How to Make Vegetable Fritters (Basic Fritter Batter Recipe)

John writes these articles to try to pass on any great recipes and tips that he's picked up during my culinary journeys.

Need an easy appetizer or snack and not sure what to make? Got some extra veggies in the garden or in the fridge? Well, then the answer is an easy one—crunchy and delicious fritters!

Corn fritters, zucchini fritters, pea fritters, onion fritters—once you’ve got a good basic fritter batter recipe up your sleeves, you’ll be enjoying crispy, fried savory fritters all the time, taking whatever good, fresh produce that happens to grace your kitchen counter and transforming that, through only a few minutes of work, into an indulgent treat that the whole family will love!

How to Make a Basic Fritter Batter

First, though, you need a good, basic fritter batter. Here is one I’ve adapted slightly from one of Michael Rhulamn’s recipes from his book Ratios (which is a worthwhile book to have). You can use this fritter batter for any number of different types of vegetables, altering the seasoning as needed to suit the tastes of the veggie in question.

Yield: About 20 good-sized fritters

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 to 5 cups chopped vegetables (good choices are corn or zucchini)
• Neutral-tasting vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Mix together the dry ingredients in one bowl, and in another bowl, beat the eggs and then pour in the milk.
2. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and then whisk to combine until lump free.
3. This makes enough batter to fritter up 4 or 5 cups of vegetables.
4. To proceed finely chop your vegetables and transfer to a bowl. Add in any additional seasonings as desired (chili powder is good for corn, mint is good for zucchini, etc.) and then pour on enough fritter batter to just coat the vegetables.
5. To fry, heat a heavy skillet over medium and add in about an inch of oil. When the oil is hot, spoon in a few spoonfuls of fritter batter with vegetables and fry until golden brown and cooked through, turning once—this should take 2 or 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd* the pan, fry in batches until done.

*You will have to do this in batches, so do not overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding the oil will result in a drop in oil temperature and heavy/greasy fritters instead of crisp and light ones. You can keep the finished fritters warm in an oven set on low heat, if desired.

Comments

Lori on August 11, 2020:

Do you recommend adding some grated Parmesan cheese? If so how much?

Becky from Oklahoma on May 09, 2013:

I can't wait to try this fritter recipe. I love experimenting with recipes that are new to me. Thanks

Karen Robiscoe from California on April 26, 2013:

at last!! an all inclusive fritter recipe. I was just thinking the other day--that if one had a good recipe for such, one could "fritter-i-fy" anything. And now I can...and will! Voting with my thumbs here...lots of things...:)

Susan from India on January 22, 2013:

Wow.. This looks very delicious and yuumy. Wil try them soon.

stessily on October 23, 2011:

John D Lee: Your adaptation of Michael Ruhlman's recipe is almost a carbon copy of mine, which features sunflower or safflower oil. They're my favorite oils for cooking because they are exceptional flavor enhancers.

Thank you for sharing!