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
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.
Why are my vegetable fritters soggy? ›
Why Are My Vegetable Fritters Soggy? The most common reason that fritters get soggy is due to cooking them in oil that isn't hot enough. So first make sure that you use just enough oil to cover the surface of your skillet.
Why do my fritters fall apart? ›
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.
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.
Which will create the crispiest batter for frying? ›
Use Cornstarch or Rice Flour
Michael says that cornstarch or rice flour in combo with flour will give you the crunchiest batter. Even cake four will cook up crunchier than all-purpose flour because it doesn't have a high gluten level.
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. This is why rice flour is often used when making tempura because it produces a very thin and crispy, dry crust.
What should the consistency of fritter batter be? ›
Batter consistency is key to good fritters. If too runny, add a touch of extra flour (otherwise fritters soggy inside). If way too thick, add a touch of water. It does come down to how juicy / how well the water was removed from the zucchinis.
Should you rest fritter batter? ›
Refrigerate it, covered, at least two hours. It may even be stored overnight. This resting period allows a fermentation that breaks down any rubberiness of the batter--a process that is further activated if beer or wine forms part of the liquid used.
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.
How to know when fritters are cooked? ›
Fry the fritters: Let the fritters cook undisturbed until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the patties with the spatula and cook until browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes more.
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.
Don't flip too often.
Let the fritters cook undisturbed for a few minutes, then flip only once and cook without moving again. This prevents them from falling apart and helps form that golden brown crust.
Why are my fritters gooey? ›
Put the shredded zucchini in a strainer over a bowl or in your sink and toss it with a little salt, letting it sit for about 10-15 minutes. This step will draw out moisture, which if left in, will make your fritters gooey and mushy.
Can I use cornstarch instead of flour for fritters? ›
You can also use cornstarch/cornflour, or tapioca flour, instead. Of course, you can certainly just use all-purpose flour, but the fritters will not be as crispy.
Do you put fritter batter in the fridge? ›
We suggest making up the batter without the grated courgettes. Grate the courgettes and dry them on a tea towel, then transfer them to a separate bowl. Cover and refrigerate both the batter and courgettes for up to one day.
Why is my batter not getting crispy? ›
Soggy batter prevention that works every time
If you've gotten the dreaded limp fried coating, you might have over-mixed your batter, which forms more pesky gluten that readily soaks up the oil. Mix batter until just combined — no more, and no less. You might also be making the mistake of adding warm water.
Why is my deep fry batter not crispy? ›
It's usually just oil temps. A trick I learned to get decent fried chicken and such without a thermometer was to put a chopstick into the oil to the bottom. If it starts bubbling at the tip then the oil is ready. If bubbles come from higher than just the tip of the chopstick, it's too hot.
Why are my potato fritters soggy? ›
If your potato fritters are soggy, it's likely because too much liquid remained in your vegetables or the oil and skillet weren't hot enough. A hot skillet with hot oil is how you keep potato pancakes crispy.
