Celebrating the flavors of summer in these EASY poppers that are slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! Layered with flavor thanks to not only zucchini and corn, but also shredded cheese, fresh herbs and spices, and serrano chili for a kick making you want to pop just one more!
2cupsshredded zucchiniwrung very well in a cheese cloth or dish towel
2cupscornfresh, grilled, or frozen and thawed such as fire-roasted corn
1cupshredded cheddar cheeseor vegan cheese if desired
¼cupchivesminced
¼cupcilantrofinely minced
2clovesgarlicfinely minced
1serrano chilefinely minced (seed it and/or use a jalapeno pepper for less spiciness)
½teaspoonsmoked paprikaregular may be substituted
½teaspoononion powder
1teaspoonsaltor to taste
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperor to taste
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperor to taste
1large eggor use flax egg which is 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons hot water for vegan option
⅓cupall-purpose flouror use brown rice flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour to keep GF
¼cupcornmeal
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F and either spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper; set aside.
Grate the zucchini on the coarsest blade of a handheld box grater. Wring it out very well in a cheesecloth or dish towel. Tips - Paper towels not advised for wringing as they shred and disintegrate. The zucchini should be very dry.
To a large bowl, add the zucchini, corn (if using frozen corn, make sure it has thawed and is drained well), cheese (I like Violife as a vegan cheese option), chives, cilantro, garlic, serrano or jalapeno, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and stir to mix and combine well.
Add the egg, flour, cornmeal, and stir to incorporate.
Using a large cookie scoop, form approximately 18 popper-sized balls. Squeeze and rolls the balls tightly in your palms to make sure they are tightly formed. Tip - If the mixture is too dry and not coming together or the poppers aren't holding their shape, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Place the poppers on the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced and not touching.
Bake* (See Notes) for about 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly golden browned and crisped on the outside. If desired, carefully flip each ball over midway through cooking, although this isn't absolutely essential but will provide more even cooking.
While the poppers bake, prepare the dipping sauce if desired.** (See Notes)
After baking, allow the poppers to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving. Poppers are best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
*You can air fry the poppers. I recommend lightly spraying them lightly with olive oil cooking spray and then air frying them at about 360F for about 15 minutes, flipping once midway through. Air frying time is dependent on your model of air fryer, exact size of your zucchini corn poppers, how crowded your air fryer is (don’t crowd them), and so forth so just keep an eye on them.**I like to dip them in homemade Spicy Garlic Mustard or Comeback Sauce. Chipotle mayo is another option or try something more herbacious like Basil Vinaigrette.