Golden and crunchy pan-fried fritters are a firm family (and HelloFresh) favourite. When cooked correctly, they are a delicious way to sneak in veggies for fussy eaters, and can be as light or as filling as you like!
While traditional fritter batter is made with egg, milk, flour and your choice of veggies (zucchini, carrots, corn and sweet potato are some of the most popular), they can also be dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free.
Check out our top tips for cooking the perfect fritter, straight from the HelloFresh kitchen below!
Ingredients do’s and don’ts
- Pick a good egg! The eggs you use need to be small and cold. Larger eggs have more water from the egg white, resulting in wetter batter and sad, soggy fritters. The reason you want a cold egg is because cold liquid helps to slow the development of gluten when liquid and flour are added together, which makes for a better texture!
- Add flour to your wet batter! Large veggies have a high water content (which we know equals soggy fritters). But don’t stress! Adding flour to a wetter batter will give you the thick consistency you want.
- Add crumbled stock cubes for a flavourful kick! Add as little or as much as you like (or none at all), depending on the flavour you want.
Batter up!
A common problem with fritters is that they’re just too soggy! And no one wants that. Raise your batter game by using these tips…
- Salt your grated vegetables for 20-30 minutes prior to draw more water out of the veggies!
- Squeeze the liquid out of your grated ingredients. We recommend using a clean chux, kitchen paper or muslin, and don’t be scared to squeeze firmly! You’ll be surprised how much liquid comes out.
- Don’t overmix the batter! Doing so develops the gluten in the flour, which results in a less desirable texture.
- Let the batter rest in the fridge before cooking. This will let the gluten in the batter relax, making for a nicer texture once cooked.
Cooking 101
- Don’t be scared of oil. Make sure you add enough to the pan, as it will help to give crispiness, good colour and delicious flavour to the fritters.
- Let it sizzle! Your pan needs to be properly heated up before cooking. If the fritter doesn’t sizzle when it hits the pan, you know it’s not ready!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this causes the temperature of the pan to drop, resulting in limp, under-cooked fritters.
Check out some of our customer’s favourite recipes below!
FAQs
If your zucchini fritters are falling apart, it's likely because the fritters are sticking to the skillet or the batter was too wet. Getting the zucchini dry before preparing the batter so the binding agents can hold the fritter together. If you have a non-stick frying pan, opt for that as well.
Why are fritters soggy? ›
Why fritters are soggy. The most common causes for soggy fritters are too much batter (basic flour and egg batter like used in pancakes will never cook up crispy), and whatever you're frittering leeches too much water when cooking.
How to thicken fritter batter? ›
Add flour to your wet batter! Large veggies have a high water content (which we know equals soggy fritters). But don't stress! Adding flour to a wetter batter will give you the thick consistency you want.
Are fritters supposed to be soft inside? ›
That you want crispy outsides goes without saying – there's nothing sadder than a towering stack of soggy fritters. But we also need to get the inside right. We want moist insides but not soggy and certainly not dry.
Why are my corn fritters falling apart? ›
If your oil temperature drops, the fritters will soak up excess oil while cooking, leaving them soggy. Why are my corn fritters falling apart? If using frozen or canned corn, make sure to drain well to eliminate excess moisture. Always spoon and level dry ingredients to make sure your measurements are consistent.
What can I use to bind fritters instead of egg? ›
Some common egg substitutes include:
- Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
- Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
- Fruit puree. ...
- Avocado. ...
- Gelatin. ...
- Xanthan gum. ...
- Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
- Margarine.
Is baking soda or powder best for frying? A pinch of baking soda can help produce crispy fried foods. It reacts with the acid in the batter to create carbon dioxide bubbles. These lead to an airy batter and a crisper, fluffier result.
Why add baking powder to fritters? ›
They just need a simple, light batter of flour, cornstarch, and baking powder mixed with seltzer to tie them together. The seltzer and baking powder ensure that the fritters are shatteringly crisp–even slightly tired vegetables emerge from the oil crunchy, fresh, and sweet.
What makes batter more crispy? ›
Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy.
How to fix doughy fritters? ›
The overcooked exterior and undercooked interior indicates that your oil temperature is too high or your fritters are too large. You should be able to solve your problem by frying at a lower temperature and/or making the fritters smaller.
Tips and Tricks
- Squeeze out any excess water from the vegetables such as potatoes and zucchini after grating to prevent soggy fritters.
- If you find the mixture is too wet, add additional flour.
- Try and make the fritters approximately the same size so that they cook evenly in the oven.
Do not overwork the batter. To do so will produce a tough, rubbery fritter instead of a light but crusty one. Two cups of Bisquick can be substituted for the flour and baking soda if you'd like to have your fritters come out with a more cake-like texture.
Why are my fritters oily? ›
Breading or coating the snacks with breadcrumbs, flour and other foods like oats, flattened rice may absorb more oil and can inflate calories. If you want to reduce absorption of oil in fritters or snacks make sure you coat the snacks with a thin batter of all purpose flour, rice flour or corn flour.
