Hello, Flavor Town! These Mexican Corn and Cotija Cheese Fritters have it all. A little spice, sweet, savory, and creamy, all wrapped into one. Take advantage of corn season and make these epic Mexican corn fritters with creamy avocado cilantro sauce. You’ll be amazed at how easy and delicious this side dish is!
- Avocado: Used in the avocado cilantro sauce, providing a rich, creamy texture and a fresh, mild flavor that complements the fritters.
- Greek yogurt: Adds a tangy flavor and creamy consistency to the avocado cilantro sauce, enhancing its smoothness and balancing the richness of the avocado.
- Corn: Fresh corn kernels are the main component of the fritters, providing a sweet, juicy crunch that is essential for the texture and flavor of the dish.
- Cotija: Adds a salty, tangy flavor and crumbly texture that enhances the overall taste and richness of the fritters. It also serves as a garnish for added flavor.
- Chili powder: Chili powder imparts a mild heat and earthy flavor to the fritters.
- Scallions: Add a fresh, mild onion flavor to the fritters.
- All-purpose flour: A binding agent in the fritter batter, helping to hold the ingredients together and providing structure.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the fritter batter, ensuring the fritters are tender and not too dense.
Substitutions and variations:
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free yogurt for the avocado cilantro sauce and substitute milk with coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk, or any other non-dairy milk. Replace cotija with another dairy-free cheese or omit it.
- Spicy: Add extra chili powder or add minced jalapeno to the corn fritter mixture.
- Gluten-free: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
- Herbs: You can swap the scallions for basil or cilantro.
- Vegetables: You can add roasted peppers to the batter or top the fritters with roasted tomatoes. The options are endless!
Step-by-step instructions for Mexican Corn and Cotija Cheese Fritters:
Step 1: Make Avocado Cilantro Sauce
What I love about these Mexican corn fritters is that they’re not deep-fried. Instead, they’re pan-fried in just a bit of oil, making them easy to make and healthier. I mean the sauce even has avocado so let’s go ahead and say these are healthy.
Since the fritter batter comes together quickly, let’s make the avocado cilantro sauce first.
Make the avocado cilantro yogurt sauce by blending the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set it aside.
Feel free to make the sauce the day before. In fact, it tastes better as it sits.
Step 2: Prepare Corn Fritters
To make these fritters, you have to use fresh corn. There’s no sugar-coating it, canned or frozen corn will not do. They may make an okay fritter, but fresh corn makes a huge difference in the texture and overall taste.
Season the corn just like how you would elote corn, with cotija and chili powder, and add scallions, egg, and the dry ingredients.
At this point, you can hold the batter in the fridge until ready to cook. When you’re ready to cook the fritters, give the mixture a stir and proceed with the recipe.
Step 3: Cook Fritters
Heat oil in a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat and place about ¼ cup of the corn fritter batter into the pan. You can make them smaller, but I wouldn’t make them any bigger. The bigger the fritters are, the harder it will be to flip them over.
Be careful while these are cooking because the corn can pop.
Flip the fritters once they become browned and cook on the other side. These cook quickly, so don’t step away from them for too long! Remove them from the pan and serve them with avocado cilantro sauce and lime wedges.
Make-ahead and Storage for Mexican Corn and Cotija Cheese Fritters:
- Make-ahead: The avocado cilantro sauce and corn batter can be prepared the day before. You can also cook the fritters ahead of time and reheat them in the air fryer or the oven until hot.
- Store: Keep the sauce in a separate container from the fritters. Hold in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I use canned or frozen corn instead of fresh corn?
Yes, you can use canned or frozen corn if fresh corn is not available. The results won’t be the same as using fresh corn, but the fritters will still be good. If using canned corn, be sure to drain and rinse it well. If using frozen corn, thaw it completely and pat it dry to remove excess moisture before adding it to the batter.
How do I prevent the fritters from falling apart while cooking?
Ensure the batter is well combined and not too wet or dry. If the fritters are falling apart, you can add a little more flour to help bind them. Also, make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the batter to the pan; this helps form a crispy crust that holds the fritters together.
What can I serve with Mexican corn fritters?
Mexican corn fritters can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or even a main course.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Apple Fritters with Maple Glaze (Overnight Recipe)
Tropical Bliss Pineapple Fritters
Mexican Corn and Cotija Cheese Fritters
Equipment
- Large Skillet (I prefer cast-iron, it goes from stove/oven to table)
- Blender/Food Processor Combo optional
- High Speed Blender optional
Ingredients
Avocado cilantro sauce:
- 1 medium avocado pit and skin removed
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- juice of ½ lime
- salt and pepper
Mexican corn fritters:
- 1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons cotija plus extra for topping
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ cup chopped scallions
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Make avocado cilantro sauce: Blend together avocado with cilantro, juice of ½ lime, yogurt, and water until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make corn fritter batter: Combine corn with cotija, chili powder, scallions, egg, flour, milk, baking powder, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Scoop ¼ cup of corn mix into hot oil to make a fritter. Repeat with remaining batter, cooking until golden brown on both sides.
- Serve Mexican corn fritters with avocado cilantro sauce and garnish with cotija and cilantro.
Notes:
- The avocado cilantro sauce can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.
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