Zucchini, Edamame and Corn Fritters with Vegan Option

These crispy zucchini corn fritters with edamame are a wonderful side dish and have so much flavor despite having simple ingredients. They are one of my favorite savory dishes to make and a great way to squeeze some extra vegetables into your diet.

Ingredients for Zucchini and Corn Fritters

Before you make this recipe, make sure you have all the ingredients you need. I’ve listed all of the ingredients down below along with a few substitutions. For the best results, I recommend sticking to the original ingredients listed. 

Ingredients	Substitutions
Corn meal	All-purpose flour
All-purpose flour	Corn meal
White sugar	Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar
Salt and black pepper	–
Baking powder	–
Large egg	Chia seed egg, flax egg, vegan egg
Milk	Plant-based milk of choice, heavy cream, half and half
Frozen corn kernels, defrosted	Fresh corn kernels, canned corn kernels
Zucchini, finely diced	Shredded zucchini, grated zucchini
Steamed edamame	–
Olive oil	Canola oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, butter
Thai sweet chili sauce (optional)	Ranch dip, other dipping sauce

How to make Zucchini and Corn Fritters

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (corn meal, all-purpose flour, white sugar, salt and pepper, baking powder) and whisk together. Then, add your wet ingredients (egg and milk). 

Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until no dry spots remain. Add the corn, zucchini and edamame to the batter and fold in until well combined. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil. Once heated, add a ¼ cup scoop of fritter batter to the hot oil. Fry in batches of 3-4 and flip when one side is golden brown. Continue cooking until both sides are browned and crispy.

Once one batch is done, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Lay out your fritters in a single layer to ensure any excess oil is absorbed. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet to cook another batch of fritters.

Enjoy your fritters with a side of Thai sweet chili sauce or another dipping sauce of your choice. The fritters are best enjoyed fresh and warm.

How to make it vegan

Good news! You can easily make this recipe vegan by making a few easy swaps. The only non-vegan or animal-based ingredients in this recipe are the eggs and the milk.

So, to make this recipe vegan, you must replace these ingredients with vegan alternatives. 

Vegan alternatives to egg include flax egg, chia egg or a vegan egg (options listed below). Alternatives to milk include plant-based options like oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, hemp milk and pea milk.

To make a vegan egg using chia seeds or flax seed, simply combine one tablespoon of seeds with three tablespoons of water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has gelled. Gently stir together and add to the batter.

As for the plant-based milk, it will be a one to one ratio. The recipe asks for ¼ cup of milk, so simply add ¼ cup of plant-based milk instead. 

If you want to try a vegan egg alternative, a few options are listed below. These links are affiliate links so I do make a small commission if you purchase through them.

Storage Tips

If you made more corn fritters than you can eat in one sitting, good news! They store nicely and can be easily warmed in the oven, air fryer or microwave. 

Once your fritters have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container to store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you choose to freeze them, transfer them to a freezer bag, remove any excess air and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are corn fritters good for you?

While I can’t speak for all corn fritters, this recipe in particular is quite nutritious. One serving (about 2-3 fritters) contains about 250 calories, 8 grams of protein, 29 grams of carbohydrates and 13 grams of fat.

Along with this, one serving contains about 3 grams of fiber, less than 2 grams of added sugar, only 2 grams of saturated fat and is a good source B vitamins, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc.

The only downside of this recipe is that it is high in fat. While these fats come from mostly unsaturated sources, too much fat can trigger acid reflux or other digestive issues for some people. If you watch your fat intake, try making these in the air fryer or oven with minimal oil.

Can you digest corn?

Yes, you can digest corn. Despite the fact that you may see whole pieces of corn in the toilet bowl, this is just the leftover fiber that wasn’t fully broken down during digestion. The nutrients of the corn are still absorbed during the digestive process, so you will still reap the benefits.

If you tried out this recipe and enjoyed it, make sure you leave a comment and rating down below or tag me on social media @tasteitwithtia. I love to hear your feedback, it means the world to me!