For the same reason we love doughnuts (fried cake? Count us in!), fritters are our favorite way to enjoy summer produce. Hey, if a doughnut can count as breakfast, then a crispy fried fritter filled with fruit or vegetables can count as a healthy snack. You may have had them before without even realizing it — think falafel and latkes, which get golden and crunchy around the edges in a way that makes eating beans and veggies a pleasure. Luckily, you can make a fritter with just about anything you have on hand, from the classic corn variety to more daring takes stuffed with kohlrabi or rhubarb. These 15 recipes will make using up the bounty in your garden the tastiest adventure of the summer.
Beet and Cumin Fritters
These fuscia beet patties, drizzled with a beautifully contrasting yogurt sauce, are as delicious as they are eye-catching. Best of all, they’re a meal in themselves, full of nutritious edamame, tofu, potatoes, and herbs. (via Blissful Basil)
Prosciutto and Corn Fritters
Corn fritters are a great breakfast, but add in some prosciutto and suddenly, you’ve got dinner. It adds a salty, savory flair that strikes a pleasing balance with the sweet summer corn. (via The Charming Detroiter)
Baked Green Pea Fritters
Even in the oven, these green pea patties get crispy and golden brown. Add them to wraps, dip them in yogurt, or sneak them cold out of the fridge as a midnight snack. (via Wallflower Kitchen)
Spiced Parsnip Fritters
If ever there’s a veggie you don’t know how to use, chances are frying it up in a nice eggy batter will do the trick. Here, parsnips get frazzled and crisp in the skillet, then dunked in a cilantro and yogurt sauce. (via The Last Food Blog)
Bourbon Glazed Peach Fritters
Fragrant, juicy peaches should be included in all summer desserts. Paired with fried dough and a sticky-sweet bourbon glaze, they’re like the best possible iteration of the food at the county fair. (via Half Baked Harvest)
Baked Cauliflower Fritters
Cauliflower is the vegetable of the moment, and when it’s made into these baked fritters, it’s easy to see (or taste) why. Garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese add the flavor, while mild cauliflower keeps things moist-yet-crunchy. (via The Petite Cook)
Leek and Kohlrabi Fritters
If ever there were a recipe to convince you to buy kohlrabi and leeks in the same week, it’s this. Held together by a chickpea flour batter, these skillet cakes are dunked in a zippy sumac yogurt sauce after they’re done cooking. (via Healthy Nibbles and Bits)
Fluffy Carrot Broccoli Fritters
Breathe some life into your weekday staples of broccoli and carrots by transforming them into fluffy fritters. Eat them on their own, or stuff them into pita pockets or burger buns for easy noshing. (via Happy Foods)
Spicy Corn Fritters With Chipotle Dip
Spicy jalapeño and fresh (or frozen) corn come together to make these crispy patties. Dairy-free veggie cream cheese makes for an easy dipping sauce. (via Healthy Delicious)
Brussels Sprouts Fritters
The secret to these Brussels sprouts masterpieces? Massage the sprouts before cooking them, so they get nice and tender in a shorter amount of time, avoiding the cabbage-y flavor everyone dreads when it comes to Brussels. (via The Fitchen)
Blueberry Fritters
For dessert or breakfast, the fresh pop of fruit flavor from blueberries is always welcome. With a golden brown exterior, soft interior, and juicy bits of berry throughout, these fritters are hard to pass up any time of day. (via The Beach House Kitchen)
Carrot Fritters With Whipped Ricotta
These delicate fried carrot cakes are surprisingly sweet. Whipped ricotta and a lemon-dressed, peppery watercress salad keep the flavors in balance. (via A Salad for All Seasons)
Tofu Zucchini Fritters With Peanut Sauce
Tofu makes these zucchini patties into a full meal. Serve them with crunchy iceberg lettuce and a rich peanut sauce. (via Vibrant Plate)
Rhubarb Fritters
The key to taming the tart rhubarb in this recipe is in the sweetened, enriched dough that’s spiced with grains of paradise, adding complexity that can stand up to the filling. (via Baking Sense)
5-Ingredient Parmesan Zucchini Fritters
Nutty Parmesan adds deep flavor to these fritters. And with just five ingredients, you can make them even on weeknights. (via Spoonful of Flavor)
Justina Huddleston
Justina Huddleston is a food writer living in Los Angeles. When she's not busy writing, she spends her time in the kitchen creating both virtuous and decidedly junky vegan food. Buffalo chickpea pizza, anyone? She's also been known to eat a plain block of tofu or beans straight out of the can for lunch, but somehow those culinary adventures don't make it to her Instagram. You can follow Justina on Twitter or see what's cooking in her kitchen on her blog, A Life of Little Pleasures.
