Corn and summer squash (or zucchini) fritters with cornmeal and fresh herbs are a delicious recipe for intruding an abundance of summer vegetables to your little one. They're perfect for baby led weaning, and the whole family will love them!
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
Corn and Summer Squash Fritters
When summer squash season starts to ramp up, you may be finding yourself looking for all of the ways to use up yellow squash and zucchini. These fritters are one such way to use summer squash in a tasty side dish that is easily customizable to use what you have on hand for a 'choose your own adventure' fritter. The flat shape and soft texture are perfect for introducing squash (or zucchini) and corn to little eaters using a baby led weaning approach, but older children and adults will love them, too! I tried to keep the method unfussy by not requiring and pre-cooking of the vegetables. You do have to grate and squeeze out the squash to remove moisture, but a food processor with a grater attachment can make quick work of it.
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Ingredients
- Yellow squash - one medium one, a zucchini will also work here.
- Corn - Use a fresh ear of corn if you have it, otherwise canned or frozen will work.
- Garlic - Fresh is always best.
- Fresh herbs - Chives are classic, but you can use any tender herb you like, such as green onion, basil, oregano, or even cilantro depending on the flavor profile you're going for.
- Cheese - Another place you can choose your own adventure. I used goat cheese here, but white cheddar (or classic cheddar), parmesan, or mozzarella would also be great.
- Flour - To help hold everything together. I used whole wheat, but all purpose works too.
- Cornmeal - gives more texture and a bit more corn flavor.
- Baking soda - not completely necessary, but it does prevent your fritters from being too dense.
- Egg - Helps bind everything together. If you are allergic or out of eggs, you can double the buttermilk.
- Buttermilk - I like the flavor of buttermilk but I know many people don't keep it on hand. You can use regular milk, but you'll need to add ¼ teaspoon baking powder.
- Salt and pepper - Optional, for a little more flavor.
- Oil - For frying. I use avocado oil. You don't need a ton because we're not deep frying, but enough to coat the bottom of the skillet well.
Step By Step Instructions
For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Using a large hole grater or food processor with a grater attachment, grate the squash onto a clean dish towel or a double layer of paper towels. Squeeze out as much moisture from the squash as possible. You'll need about a cup of squash after squeezing.
- Chop the garlic and herbs. Cut the corn kernels from the cob and give them a rough chop (you'll need about ¾ cup).
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, salt and pepper.
- Add the flour, cornmeal and baking soda and stir to combine.
- Add the squash, corn, garlic, herbs and cheese and fold to combine evenly.
- Heat a large skillet (I like cast iron) over medium heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom well, but not enough for deep frying. Scoop the batter using a 3 tablespoon scoop into the pan and flatten with the back of the scoop. Cook fritters for about 3 minutes per side, repeating with the remaining batter and adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
Tips and Recipe Variations
- Don't over-crowd the skillet. You'll have to work in batches. You can keep the fritters warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven (a wire rack helps keep them crispy if you have one).
- If the bottoms start to get brown too quickly when cooking, turn the heat down on the stove. You want the bottoms golden while the insides cook all the way.
- As listed above, there are several recipe variations you can make:
- Swap the yellow squash for zucchini.
- Use frozen or canned corn in place of fresh. Either way, drain and roughly chop the kernels.
- Choose any fresh herb and any cheese you like. I used goat cheese and chives, but I think basil and/or oregano and goat cheese, dill and white cheddar, or cilantro and cotija or cheddar would be delicious.
- Leave out the salt for babies under 1, and give everyone else's fritters a pinch of salt as they come out of the skillet.
- Replace the egg with an additional ¼ cup of buttermilk.
- Replace the buttermilk with regular milk. Add ¼ teaspoon baking powder to the recipe. (But don't swap the egg and the buttermilk. Buttermilk can bind decently but milk really doesn't).
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stove over medium-low heat with a touch of oil, or in the air fryer or toaster oven on the lowest setting until warmed through.
Fritters can be frozen, but they will get a little soggy upon thawing and will have to be re-crisped in a skillet on the stove.
How To Serve Squash Fritters To Babies 6 Months and Up
For baby led weaning babies 6 months and up, cut fritters into strips the width of your finger. This shape is great for babies to grasp and bring to their mouths. Once babies develop a pincer grasp (usually around 9 months), you can cut fritters into bite-size pieces.
Serve fritters with sour cream, plain yogurt, or any other favorite (baby-appropriate) sauce for dipping. I like sour cream mixed with chives or other fresh herbs, or my basil yogurt sauce!
More Baby Friendly Recipes For Using Summer Squash
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Summer Squash and Corn Fritters
Summer squash (or zucchini) and corn fritters with cornmeal and fresh herbs are a delicious recipe for intruding an abundance of summer vegetables to your little one. They're perfect for baby led weaning, and the whole family will love them!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 10 fritters 1x
- Category: side dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Note: This recipe has so many options for changes you can make. Rather than listing them all here in the ingredients, I've listed them in the "notes" section, so look there for substitutions.
- 1 medium yellow squash or zucchini (you'll need about 1 cup once it's grated and squeezed)
- 1 ear corn, about ¾ cup kernels
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ tsp each salt* and pepper
- ¼ cup flour, whole wheat or all purpose
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 3 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
- avocado oil or other neutral oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Using a course grater or food processor with a grater attachment, grate the squash onto a clean dish towel or double layer of paper towels. Squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can. You'll need roughly 1 cup after squeezing.
- Roughly chop the corn kernels, mince the garlic, and finely chop the chives or other herbs.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, salt and pepper.
- Add the flour, cornmeal and baking soda to the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
- Stir in the grated squash, corn, garlic, herbs, and cheese, making sure everything gets coated well.
- Heat a large skillet (I like cast iron) over medium heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet, but not a deep layer like you would for deep frying.
- Once the oil is shimmering, scoop the batter by 3 tablespoon (a #20 or 47 ml cookie scoop) into the skillet, flattening each with the back of the spoon. Leave plenty of room for each fritter to cook. Cook fritters for about 3 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until golden on the bottoms and cooked through. If they start to get brown too quickly, turn the heat down.
- Add more oil to the skillet as needed to repeat with the remaining batter. Cooked fritters can be kept warm in the oven at 200°F on a baking sheet (with a wire rack if you have one) while you finish cooking the rest.
Notes
Substitutions:
- *Salt: You can leave out the salt for babies under 1 year. Give everyone else's fritters a nice pinch of flaky or kosher salt after cooking.
- Corn: You can use frozen or canned corn. Thaw/drain the kernels and give them a rough chop.
- Chives: Use any combination of fresh herbs that you like. Basil, oregano, green onion, dill, or even cilantro would be great depending on the flavor profile you're going for.
- Goat cheese: Use any cheese you like. Grated white cheddar, parmesan, feta or mozzarella would be good.
- Egg: For allergies (or if you just don't have an egg), you can leave the egg out and use an additional ¼ cup of buttermilk.
- Buttermilk: Though I like the flavor of buttermilk, you can use regular milk. Add ¼ teaspoon baking powder in addition to the baking soda. Do not sub both the egg and buttermilk, though.
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