Corn and zucchini fritters

This low-cost corn fritter recipe is one of our best and makes a delicious vegetarian lunch or dinner. It’s quick and easy, ready in under 30 minutes and is a great way to use up leftover vegetables.

Serves: 4 (makes 12)

Time to make: 30 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

½ cup skim milk

2 eggs

1 cup self-raising flour

2 cups corn sweetcornXkernels

300g courgettezucchiniXszucchini, summer squashX, coarsely grated, excess moisture squeezed

½ cup grated reduced-fat cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

½ lemon, 1 teaspoon zest

spray oil

4 teaspoons tomato relish

4 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

8 cups salad with a little dressing, to serve

$AVER recipes were costed at $5 or below at the time of publication. We are mindful that seasonal and regional availability and price fluctuations occur - click here for healthy shopping tips for greater savings.

Instructions

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1 Whisk together milk and eggs in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in flour until smooth and well combined. Stir through corn, courgettes, cheese, herbs and lemon zest.

2 Spray a large frying pan with oil and place over a medium-high heat. Spoon quarter-cupfuls of mixture into pan, 3 fritters at a time. Cook for 3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Spray pan with a little more oil. Continue with batter to make 12 fritters in total.

3 Serve fritters with tomato relish, sour cream and salad.

Variations

Pea, haloumi and roasted capsicum fritters: Replace corn with 2 cups thawed frozen peas, replace cheese with 1/2 cup grated haloumi. Add 1/2 cup diced roasted red capsicum. Reduce courgettes to 200g. Omit parsley. Continue with steps 2 and 3. Garnish with a little extra diced roasted capsicum.

Thai chicken fritters: Replace corn with 2 cups shredded, skinless, cooked chicken breast, replace courgettes with 300g grated carrot, replace parsley with chopped fresh coriander, replace chives with chopped fresh mint. Omit lemon zest. Add 1 long red chilli (finely chopped). Continue with steps 2 and 3. Serve with sweet chilli sauce and lime wedges.

Spicy carrot and corn fritters with mango chutney: Reduce milk to 1/4 cup, reduce flour to 1/2 cup. Replace courgettes with 2 cups grated carrot, replace parsley with chopped fresh coriander. Add 1 long red chilli (finely chopped) and 2 teaspoons curry powder. Omit lemon zest. Continue with steps 2 and 3. Serve with mango chutney.

Tuna, olive and courgette fritters: Reduce corn to 1 cup. Add 185g can tuna in spring water, drained, flaked, add 1/3 cup sliced Kalamata olives, add 4 thinly sliced spring onions. Replace cheese with 1/2 cup crumbled feta. Omit chives. Continue with steps 2 and 3. Serve with salsa of 1 diced tomato with a splash of balsamic.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 452 cal

Kilojoules 1890 kJ

Protein 19 g

Total fat 22 g

Saturated fat 6 g

Carbohydrates 45 g

Sugar 7 g

Dietary fibre 4 g

Sodium 290 mg

Calcium 280 mg

Iron 3 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.