Crispy Corn Fritters
We genuinely cannot stop making these. Crispy corn fritters are one of those recipes that sounds simple but absolutely delivers every single time. You get this incredible contrast of golden, crunchy edges with a soft, flavour-packed middle, and the harissa and cumin give them a warmth that keeps you going back for another one. The vegan buttermilk is a bit of a game changer too, it makes the batter so light and helps everything crisp up beautifully. Honestly, make these tonight, you will not regret it.
Before You Start
- Almond milk + lime juice mixed & left for at least 15 minutes
- Food processor or powerful blender
- Large bowl for chilling batter
- Batter chilled in fridge for at least 10 minutes
- Large frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 80ml almond milk
- 120g flour
- 5g fresh coriander
- 2 x 200g can of sweetcorn - drained and rinsed
- 1 lime
- 1 red chilli
- olive oil for frying
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 spring onions
- salt
- 1 handful of coriander chopped
- 30g cashews
- Splash of almond milk
- 2 spring onions - ends removed
- 1 large avocado
- 1 lime
Method
Make the buttermilk
- Place the almond milk in a bowl and stir through the juice of 1 lime
- Place to one side for at least 15 minutes to thicken
Make the fritter batter
- Once the buttermilk has thickened, place one can of drained sweetcorn into a powerful blender or food processor
- Add the buttermilk, gram flour, paprika, cumin, harissa paste and a pinch of salt and pepper
- Blend until the mixture comes together to form a smooth, thick batter
- Finely slice the spring onions and coriander
- Deseed and finely chop the chilli
- Add the sliced spring onions, chopped chilli, coriander and the remaining can of sweetcorn to the mixture and pulse a few times to mix everything together
Set the mixture
- Spoon the mixture into a large bowl, cover and place in the fridge to thicken for at least 10 minutes
While the mixture is thickening, make the dip
- Place the avocado, the juice of 1 lime, cashews, coriander, almond milk, spring onions and a pinch of salt into a powerful blender and blend until the mixture creates a smooth, creamy dip - adding a dash more almond milk as needed until you get the consistency you like best
Cook the fritters
- Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a generous glug of olive oil
- Once warm, spoon out large tablespoons of the batter in to the pan, pushing the mixture off with your finger and flattening slightly with the back of a spoon to make a disc
- Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy, before flipping over and frying for the same time. Repeat this process until you have used all of the mixture and you have all of your fritters
- Serve the fritters on a large serving plate, alongside the creamy avocado dip
Tips & Variations
- Get the oil hot enough: We find the fritters crisp up way better when the oil is properly hot before the batter goes in. Give it a minute or two and test with a tiny drop of batter first.
- Spice it your way: Henry always adds an extra spoonful of harissa if he wants more heat, or you can dial it right back for something milder. The fritters are great either way.
- Don't skip the resting time: Letting the buttermilk sit for a full 15 minutes makes a real difference to the texture of the batter. We know it's tempting to rush it but just leave it to do its thing.
Why This Works
The trick is blending one can of sweetcorn into the batter while keeping the second can whole, so you get this brilliant mix of creamy base and juicy pops of corn in every bite. The almond milk and lime juice buttermilk is something we swear by now, it adds a gentle tang and helps the gram flour bind everything together without it feeling heavy. Trust us on this one, it makes a real difference.