think an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend would be your best bet.
They can be served as an appetizer, side, or light main. Corn fritters are even great for breakfast! Whichever course you serve them for, I recommend having some toppings, such as salsa, barbecue sauce, vegan sour cream, guacamole, fresh scallions, chives and/or refried beans.
You can, but frozen corn is generally way better than canned, so if please try using that instead if corn isn't in season.
More Vegan Corn Recipes
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Vegan Corn Fritters (Baked or Fried!
Crispy on the outside, moist and bursting with juicy summer corn kernels on the inside, these crave-worthy vegan corn fritters are easy to make and absolutely scrumptious!
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels, about 4 ears worth of corn (Note 1)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ½ cup peanut oil, or as needed (for fried fritters only)
- Jalapeño slices (optional)
Instructions
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If you're planning on baking your fritters, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Stir the corn, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
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Pour in the milk and stir, just until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
For Fried Fritters
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Generously coat the bottom of a medium nonstick skillet with the oil (about ⅛ inch deep) and place it over medium heat.
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Once the oil begins to shimmer, drop the batter into the skillet, using about ⅓ cup for each fritter. Optionally place a jalapeño slice or two on top of each fritter. Cook the fritters in batches, frying as many as you can at a time without crowding the skillet.
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Cook the fritters for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, carefully testing each one before flipping to make sure it's ready and will hold together.
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Transfer the cooked fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain while you cook the remaining ones, adding oil to the skillet as needed between batches.
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Serve.
For Baked Fritters
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Drop the batter by ⅓ cupfuls on the prepared baking sheets. Optionally place a jalapeño slice or two on top of each fritter.
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Bake the fritters until they appear solid, about 12 to 15 minutes. They will only darken slightly since they're being cooked without oil.
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Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Let the fritters cool for a few minutes before removing them from the baking sheets.
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Serve.
Recipe Notes
- Frozen corn can be substituted when fresh isn't in season. Thaw it before you begin making the recipe.
- Nutrition information is approximate for fried fritters. Baked fritters will have about 58 calories, 0.6 grams of fat, and 0.1 grams saturated fat per fritter.
I can almost taste them...mmm! Question: do you know how I could incorporate creamed corn into the recipe? I'd like to use up my creamed corn before canning. Thanks!
I'm thinking you'll just need to decrease the amount of non-dairy milk (or maybe completely eliminate it) since the creamed corn will add some liquid. It might take a little bit of experimentation and will really depend on the ratio of liquid to corn in your creamed corn, but you'll be shooting for something that's basically like pancake batter with lots of corn kernels in it. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try!