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
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- Yellow squash: I use a large 1-pound squash and leave it unpeeled.
- Onion: I use half a medium onion.
- Egg: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, including this one.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Butter: Used for frying. Oil works, too, but butter is more flavorful.
Variations
- The best way to vary this recipe is by adding herbs, fresh or dried. Good options include thyme and oregano. You can use two tablespoons of any minced fresh herb or ¼ teaspoon of any dried herb.
- Sometimes, I add ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese to the mixture. It adds flavor and also makes the fritters sturdier.
- Replace the garlic powder with two teaspoons of fresh minced garlic.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Shred the squash and chop the onion. Drain them in a colander, pressing on them with the back of a spoon to remove as much liquid as possible. 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.
Featured Comment
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
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Recipe Tip
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 adding ¼ cup of parmesan.
Recipe FAQs
Almost. They are a great alternative to hash browns, latkes, or baked latkes. They taste great, but they are obviously not the same as potato pancakes, and their texture is also different - they are not as starchy and are quite delicate.
It's up to you, but I don't. 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.
I use butter. Olive oil is a tasty alternative, but if you're worried about its relatively low smoke point, you can use avocado oil or ghee instead. I do find that butter is the most flavorful.
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.
Storing Leftovers
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.
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.
- 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 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 adding ¼ cup of parmesan.
- You can replace the garlic powder with two teaspoons of fresh minced garlic.
- 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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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
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!