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Spam fritters, two ways

Fried spam fritters stacked on a wooden surface, with melted cheese visible. Large yellow text "SPAM" and blue background.

By Tom · Updated

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  • About 20 min
  • Takes a bit of care

Crispy, golden, and a little bit nostalgic. Spam fritters are one of those retro recipes that deserve a comeback. I'll be honest, I never thought I'd make them for the channel, but once I did, I was surprised by how good they were.

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The recipe

Spam fritters, two ways

Crispy, golden, and a little bit nostalgic. Spam fritters are one of those retro recipes that deserve a comeback.

  • 15 min prep
  • 3 min cooking
  • Takes a bit of care

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

Quantities
Measurements

Ingredients

For the batter

For the fritters

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

1. Make the batter

  1. Step 1

    In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (150 g), sparkling water (or your chosen liquid), salt, pepper, and optional turmeric (½ tsp) until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. Set it aside to rest while you prepare the Spam (1 g).

2. Prepare the Spam

  1. Step 1

    Open the tin (easier said than done, it might need a little persuasion.) and remove the Spam (1 g) in one piece. Turn it on its side and slice it into 8 even pieces, about ½-1 cm thick.

3. Dust and divide

  1. Step 1

    Lightly coat half of the slices in plain flour (150 g), this helps the batter stick later.

  2. Step 2

    For the remaining four slices, spread a thin layer of mustard (1 tbsp) on top. Place a slice of cheddar cheese (4 slices) over each mustard-coated piece, pressing gently so it sticks. Dust these in flour (150 g) too, being careful to keep the cheese in place.

4. Heat the oil

  1. Step 1

    Pour sunflower oil into a deep frying pan or pot, enough for shallow frying. Heat to 180°C (350°F). If you have a deep fryer, even better.

5. Fry the fritters

  1. Step 1

    Dip each flour (150 g)-dusted slice into the batter, letting the excess drip off before carefully lowering into the hot oil.

  2. Step 2

    Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Repeat with the cheesy mustard (1 tbsp) fritters.

6. Serve and enjoy

  1. Step 1

    Serve the fritters hot, the cheesy ones will have a gorgeous, gooey middle. Add chips, a fried egg, or even a bit of brown sauce on the side for the full nostalgic experience.

Cook's notes & tips

  1. Step 1

    Turmeric (½ tsp) is just for colour, so don't worry if you skip it.

  2. Step 2

    Beer (225 ml) batter gives a slightly richer flavour if you want a pub-style fritter.

  3. Step 3

    The mustard (1 tbsp) and cheese (4 slices) version adds amazing flavour, think of it as a Spam (1 g) toastie in fritter form.

  4. Step 4

    Reheat leftovers in an air fryer or oven to keep them crisp.

Final thoughts

  1. Step 1

    I wasn't sure I'd enjoy Spam (1 g) fritters again after all these years, but they turned out pretty amazing. Crispy on the outside, soft and savoury inside, and that cheesy version? A total winner. Hopefully this brings back some memories for you too and maybe even inspires you to give this classic comfort food another go.

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Questions people ask

How long does spam fritters, two ways take?

About 20 min from start to finish, of which 15 min is prep and 3 min is cooking. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.