Crispy pea fritters is a handy recipe for those times when your fridge is bare. Because who doesn’t have some frozen peas lurking in the back of the freezer? Pull them out, and you’ll have a delicious stack of fritters ready in just 20 minutes – no need to thaw the peas first!
Crispy pea fritters
This recipe was born from an emergency breakfast situation. The fridge was extremely bare, I didn’t have bread, I only had one egg and I don’t eat cereal.
A freezer rummage produced a scruffy bag of peas leftover from last weeks’ Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup and it will surprise no one that I had plenty of cheese on hand. Cheese can solve any meal dilemma, my friends! 😇 And today, we’re using it to turn an un-assuming bag of frozen peas into a stack of crispy cheesy golden fritters.
Very little batter and lots of raggedy crispy cheese edges
The batter is based on my beloved crispy corn fritters recipe which uses equal parts flour and cornflour/cornstarch to make a crispier fritter, with just enough batter to hold the fritter together. We’re not making pancakes here – we want to taste peas, and cheese, not fluffy cakey crumb!
I also switched out the parmesan for pre-shredded cheese because I didn’t have the motivation to shred at the time these fritters came into existence (I was still in my PJ’s), and found that the fritters cooked up with jagged cheese-laced edges. Very rarely in life does less effort get rewarded with better results, so I’ll take that!
What you need
Here’s what you need to make crispy pea fritters using frozen peas.
Frozen peas – Just regular frozen peas or baby peas, it works fine for both. No need to thaw or pre-cook. Frozen peas are cooked before being frozen so there’s no need to cook it beforehand, they just need to be heated which happens in the time the fritter takes to cook on the stove (3 – 4 minutes).
Fresh peas – For show offs who want to use freshly harvested home-grown peas , blanch the peas, drain well, cool, then use per recipe. No, I’m not jealous at all.
Cheese – Any melting cheese other than mozzarella can be used (it’s not flavoured enough). Cheddar, tasty cheese, colby, Monterey Jack, pepper jack.
Packet shredded cheese is fine, no need to shred your own like I sometimes (strongly!) recommend. I use a 3 cheese blend (mozzarella, colby, parmesan), see photo above.
Cornflour (cornstarch) AND regular flour – This recipe calls for both because cornflour makes the fritter crispier, but if you just use cornflour then the batter is too gluey and has an unpleasant texture. So the flour adds lightness to the batter while cornflour adds crispiness!
Can you skip the cornflour? Yes you can. The fritter is still fairy crispy thanks to the cheese, but it’s crispier with the cornflour. But if I was out, I wouldn’t hesitate to make the recipe!
Gluten-free flour – I haven’t tried it myself but a reader reported success, saying you wouldn’t even know the difference! Given how little batter there is compared to peas, this makes sense. 🙂
Baking powder – This lightens up the batter a bit so it’s not overly dense inside. You can substitute with baking soda (bi-carb).
Egg and milk (or water) – To make the batter. The egg holds everything together (the ultimate food glue!) and the milk is to loosen the batter a touch to get the right consistency.
Garlic powder – For a touch of earthy garlic flavour. Substitute with fresh garlic pressed through a garlic crusher or very finely chopped (if the pieces are too big, they won’t cook through sufficiently).
Green onion – For a touch of freshness, though I wouldn’t hesitate to make this if I was out.
Substitute with onion (regular or red) – sauté it in a little oil then let it cool before mixing it into the batter (I would add finely minced fresh garlic too).
Lemon yogurt dipping sauce
I’m actually quite happy munching away on the pea fritters plain. But there’s no denying a dipping sauce elevates it! I like to use a simple Lemon Yogurt Sauce (love the touch of lemony garlicky flavour) though even just plain yogurt with a swish of olive oil would suffice.
Here’s what you need for the Lemon Yogurt Sauce.
For the yogurt, use a plain, unsweetened yogurt (I like to use Greek or Greek-style yogurt). I always use full-fat but low fat will work fine too.
How to make Crispy Pea Fritters
Here’s how to make it. I love that the only thing you need to pull out the cutting board for is to slice up some green onion!
Batter first – Put the flour, cornflour, egg, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix to combine.
Frozen peas – Add the peas, still frozen, plus the cheese and green onion. Then mix so the peas are coated in the batter. It will look like there is not enough batter. Have faith – the little there is sets when cooked and glues the peas together (the cheese helps too). Too much batter = pancake situation = crispiness compromised = disappointing!
Pack to measure – Scoop up the batter using 3 tablespoon cookie scoop (# 20) or a 1/4 cup measure. Pack it in tightly.
Flatten – Place / flick the batter into the pan.
Flatten the mound to about 1.25cm / 0.5″ thick.
Flattened! Then repeat with remaining batter to make 4 or 5 at a time.
Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side until it is deep golden and crispy. Adjust the heat as needed if it’s browning too quickly or slowly. And be brave – make sure you cook until very golden, because golden = crispy!
💡TIP: Don’t skimp on oil for fritters. Heat enough oil into your pan so the base is covered completely. Remember, oil thins out as it heats up so it will spread more. If you don’t use enough oil, your fritters will end up burnt rather than golden and crispy which is so disappointing.
Drain the excess oil on paper towels then repeat with remaining batter. You should get 9 or 10, depending on how tightly you pack the cup. Then serve with the Lemon Yogurt Dipping Sauce! (Which is just a mix together situation so I skipped the step photos for that.)
Have these as a meal, serve as a starter, a hearty snack or for breakfast with a runny egg.
Whatever time of the day it is, the moment you bite into the crispy golden crust may be the best part of your day. And to think that all it took was a bag of frozen peas!! I love these sort of emergency recipes. Very handy when you need to eat, right now, without going to the store. – Nagi x
Crispy pea fritters FAQ
Nope. Peas are cooked before they are frozen, so you just need to heat them through to eat. So you can just mix them in frozen, then they re-heat in the time it takes for the batter cook and the surface to become lovely and crispy!
Sure can. I suppose you grow your own. No, I’m not jealous at all! 😂 Shell, cook, drain well and cool, then follow the recipe.
Tried it. While it makes the fritter look greener (because the batter becomes green), it massively impacts the crispiness of the fritter (because of the moisture inside the peas). I tried just mashing half then a quarter of the peas and still had the same issue.
Mashing also does not improve the pea flavour. You get the most pea flavour from biting into the whole peas rather than mashed and mixed into the batter.
Yes! It works just fine here. Sometimes it’s a hard no (like Mac and Cheese, Queso cheese dip), sometimes it’s a “strongly recommend” to shred your own (like – pizza, lasagna), and sometimes it is totally fine to use pre-shredded (like Cheese Muffins, Lunchbox Pizza Bread). Pre-shredded cheese works just fine for these Pea Fritters.
Cooking geek-out! Why it can matter: Pre shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents which prevents the cheese from melting as nicely as freshly shredded. It also causes sauces (like béchamel cheese sauce used in Mac and Cheese) to be slightly grainy. The extent of graininess varies from brand to brand, depending on what and how much anti-caking agent they use.
Also, most pre shredded cheeses tend to be fairly chunky batons rather than thin strands like you get with freshly shredded cheese grated using a box grater. What this means is that 1 cup (100g) packet shredded cheese will cover less surface area than the same volume of freshly shredded (because thicker batons = less cheese strands than more finely shredded cheese).
See? I did warn you this was a geek-out moment!
Yes but the fritters will be a little less crispy and you’ll only get 7 or 8. Also, because cheese adds flavour into the fritters, I added extra spice and herbs to compensate. I used 1/4 teaspoon each paprika and onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
Yes, I noticed it is a common cheese of choice for pea fritters. The creamy saltiness goes nicely with peas! If you opt for feta (and it is delicious!), just know your fritter won’t be quite as crispy. Because feta doesn’t crisp up when pan fried. 🙂
Yes you can. If they are pre-cooked you can add them into the batter frozen, like the peas. If they are raw, they will need to be cooked first (blanch, steam, sauté). Drain well, else excess water may compromise crispiness, and cool before using.
The frozen mixed vegetables (like I use in fried rice) come to mind as a handy alternative (and so colourful too!).
Non-watery vegetables like carrot, green beans, stalks of broccoli and cauliflower and root vegetables can be used in this recipe but the vegetables need to be pre-cooked. Dice then you can either boil, steam or sauté. Drain well, else excess water may compromise crispiness, and cool before using. If you sauté, that’s a good opportunity to add extra flavours (like garlic, paprika, onion or garlic powder or other seasoning of choice).
For watery vegetables like zucchini, different steps are called for (eg shred, salt, squeeze out excess water). See below the recipe card for more fritter recipes!
I like to pan fry to warm it through again which also crisps up the surface slightly. Just a light spray of oil in the pan is all that’s needed.
Watch how to make it
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Crispy pea fritters – great emergency meal!
Ingredients
Batter:
- 1/4 cup flour (plain/all-purpose) – Note 4 gluten free
- 1/4 cup cornflour / cornstarch , or more flour (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt), or 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 large egg (~55g/2 oz)
- 2 tbsp milk (any type, any fat %), or water
Add-ins:
- 2 cups frozen peas , still frozen (break up large clumps) (Note 2)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, tasty, colby – anything that melts, Note 3), packet shredded is fine
- 3/4 cup finely sliced green onion (ok to omit)
For cooking:
- 1/4 cup olive oil , for cooking
Lemon Yoghurt Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 tsp finely grated garlic , optional
- Pinch each salt and pepper
Instructions
Abbreviated recipe
- Mix the Batter ingredients. Stir in the Add-ins. Scoop, flatten, cook 1 1/2 minutes each side. Eat!
Full instructions
- Lemon Yogurt Dipping Sauce – Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside while you cook the fritters to let the flavours meld.
- Fritter batter – Mix the Batter ingredients until combined. Add the Add-ins, then mix until the batter coats all the peas. It will look like waaaay too much peas for batter, but have faith! The batter will set as it cooks.
- Measure & flatten – Heat enough oil to cover the base of a pan on medium high (~2 1/2 tbsp). Pack a 3 tbsp cookie scoop (#20) or 1/4 cup measure firmly with the mixture. Place mound in the pan, then flatten to 1.25 / 0.5" thick. Repeat to to fill the pan (I do 4 – 5 at a time)
- Cook – Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until the underside is golden, then turn and cook the other side for 1 1/2 minutes until golden and crispy. Transfer onto a paper towel lined tray. Repeat with remaining batter to make 9 -10 in total.
- Serve with Lemon Yogurt Dipping Sauce!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
My fritter life
You can fritter almost anything!
Life of Dozer
In real time – shot from this morning. Not looking thrilled about the prospect of going into the office today! 🤨 Little does he realise all the cooking I’m doing at work today!
And one from last week that I’m still traumatised about – Ikea fail and Dozer looking extremely concerned (rightly so!). Simple little kids’ bench I deemed as perfect to be Dozer’s new eating table* I managed to completely stuff up. I was wondering why I was left with 3 screws leftover at the end……???
I had to disassemble the whole thing and start again. 🤯 I’ll stick to cooking!
* Dozer now eats and drinks from an elevated height, a precaution for one of his increasing number of old-man problems he’s riddled with these days! Yet, I love him more with every passing day. ❤️
These were so good! The only time I’ve made fritters where my hopes and dreams for fritters have come true 🙂 Thank you Nagi!
I’ve made this several times and enjoy how crispy they are. I run frozen peas under warm water in a strainer and drain. Recommend making the dipping sauce. It’s hard not to eat them all!
Oh my word, these were absolutely delicious. So crispy and tasty. Thank you – I will be frittering everything from now on!
Delicious! Made them for a quick dinner and they looked so good, we ate them as an afternoon snack instead 😫
Absolutely delicious! Even my fussy 3 year old devoured these.
These were a huge hit with two toddlers! I know they’re not your target audience but they demolished them.
I made these delicious pea fritters and enjoyed every last one. I had partial bags of frozen peas I wanted to use and this was perfect!!!
Yum – followed recipe & video but my mix was not as loose as what it looked liked in video. Needed another egg – perfect.
Oh.My.GAAAAAAAAAAAWD!!!!
These are amazing! I love peas. This gave me whole new idea and they are so very, very tasty!
That won’t be the last time I ate them. Thank you so much!
I made these without egg and they were still good!
I thought I ordered eggs in the online shopping, and didn’t, but had made the batter already. I used 1tbsp chia seeds and 3tbsp water and a random extra amount of cheese and it worked really well! Next time I’m definitely going to make sure I have an egg first though 🤦♀️
These pea fritters are delicious and so easy to make. I didn’t have any spring onions but put in some fried diced shallots, so good. Will definitely be making them again, my only regret is not doubling the recipe so I had more!
Great recipe!!
I made these scrummy little pea and cheese fritters today and I don’t even like peas but hey bit sick of the corn and zuc and how pleasantly surprised, too pleasant. I had 3 in quick succession. Love the pic of you and Dozer. You are a good Mum to him. Nice try on the table. I don’t go anywhere near IKEA products. I don’t have a PhD in engineering. cheers Nagi x
These were my first pea fritters ever and wow! Amazing, delicious and simple recipe! The ratio is just great to me and it was easy to form the fritters and I even didn’t use my hands – just spoon and fork, they came out perfect little fritters!
I didn’t have peas (we eat what we grow, and we never grow enough to freeze down!) so I used chopped cooked broccoli plus kale plus corn, and added a bit of feta to the cheese mix. They cooked up just as Nagi said, lovely crispy fritters, and were utterly delicious. I’ll make these again and again with whatever veg I have around.
Hugs to Mr Dozer.
Like other reviewers, I thought this must be wayyy too much in terms of pea to batter ratio, but, I’ve learned enough about Nagi’s recipes to lean in and trust the process! My fiancée (who is a bit *meh* about peas at the best of times) thought they were the best fritters he had tasted!
I did struggle a bit with the peas being soo frozen, and sort of being difficult to stir through to get the batter to coat them evenly, so next time, I might let them sit for 5 mins or so to warm up a bit. I also found them difficult to flatten in the pan (due to the frozen peas not playing well with my fish slice and also losing batter from it sticking to the back of the spatula) but I just shaped the patties in my hands to add them to the pan.
Refried the leftovers in chilli oil today, just as delicious! Thank you Nagi for sharing another winner. You are fabulous!
Sending aroha to you and the Dashing Dozer from Aotearoa. Ngā mihi.
Should I adjust your chicken Broc fritter recipe to a corn starch and flour mixture for a better texture? Kiss on the noser to sweet Dozer. Thank you for the brightness you add to my days.
Made these yesterday to bring to work for lunch today. They didn’t even make it to the fridge, the whole family loved them! I didn’t even have time to make the dip before they were gone. I accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to have them for lunch today and went to bed, but I couldn’t stop thinking about them so woke up at 4am to make a new batch. Didn’t have enough peas so used 50% sweetcorn, and because I was now out of eggs I tried using chickpea water instead (3 tbsp) and it worked really well! Not as fluffy as with eggs but still delicious. Thank you for a lovely recipe!
Aww, beautiful Dozer.
Nagi, the US gymnastics team has a therapy dog …Looks alot like Dozer. 🐾
🟢They are like pea pakoras. but, better.
Domo arigato for continuing to inspire.
From Vancouver 🇨🇦 w 🤗
After a number of disaster goes at other fritters – I was hesitant. But these were DELICIOUS! Think I might add some mint too next time. Thank you Nagi. Another stellar recipe!
I made it with a can of mixed vegetables. I didn’t have cheese, so I rolled the balls in panko crumbs for crispiness. I added a chicken ramen seasoning packet to the veggie mix for seasoning and it worked okay. I’m going to try KFC hallucinations again, with canned chunk chicken, diced potatoes, corn, and KFC spices added to the panko, served with KFC gravy made with pork & chicken ramen noodle packets. Why not?
You have great recipes and a great dog in Dozer. I lamented and decided on a surgery for my 13 year old rat terrier that has so far added 2 years to his life. Very precious indeed. Your food and lifestyle are appreciated!! All the way from you to me here in the Dallas/Ft Worth area of Texas. Thank you!
I hope your pooch makes a swift recovery! Sending big hugs across to Texas – N x PS Don’t forget to look after yourself too ❤️