Corned Beef Fritters are the ultimate all-rounder—great for brekkie, lunchboxes, or even as a starter for dinner.
Crispy on the outside, soft and savoury on the inside, they’re not just delicious—they’re steeped in tradition.
Originally made to use up leftover corned beef, fritters were a smart (and tasty) way to stretch meals. Corned beef itself goes way back, cured with chunky “corns” of salt to preserve it. It became a staple in Ireland and Britain, and when the Brits and Irish settled in Australia, it quickly found its place in Aussie kitchens—especially before refrigeration was a thing.
I remember Mum whipping these up the night after a big corned beef dinner. And to this day, I swear they’re even better cold the next morning!
Hot Tip: Cook a big corned beef roast (2kg or more), have it for dinner, and save the rest for fritters. Serve with tomato sauce and you’ve got a meal that’s simple, filling, and full of heart.
These fritters are more than just food—they’re comfort, practicality, and a bit of family history in every bite.
How to Cook Corned Beef:
We highly recommend you cook Corned Beef in the slow cooker the day before.
We have the instructions here: Slow Cooker Corned Beef. You can add additional flavour to the corned beef by adding things like brown vinegar, brown sugar and star anise to the water. Or another very popular method is adding a whole 1.5 litres of Ginger Ale instead of water in the slow cooker.
How to Make Corned Beef Fritters
12
servings15
minutes15
minutes180
kcal30
minutesThese savoury corned beef fritters are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making a perfect snack or appetiser.
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Ingredients
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small egg, well-beaten
1 cup milk
125 g can of sweet corn kernels, drained
1 cup corned beef, finely chopped
Oil for frying
Directions
- Sift the plain flour, self-raising flour, salt, and pepper into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the well-beaten egg and milk to the dry ingredients. Beat until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
- Stir in the drained sweet corn kernels and the finely chopped corned beef until evenly distributed in the batter.
- Let the batter stand for an hour if possible to improve the texture.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the pan, flattening them slightly with the back of the spoon.
- Cook the fritters for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the fritters from the pan and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute corned beef with leftover ham or bacon.
- Add finely chopped onions or bell peppers for extra flavor and texture.
- Serve with a dipping sauce such as sour cream or sweet chilli sauce – for the Aussies, some Barbecue Sauce also goes great.
- These fritters can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5-10 minutes to regain their crispiness.
Other great recipes that use leftover Corned Beef include:
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