When summer rolls around, this corn fritters recipe is first on our list to make. They’re simple to prepare with just 5 ingredients, many of which are probably already in your kitchen pantry! When we’re tired of eating endless corn on the cob, these fritters are a delicious alternative. The easy batter is studded with the sweet kernels then pan-fried into golden, crispy fritters that you won’t be able to stop eating.
But wait, it gets better! This corn side dish only uses one mixing bowl for easy clean-up. It’s one of those recipes that’s great to make while the main course is still cooking away, since it only takes about 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish. Don’t skip these for your next warm weather meal, we love to serve them with BBQ chicken sliders or Instant Pot ribs.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ First time making these corn fritters. They were so easy to make and the family devoured them! ~Penny
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I made these for a snack for my husband and myself this morning!! We loved them! Easy, quick and so delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipes. ~Meridee
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A quick side dish in 20 minutes. In less than a half an hour you can have this fresh and delicious summer side ready to serve on a busy weeknight or for weekend entertaining.
- Customize the fritters with your favorite flavors. We love cilantro in our recipe, but you can add other herbs, spices, and even onion or scallion to change the recipe to fit any meal.
- Minimal ingredients for a side dish that’s rich in flavor. With just 5 basic ingredients, these patties are full of fresh seasonal flavors that everyone will love.
Tip for Busy Cooks: When it comes to purchasing corn for these fritters, we recommend fresh corn, but canned corn works too. We don’t recommend frozen corn since it has excessive moisture that will make the batter watery.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Sweet corn kernels – It’s best to make these during peak corn season when it’s as sweet as possible, but canned corn is a great substitute too.
- All-purpose flour – The base of the batter that keeps the patties together.
- Chopped cilantro – One of our favorite herbs to pair with corn, parsley also works well too.
- Coarse kosher salt and black pepper – Together they season the fritter batter. We love how the black pepper compliments the natural sweetness of the corn.
- Large eggs – Be sure to buy the large size here, they bind the corn batter together.
- Vegetable or canola oil – This is the cooking fat for frying the corn fritters. You want a neutral in flavor oil that will cook the fritters until they are beautifully golden brown on the outside with a little bit of crunch.
How to make this easy corn fritters recipe
It’s so easy to make corn fritters with fresh sweet corn. Everything comes together in one bowl and then pan-fried to golden crisp perfection!
The easiest way to cut corn kernels off the cobb is to use a Bundt pan and a very sharp paring knife.
- Set the corn vertically in the middle of the pan, as shown below.
- Cut down the kernels starting from the top. The pan will catch all the kernels without making a mess.
- Mix together corn, flour, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined.
- Add beaten eggs and mix well.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. (I use a 12-inch nonstick skillet pan.)
- Add oil enough to cover the bottom of the pan and heat it’s until nice and hot.
- Drop about 6 fritters into the hot skillet, about ¼ cup of corn mixture for each fritter, and flatten them a bit.
- Cook the fritters until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the fritters and cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Transfer fritters onto a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- If not serving immediately, keep the fritters warm in the oven at 200°F so that the texture stays nice and crisp on the outside.
Expert Tips
- For easy cutting of the corn kernels off the cob, place the cob into the hole in the center of a bundt pan. With a paring knife, carefully shave down each side of the cob and the kernels will fall into the pan. It’s genius!
- Swap out the cilantro for another fresh herb. We love the brightness of cilantro, but parsley, chives, or tarragon are also nice choices.
- Customize the flavor with other mix-ins and spices. We love adding green onion, minced red onion, even smoked paprika, or ground cumin for a different flair.
- For even mixing of the batter, combine the dry ingredients first before adding the egg to ensure an evenly seasoned mixture.
- Use a large cookie scoop for uniform fritters. It’s also quick and easy to drop the batter into the skillet.
- Make sure your oil is hot prior to frying the fritters. This is essential to getting a nice golden brown and crispy outside on the fritters. Test the temperature of the oil by adding a little spoonful of batter first to see if it sizzles.
What to serve with sweet corn fritters
When it comes to serving, these fresh corn fritters make the perfect side dish for almost any protein. We love adding them to a barbecue menu, bringing them to a summer potluck, or even packing them for a picnic. Here are some of our favorite dishes to pair with them.
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork is a quick and easy inside barbecue recipe that anyone can master. It’s a hands-free main course.
- Beef Brisket on the grill: If you follow the directions carefully, this is also such a simple main course to prepare. While the brisket is cooking for a while on the grill, you can be inside preparing all the delicious side dishes (including these corn fritters!).
- Jalapeno Popper Pasta Salad: It’s a summer barbecue classic recipe with a twist. The jalapeno popper flavor is fun and a favorite for both kids and adults.
- BBQ Ribs: Who doesn’t love ribs? They’re perfect to serve up with a corn side dish.
- Cucumber Radish Salad: We always love including a cool salad to balance everything out, this cucumber salad can be made in advance for easy meal prep.
Storing Tips
Store leftover corn fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftover fritters in a skillet over medium heat for a couple minutes per side. This will help the outside of the fritters re-crisp. We don’t recommend reheating the fritters in the microwave since this will make them soggy.
Freezing the corn fritters works well too, just be sure to reheat them in the skillet or in the toaster oven so they aren’t too moist after thawing.
FAQs
No, just use corn that is in peak season and carefully cut the kernels off of the cob.
In a nutshell, hushpuppies are made of corn flour, while corn fritters are made of whole corn kernels.
When the batter has too much moisture, the fritters may come out soggy. Also cooking the fritters on higher heat helps to create nice crisp exterior.
Keep the fritters on a wire rack to maintain the crisp texture longer. If not serving right away, keep them in a warm oven at 200°F.
Other Easy Side Dish Recipes
Easy Corn Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups sweet corn kernels 4 ears of corn
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs beaten
- Vegetable or canola oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together corn, flour, cilantro, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Add beaten eggs and mix well.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. (I use 12-inch nonstick skillet pan.) Add oil enough to cover the bottom of the pan and heat it until nice and hot.
- Drop about 6 fritters into the hot skillet, about ¼ cup of corn mixture for each fritter, and flatten them a bit.
- Cook the fritters until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the fritters and cook for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Transfer fritters onto baking sheet lined with wire rack. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Serve immediately. If not serving immediately, keep the fritters warm in oven at 200°F so that the texture stays nice and crisp on the outside.
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
– Store leftover corn fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
– Reheat leftover fritters in a skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side. This will help the outside of the fritters re-crisp.
– Freezing the corn fritters works well too, just be sure to reheat them in the skillet or in the toaster oven so they aren’t too soggy after thawing.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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Reader's Reviews
Mimi D says
Easy recipe that worked great – one issue is that it’s a little bland – would some cheese help?
Bitsy says
I’ve made them before, added 1/2 corn kernels and half creamed corn, I’ve also added a little banana, not bland at all either way.
Penny Braden says
1st time making these corn fritters. They were so easy to make and the family devoured them!
Shinee says
Hi, Penny! I’m so glad you tried and loved these fritters recipe. I appreciate your feedback!!
Norma Pokocky says
Delicious and so simple!!
Shinee says
Hi, Norma! So happy you loved the recipe. I appreciate your feedback!!
Tara says
Do you need to cook the corn first?
Shinee says
Hi, Tara. No, you don’t need to cook the corn first.
Meridee Lewis says
I made these for a snack for my husband and myself this morning!! We loved them! Easy, quick and so delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Shinee says
Yay, so happy you tried and loved this recipe. Thank you for your feedback, Meridee.
Olya K. says
These look amazing! Can’t wait to try them!!!
Shinee says
Thank you, Olya. Let us know your feedback if you try this recipe.
Aundriea says
Hi! We are wanting to use this recipe for our e-newsletter and post on our social media as well as our website. Do we need to do any special mentions or credit for using the recipe and/or photos?
Shinee says
Hi, Aundriea. Thank you for reaching out. We don’t allow full recipes republished on other websites and social channels. If you would like us to develop recipe(s) for you, please send us an e-mail (shinee@busycooks.net) and we can chat further.
Karly says
These look amazing! I like the bundt pan trick, I’m going to use that one.
Shinee says
It’s so easy with a bundt pan for sure. Thanks, Karly!