We’re kind of coming full circle here, with Budget Bytes. I started this blog as a log of what I was cooking up in my kitchen with my limited budget and over the years it has grown into a massive recipe development project. But now, with limited grocery access, I’m returning to just showcasing the things I’m cooking up in my kitchen with what I have. These Vegetable Fritters are one of the things I’ve made while isolating at home. It’s just a mish-mash of the vegetables I had on hand in my fridge and freezer, fried up with a simple batter, and served with a sour cream based Garlic Herb sauce. It’s simple, delish, and a great way to use up your leftover vegetables so they don’t go to waste!
Shown with the small enamelware tray (affiliate link).
What Vegetables Can I Add to the Fritters?
Some other vegetables that would be excellent in these fritters include cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, mushrooms, spinach, potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and bell pepper. For really soft, high-water-content vegetables, like eggplant, zucchini, and frozen spinach, you probably want to sauté them first to eliminate some of the excess moisture before adding to your fritters. No matter what mix of vegetables you choose, you will need about 4 cups of finely chopped or shredded vegetables for this recipe.
No matter what vegetables you plan to add to your fritters, make sure to shred them (using a large-holed cheese grater or food processor), or chop them finely so the fritters hold together better.
Other Add-ins
If you want to make these cheesy fritters, you can add some grated Parmesan (about ¼ cup) or some shredded cheddar (½ cup) to the batter. Another option is to change up the seasoning. I made my vegetable fritters super simple because I actually enjoy being able to taste the individual vegetables, but you can also experiment with adding different seasonings like ranch powder, Cajun seasoning, or a basic seasoning salt like Lawry’s. Just make sure that if you’re adding a seasoning that already contains salt that you also reduce the salt added to the batter.
How to Serve Vegetable Fritters
Vegetable fritters make a great appetizer or side dish to just about any main. I’d serve them next to something like meatloaf, Glazed Chicken Thighs, Sloppy Joes, Portobello Burgers, or just serve them right on top of a pile of creamy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes (in place of the dipping sauce)
Can I Bake the Fritters?
No, these will not turn out well if baked. They definitely need to be fried in oil to create the correct texture.
How Are the Leftovers?
As with any fried food the fritters do not stay crispy on the edges, but I still find the leftovers to be quite flavorful and delicious! As long as you’re not expecting a crispy fritter, I think they’re quite enjoyable as leftovers. I reheated mine using a microwave, but you could also heat them in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through.
Vegetable Fritters with Garlic Herb Dipping Sauce
Servings 3 3 fritters eachIngredients
Garlic Herb Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup sour cream ($0.22)
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp dried basil ($0.03)
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp onion powder ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp pepper ($0.02)
Vegetable Fritters
- 1/2 lb. frozen broccoli florets ($1.30)
- 1 cup frozen corn ($0.35)
- 1 carrot ($0.07)
- 3 green onions ($0.30)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour ($0.08)
- 2 large eggs ($0.47)
- 3 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.12)
Instructions
- Make the garlic herb dipping sauce first, so the flavors have some time to blend. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate the dip until ready to eat.
- Allow the broccoli and corn to thaw, or use the defrost function on a microwave thaw to them. Finely chop the broccoli. Peel and grate the carrot using a large-holed cheese grater. Slice the green onions.
- Add the broccoli, corn, carrots, and green onion to a large bowl. Also add the flour, eggs, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a large non-stick skillet (cast iron, ceramic, or teflon) over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot and the oil is shimmering, add the vegetable fritter batter to the skillet in ¼ cup dollops, pressing the mixture down to a flat pancake once it's in the skillet. Cook the fritters for about 3 minutes on each side, or until deep golden brown on both sides. Cook 3 or 4 fritters in the skillet at a time, adding another tablespoon of oil between batches. Transfer the cooked fritters to a paper towel lined plate.
- Once all the fritters are cooked, serve while still warm, with the garlic herb sauce for dipping.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Vegetable Fritters – Step by Step Photos
Make the garlic herb dipping sauce first so the flavors have a little time to blend. This is basically just sour cream plus my All-Purpose Garlic Herb Seasoning (a half batch). It also makes a great chip dip! Stir together ½ cup sour cream, ½ tsp dried parsley, ¼ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp dried basil, ⅛ tsp garlic powder, ⅛ tsp onion powder, ⅛ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp pepper. Refrigerate the dip until ready to serve.
Thaw ½ lb. frozen broccoli florets and 1 cup of frozen corn. Finely chop the broccoli florets.
Peel and shred one carrot (about 1 cup once shredded). Slice 3 green onions.
Add the broccoli, carrot, corn, and green onion to a large bowl.
Also add 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp garlic powder.
Stir until everything is evenly combined and coated in batter.
Cook the fritters in batches of 3 to 4 at a time, in a non-stick skillet (any type of non-stick, like cast iron, ceramic, or teflon). Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to the skillet before each batch and heat over medium until the skillet is hot and the oil shimmering. Once hot, add the batter, ¼ cup at a time, pressing it down into a pancake once it’s in the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until deeply golden brown.
Transfer the cooked vegetable fritters to a paper towel-lined plate before cooking the next batch.
Once they’re all cooked, serve warm with the garlic herb sauce for dipping!
Thanks for the dressing recipe! :) I actually don’t have sour cream on hand, but I do have Kefir! And I think Kefir is a good substitute. :) Can’t wait to try!
Thanks so much for this recipe!! I’d never tried making fritters before – in fact, I don’t think I’d ever even eaten a savoury fritter before – but tried it on a whim yesterday after seeing this, because we had a couple vegetables on the verge of going bad in the fridge. We made ours with carrot, zucchini, corn and green onion and they were lovely! I’ll definitely be making these again and again.
These looks so yummy! It’s great to see a new recipe from you! I’ve been hoping and praying you were safe from the tornado damage in Nashville!
Can you substitute almond flour? I am following a low-carb diet and cannot eat all-purpose flour.
We haven’t tested the recipe with almond flour yet, but you can certainly give it a try and report back to let us know.
I’m so excited to try these! I have fresh broccoli-would i need to partially cook the broccoli before using them in the vegetable mix for the fritters or can I put them in raw? Thanks for always providing great recipes!
You can put them in raw. Frozen are just briefly blanched so if you wanted to you can do that but you don’t have to.
Love fritters! I eat them as my main course – after all, they’ve got egg and flour for protein and then lots of veggies. I often use zucchini which I shred, salt down and squeeze dry before adding to the rest of the mix. I usually use a zucchini, onion and corn but I am finding vegetables sitting in my fridge so will try with the cauliflower and broccoli!
So excited to try this. Can you make the batter and form the fritters, but freeze them for a later date? Do you think they would still cook okay from frozen?
Yes they should be okay. We haven’t tried it from frozen yet but I think they’d be great!
Do you think these would work to be fried in the air fryer instead?
We haven’t tried them in an air fryer. But I think it would be a great test run to try!
Now that is the kind of thing I can make. Thank you.I can make fritters from most anything – I had forgotten about fritters.
Made tonight. Delicious as usual- all your recipes are. They never disappoint. Thank you! (I subbed plain yogurt for the sour cream bc i didn’t have any and bell pepper as you suggested instead of corn bc its what I had on hand. Recipe still turned out absolutely amazing. 10/10. I make a ton of your recipes and just never get around to posting reviews! I’m trying to remember to do that more!!
Made these tonight with my daughter. I was the sous chef, and she mixed them up and cooked them. Pretty much made like the recipe except for using plain Greek yogurt with a little milk added substituting for the sour cream in the dipping sauce. Would recommend making the dipping sauce the night before, or at least, a few hours ahead to let flavors blend.My husband, daughter and I ate them all at one sitting. Yummy! Thanks!
These were SO good! I used some cauliflower and grated some potato in with the carrot and peppers.
My kids loved these and loved the sauce too! Thanks so much. We always come to your site for recipes, but even more so now!
We love fritters at our house! The All-Purpose Garlic Herb Seasoning sounds amazing and I will definitely be making up some today. Stay safe, Beth!
Can’t wait to try these (when I can get my hands on some eggs)! Seriously, this blog has been tremendously helpful during the current shortages. I usually keep a good stock of pantry staples on hand (pasta, canned tomatoes, dried beans, rice). Since many of your recipes call for things I have on hand, I’ve been able to keep myself fed without braving the plague of locusts that has infected my local supermarkets. Today I made curried chickpeas with spinach and chunky lentil and vegetable soup.
Thank you for your covid-19 quarantine posts! Many of us are used to always having basic groceries available and facing supermarkets with limited supplies forces us to be willing to improvise. You always provide alternatives in your recipes, which are highly needed right now. Thank you!