This quinoa corn fritters are made with egg and green onion cooked in coconut oil and a fun way to change up your side dish.
Sometimes I make my way into the kitchen with just an idea. It starts out with a mental list of ingredients or chicken scratch on a post it note from the bright pink stack on my work desk when something randomly popped into my head (most likely while writing some boring proposal about facilities work on some college campus). I start combining ingredients, then begin to slightly deviate from the chicken scratch post it, poke through the pantry or fridge and throw some more random ingredients in here and there and before I know it, the dish has morphed into something completely different than what I set out to do.
Sometimes I probably would’ve been better off sticking to the post it note, other times it’s like divine intervention and it was meant to be.
Divine might be a stretch, but this is definitely one of those meant to be times.
Roasted corn, coconut oil, smoked paprika, almond meal and eggs. So weird, so many different flavors and yet, they work together magically in a way I never would’ve thought of on paper.
That’s why I love food. There are so many variations out there to play with. It’s like the world’s biggest blank canvas except instead of coming up with some crazy Bob Ross painting, you get fritters.
Delicious eggy, quinoa, corn fritters. They could be a great savory brunch dish, lunch or a side to dinner. A versatile flavor explosion in your mouth.
So if you have nothing to do this weekend, go play with your food!
Quinoa Corn Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup frozen roasted corn, or fresh off the cob
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup egg whites, plus more on hand for cooking (see directions)
- 1/2 cup cooked red quinoa
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond meal/flour
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Combine corn, shallot, garlic, green onion, jalapeno, egg, 1/4 cup egg whites, quinoa, almond meal and spices in a medium bowl.
- Stir together until completely combined.
- Preheat a skillet to medium heat.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil.
- Scoop mixture in approximately 1/4 cup spoonfuls onto hot skillet and press down into patty form.
- Carefully pour about 1 tablespoon of egg whites over fritter to help bind it together while cooking.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Set aside on a paper towel to drain.
- Repeat the same process in 1/4 cup spoonfuls until mixture is gone adding more coconut oil to the skillet as needed in 1/2 tablespoon increments.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
I LOVE this! I used to never like corn (and I shouldn’t because it’s bad for my Blood Type, oh well) but I recently had Panera’s summer corn chowder and it reminded me just how delicious corn is. So this recipe is perfect. I really wanna make this. And I will. Sooner than later :) Thanks!
Oh Gina – you did it again, cooked something with all the ingredients I had in my head too!! Made these last night (except mine were just flour, corn, onion, parsley, spices). These look great & I can’t wait to make more corn fritters (without forgetting to make a sauce) this week with my huge bag of CSA corn I am sure to get!
great spin on corn fritters and throwing quinoa in the mix! i’m sure it’s hearty and filling with that addition :) great ideas always come from chicken scratch :)
These look so great, a lovely throw-together lunch.
Just received 72 ears of corn from our CSA. This recipe sounds like one my family would love and one that would use up some of the corn!
woah, that’s a lot of corn!
WOW – 72!? and I thought my 20 ears I got was overwhelming!
I adore this Gina. Quinoa is my go-to lately and I love a new spin on quinoa cakes!
ok i commented, but then something crazy happened so it might post twice…
almond meal is different than almond flour right? they can’t be used interchangeably? Also, coconut oil….is that used for health purposes or can other oil work as well…say evoo? Look at me with all the questions today.
Almond meal is just coarser than almond flour. They can be used interchangeably in this, it doesn’t have to be exact for fritters :) Oil wise, honestly I used the coconut b/c I wanted to see how the flavor combo would turn out but you can definitely use another since I know you despise coconut ;)
HA! I’m so busted!! LOL. Mostly its the texture of coconut that I despise and not so much the actual flavor….so I’ve been thinking of trying out some coconut oil just to see what I think.
And thanks for the insight on the almond flour/meal. I’ve always wondered and since you are my food guru I knew you would enlighten me. :)
I want these for lunch right now!
I just luuuv corn fritters, but the traditional way of making them is not so great for my bikini body(ha ha ha). I would eat these as a meal with a salad, yum!
I just ate that exact thing for lunch! With some avocado, greek yogurt and salsa on top. :)
these are like little pancakes – with eggs and corn and quinoa and I wish I would have thought to do this.
I *just* made something with corn and had tons leftover but used it all. Had this post come 1 day earlier, I would have made these!