Zucchini Ribbon and Sweetcorn Fritters with Herbed Yogurt
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By mid-July the zucchini plant becomes almost comically generous, throwing out glossy fruit faster than any household can eat them. Rather than let them swell into marrows, catch them young and firm for these golden fritters, shot through with sweetcorn cut straight from the cob. Grated, salted and squeezed dry, the zucchini keeps the batter tender while the corn pops between your teeth — a brunch built entirely from the height of the season.
⏱ Prep 25 min🔥 Cook 15 min👥 Serves 4📊 Level Easy
Ingredients for 4 people
3 medium zucchini, about 4 cups grated (500g)
1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 cup (150g) fresh sweetcorn kernels (from about 2 cobs; frozen and thawed works)
2 large eggs
3 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour (or fine chickpea flour for gluten-free)
¼ cup (15g) chopped dill and flat-leaf parsley, mixed
4 tbsp (60ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower, for frying
1 cup (240g) thick Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
The Recipe
Grate the zucchini on the coarse side of a box grater, toss with the 1 tsp salt in a colander, and leave for 15 minutes — the salt draws out water by osmosis so your fritters crisp rather than steam. Do not skip this step.
Gather the salted zucchini in a clean tea towel and wring hard over the sink until no more liquid runs out; you should extract close to half a cup of water. The shreds should feel dry and springy — this single act is the difference between crisp and collapsed.
Make the herbed yogurt while the zucchini drains: stir the yogurt with the grated garlic, lemon zest, half the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Let it sit so the raw garlic mellows into the yogurt rather than hitting sharp on the tongue.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then fold in the squeezed zucchini, sweetcorn, spring onions and chopped herbs. Sprinkle the flour over the top and fold just until no dry streaks remain — overmixing develops gluten and toughens the fritters.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium heat until a shred of batter sizzles on contact. Drop in heaped tablespoons of batter and flatten gently to about 1cm thick so the centre cooks through before the outside burns.
Fry for 3 minutes until the underside is deep golden and the edges look set, then flip once — resist the urge to move them earlier or the crust won’t form. Cook the second side for 2 to 3 minutes until firm to a light press.
Transfer to a wire rack, not paper towel, so steam escapes from below and the base stays crisp. Add the remaining oil and repeat with the rest of the batter, keeping the heat steady.
Serve warm, stacked, with a spoonful of herbed yogurt, a final squeeze of lemon and an extra scatter of dill. They hold their crunch for about 10 minutes off the heat.
