These delicious yellow squash fritters make a great alternative to potato pancakes or hash browns. They are easy to make and incredibly flavorful!
These yellow squash fritters are ready in about 30 minutes. They make the perfect side dish but are substantial enough to serve as a main course. To make them, you will mix squash and onions with egg and spices, then fry mounds of the mixture in butter. Served hot and topped with sour cream, they are a delight.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Yellow squash: I use a large 1-pound squash and leave it unpeeled.
- Onion: I use half a medium onion.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Butter: Used for frying. Oil works, too, but butter is more flavorful.
- Optional: Add ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the mixture. It adds flavor and also makes the fritters sturdier.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Shred the squash and chop the onion. Drain them in a colander. Whisk the egg with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix in the squash and onions.
Fry spoonfuls of the mixture in butter for about 4 minutes per side over medium heat.
Serve immediately, topped - if desired - with a dollop of sour cream.
If you need a little to no carb dish, this is a tasty option. Very good as is, but I recently made this again and added ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. It was amazing!
Julie
Read more comments
If you need a little to no carb dish, this is a tasty option. Very good as is, but I recently made this again and added ¼ cup of parmesan cheese. It was amazing!Recipe Tips
- Lacking the starch found in potatoes, these fritters are flimsy and delicate, so take great care when flipping them and when removing them from the skillet. The more water you remove from the squash and onion, the sturdier they will be. You can also add flour to make them sturdier - 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (if you don’t mind the gluten and carbs) or ¼ cup of almond flour. Another way to make them sturdier is to add ¼ cup of Parmesan.
- There's no need to peel the skin. The skin of yellow squash, just like zucchini skin, is edible. It's also thin and delicate, so it shouldn't interfere with the fritters' texture.
- Keep in mind that while fritters are a great alternative to hash browns, latkes, or baked latkes, they are not the same as potato pancakes, and their texture is also different - they are not as starchy and are quite delicate.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. They are also good cold, straight out of the fridge! To freeze the leftovers, place them on a wax-paper-lined tray in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, you can place them in freezer bags. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them in a 350°F oven.
Serving Suggestions
These fritters are very versatile and can be paired with lots of main courses. But since they require frying, which is a fairly demanding task, I like to serve them with a hands-off baked main course. So, I often serve them with baked chicken thighs, baked chicken wings, or baked shrimp.
Alternatively, serve them as the main course and pair them with a make-ahead salad like tomato salad, creamy cucumber salad, or asparagus salad.
You can top the fritters with sour cream or salsa and sprinkle them with chopped parsley, cilantro, or chives.
Recipe Card
Yellow Squash Fritters Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound yellow squash - unpeeled
- ½ medium onion - 4 ounces
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - for frying
Instructions
- Shred the squash in your food processor using the shredding attachment or grate it by hand. Chop the onion finely. Place both in a colander and press on them repeatedly with the back of a spoon to eliminate as much liquid as possible.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Add the grated squash and chopped onion and mix to blend. See the notes section below about adding flour to make them sturdier.
- Heat a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brush the skillet with half of the butter. Measuring ¼ cup per fritter, spoon the mixture onto the skillet. Fry without moving for 4-5 minutes, until you can see that the bottoms are browned.
- Carefully flip the fritters to the other side and fry them for 4-5 more minutes, until browned on both sides. Brush the skillet with more butter and repeat with the remaining squash mixture.
- Serve immediately. You can top the fritters with a dollop of sour cream or salsa.
Notes
- Lacking the starch found in potatoes, these fritters are flimsy and delicate, so take great care when flipping them and when removing them from the skillet. The more water you remove from the squash and onion, the sturdier they will be.
- You can add flour or Parmesan to make the fritters sturdier and less likely to fall apart. If you start making them and decide they are too watery/fragile, add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (if you don’t mind the gluten and carbs), ¼ cup of superfine almond flour, or ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the remaining mixture.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. They are also good cold, straight out of the fridge!
- To freeze the leftovers, place them on a wax-paper-lined tray in a single layer and freeze. Once frozen, you can place them in freezer bags. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating them in a 350°F oven.
Nutrition per Serving
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Ruth says
Liked a lot. I added cheddar cheese and toasted bread crumbs, but think parm would be better next time. Thanks for recipe
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked these fritters, Ruth!
Julie says
I made these for dinner last night. Served them as the main course, topped with sour cream with a side of your tomato salad. Amazing. So much flavor! It was the perfect summer meal. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Julie! I'm so glad you enjoyed these fritters. Thank you very much for the review.
Robin says
Took an hour to cook and ruined my pan. Terrible recipe. Should have instructed better way to remove water from vegetables. Straining did nothing!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Robin,
Thank you for trying the recipe! I'm sorry it didn't work for you.
Did you try adding flour, as suggested in the recipe's notes?
Wendy says
Do you think I could use frozen shredded or cubed squash
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Wendy,
Cubed won't work. Shredded might work, but I worry it will release too much liquid into the fritters, causing them to fall apart. If you're OK with all-purpose flour, I would add 2 tablespoons. Or try adding 1/4 cup of almond flour.
Frank says
This is a smart recipe for squash. It's super healthy and quite tasty too with parmesan. I'll make this again. Thanks.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed these fritters, Frank! Thanks for the comment.
Julie says
If you need a little to no carb dish, this is a tasty option. Very good as is but I recently made this again and added 1/4c of parmesan cheese, it was amazing!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Julie! I agree- parmesan is a great addition. Thanks for taking the time to write a review!