Looking for a quick and easy lunch or dinner for one? Try these corn fritters with avocado smash and arugula salad. The recipe comes from Trudy Crane and Chloé Crane-Leroux’s new cookbook The Artful Way to Plant-Based Cooking. These fritters are savory, crispy, and packed with flavor, making them a great vegan meal. Plus, they’re perfect for prepping ahead of time — just freeze and reheat whenever you need a quick bite.
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The fritters combine corn, peas, red onion, and fresh herbs, giving them a burst of texture and flavor. Nutritional yeast adds a hint of cheesiness, while smoked paprika brings a subtle depth. The creamy avocado smash complements the fritters with its bright, tangy flavor from fresh lemon juice. Pairing the fritters with arugula and cherry tomatoes adds a peppery crunch, making this dish balanced and refreshing.
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Corn fritters with avocado smash and arugula salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fine cornmeal
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup (125 ml) unsweetened plant milk (e.g., almond or soy)
- 1 cup (250 ml) frozen or fresh corn kernels
- ¼ cup (60 ml) frozen green peas
- ¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced red onion
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- ½ cup (125 ml) minced mixed fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley, or mint)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil or neutral-flavored oil
- 1 cup (250 ml) arugula leaves, washed and dried
- Handful of cherry tomatoes halved
For the avocado smash
- 2 avocados
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, nutritional yeast, baking powder, salt, paprika, and a few grinds of pepper. Add the plant milk and whisk to form a smooth batter . Fold in the corn, peas, onion, scallion, and herbs until everything is well coated in batter.
- Make the avocado smash. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop the avocado flesh into a medium bowl. Drizzle with the lemon juice and smash with a fork until the desired consistency is reached. Season with the salt and a few grinds of pepper and set aside while you make the fritters.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pan, heat the oil over medium heat until it starts to shimmer, about 2 minutes. Using a ¼-cup (60 ml) measure, carefully spoon the batter into the hot oil. Cook until a nice golden color, about 3 minutes on each side.
- Serve the fritters hot, topped with the avocado smash, arugula, and cherry tomatoes.
Excerpted from The Artful Way to Plant-Based Cooking by Chloé Crane-Leroux and Trudy Crane. Copyright © 2024 by Chloé Crane-Leroux and Trudy Crane. Reprinted by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC.
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