Looking for a healthy breakfast or brunch option? These gluten-free corn fritters are a perfect choice! Packed with flavour and a hint of spice, they’re quick to make using canned corn and pantry staples. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also economical and freezer-friendly!
Originally published May 2019 | Reviewed and updated September 2024
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Corn Fritters
Corn fritters are a breakfast and brunch favourite. Whether you top them with smashed avocado, smoked salmon, a poached egg, or even crispy bacon, they make for a satisfying meal. Plus, you don’t need to visit a café to enjoy them – these fritters are super easy to make at home!
Using basic ingredients like canned corn, gluten-free flour, and eggs, you can whip up these fritters in no time. The best part? You don’t even need to cook the corn – just drain it from the can, blend, and cook up your fritters.
Ingredients Needed for Easy Gluten-Free Corn Fritters
- One can of corn kernels (420g) – or you could use approximately 2 cups of defrosted frozen corn kernels
- Red onion
- Parsley, mint or coriander – honestly they all work really well in this recipe! My favourite option is probably coriander, however I appreciate this is quite the divisive ingredient 😉
- Eggs
- Gluten free plain flour – I used the Orgran brand (made of maize, rice and tapioca) but any standard gluten free flour blend will do
- Baking powder
- Salt and pepper
- Curry powder
- Oil or ghee or butter or frying – I like to use extra virgin olive oil
How to Cook The Perfect Chunky Corn Fritters
Step 1. Finely chop your onion and set aside 1 cup of corn kernels. Roughly chop the herbs you’ve chosen.
Step 2. Blend the remaining corn kernels, eggs, flour, baking powder, curry powder, salt and pepper to the blender/processor and pulse again to form a thick batter.
Step 3. Stir through the onion, herbs and the intact corn kernels you set aside earlier. Now you’re ready to pan fry the fritters.
Step 4. Use about 1 heaped tablespoon of batter per fritter. Fry over a moderate heat in olive oil (or another oil of your choice), shaping into a fritter shape and flipping after 2-3 minutes. Cook until a lovely golden brown. You’re done! Serve with toppings of your choice.
Can You Freeze Corn Fritters? Absolutely!
One of the best things about these gluten-free corn fritters is that you can make them ahead of time and freeze them for later.
- After recipe testing and making multiple batches, I found that freezing them worked really well.
- Just place them in a zip-lock bag, and when you’re ready to eat, spread them on a baking tray and reheat in a hot oven (set to 180C). They’re ready in under 10 minutes!
- This makes these healthy corn fritters a great meal-prep option, especially if you love a hearty breakfast but don’t have time to cook every morning.
Ingredient Swaps for Gluten-Free Corn Fritters
This recipe uses a gluten-free flour blend – just your standard blend, the kind that’s available at most supermarkets. This is typically a gluten free flour that has a high proportion of starch (maize, rice, tapioca, potato are the common options). However, the type of flour isn’t TOO important—it’s just there to bind the fritters together.
- You could swap in brown rice flour or a 50:50 blend of buckwheat and tapioca flour.
- Please avoid almond meal or coconut flour, as they won’t work the same way.
- Not gluten-free? No problem! You can use regular plain flour instead.
For flavour, I love adding a bit of curry powder, but feel free to adjust the spices to your taste. If you’re making these for kids, you might want to skip the spice altogether.
Recipe Highlights
- Healthy & Gluten-Free: These fritters are made with gluten-free flour and canned corn, and pack in veggies, herbs, fibre and even some protein from the eggs.
- Economical: Using simple, affordable ingredients, this recipe is budget-friendly.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make them in bulk and freeze for a quick, reheatable breakfast or snack.
- Customisable: Adjust the spices, and choose your favourite toppings to make this recipe your own!
Try these Easy Gluten-Free Corn Fritters today!
Next time you’re craving a healthy, homemade brunch, give these gluten-free corn fritters a try! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram when you make them—I’d love to see your creations (I’m @nourish.everyday)!
Other healthy breakfast recipes you may enjoy:
Healthy Easy Gluten Free Corn Fritters
Ingredients
- 420 grams canned corn kernels (one standard tin of corn)
- 1/4 red onion or 1/2 a smaller-sized onion
- 1 large handful fresh parsley, mint or coriander (whatever you prefer)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup gluten free plain flour approximately 65-70 grams
- 1 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1-2 tsp curry powder (adjust quantity to taste)
- olive oil, ghee, coconut oil etc. for frying
Instructions
- Drain the corn kernels thoroughly. Measure out 1 cup of corn, and set the rest aside. Dice the onion finely, and roughly chop up the fresh herbs, removing any really thick woody stalks.
- Place 1 cup of the corn kernels and the eggs in a blender or food processor and pulse to form a chunky batter, it doesn’t need to be super smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, curry powder, salt and pepper to the blender/processor and pulse again to form a thick batter. Pour the mixture out into a bowl and stir through the chopped red onion, herbs and the remaining corn kernels.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan to a moderate heat; not too hot, or the fritters will burn. Add a little oil to the pan. (You need to add some oil if you want the fritters to brown up and crisp at the edges, so make sure to cook with at least a little grease in there!)
- Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of batter into the pan, shaping it into a flat fritter shape not more than 1cm thick. Repeat with as many as can fit in your pan.
- Cook the fritters for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. In between batches, add a little extra oil to the pan to keep the fritters from sticking, as necessary.
- Serve the fritters warm with sides of choice.
Notes
Nutrition
This was super easy and tasty. I left out the curry powder but used parsley and a bit of tarragon. Thanks
These were one of the yummiest things I have made.
I used a curry powder I had made for a Boobtie recipe and frozen corn (with a slight hit in the microwave to warm them up a little) instead of tinned (about 300 – 350g of frozen corn).
Will be trying to freeze these and see how they turn out when defrosted.
These were one of the yummiest things I have made.
I used a curry powder I had made for a Boobtie recipe and frozen corn (with a slight hit in the microwave to warm them up a little) instead of tinned (about 300 – 350g of frozen corn).
Will be trying to freeze these and see how they turn out when defrosted
Hi, just wondering what ratios or quantities of buckwheat & tapioca you might suggest.
Alternatively, would chickpea flour work?
Thanks
Unreal. What would be the calories per fritter?
Hi Emma, I have just updated the recipe to include nutritional information 🙂
Ripper. They are amazing. The family loved them too. Xx
Thank you so much!
Should the batter be quite thin?
Hi Cath, no the batter should be thick. If it’s thin add more flour 🙂
Thanks Monique, I just tried these and they are yum! Nice and easy to make.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review Himi! I really appreciate it 🙂
I just tried these and they worked out perfectly. Served them with a poached egg, smashed avo and beetroot relish. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback Lisa, I really appreciate it! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
Looks yummy! Do you think chia eggs would work?
Hi Hazel, I haven’t tried chia eggs myself in this but a vegan egg may work as the blended corn also helps to keep the batter together. I think a flax egg might be nicer in there rather than chia, but let me know how you go 🙂