Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters Recipe

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

More Zucchini Recipes

ENJOY!

Tools Used in this Recipe

Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters

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

Course: Side Dish/Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 to 12 fritters

Calories: 95 kcal

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
• 3/4 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

1. Preheat Air Fryer to 360˚F.

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

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

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

5. Add flour and baking powder; stir until everything is well incorporated. If mixture is too wet, add a little more flour.

6. Shape the mixture into 10 to 12 patties.

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

8. Grease the air fryer basket with cooking spray.

9. 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.

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

11. Remove from air fryer and serve.

Recipe Notes

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

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Zucchini Corn Fritters

Amount Per Serving

Calories 95 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Cholesterol 35mg12%

Sodium 319mg13%

Potassium 205mg6%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 192IU4%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 80mg8%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.