Delicious butternut fritters - a comforting, savory treat for all! These butternut squash fritters are made with just a few simple ingredients and are incredibly tasty.
These butternut fritters are a great way of dealing with that last piece of butternut squash or pumpkin still lying around in your fridge after making a soup or another dish where you didn't need quite the whole squash. A comforting, easy recipe perfect for the season, a light meal your whole family will enjoy.
I bought the largest squash I ever had a couple of weeks ago. After making my favorite Pumpkin Ginger Soup and a couple more new recipes, I still had that last piece of it getting old in the fridge. A small amount, too little to make a proper meal out of it again.
So, I thought, how about some comforting butternut squash fritters?
If you like fritters, check out our popular Zucchini Fritters or Chicken Fritters recipe.
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Recipe ingredients
- Butternut squash: The recipe is great for using up a small amount of squash left over from cooking another recipe.
- Butternut squash or pumpkin?
- It really doesn't matter; they are both excellent. When choosing the pumpkin, make sure it is flavorful, like Hokkaido (also known as red Kuri squash). Please don’t bother with jack-o'-lanterns; they are suitable for carving but have no flavor.
- Other ingredients: All-purpose flour, eggs, milk, parsley (or other fresh herbs), lemon juice, and a little oil for frying.
- Additions: Very finely chopped green onions, fresh sage, finely grated cheese like Cheddar or Parmesan, or bacon bits.
How to make the batter for fritters?
- Squash: Peel skin and grate the squash on a box grater. If using Hokkaido, there will be no need to peel it but do peel any other sort of pumpkin or squash (1,2).
- Mix the flour, salt, eggs, and milk in a large bowl. I use a hand-held mixer to ensure I have no clumps in the batter (3).
- Rest: Cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth and rest on the counter for about 1 hour.
- Combine: Add the grated butternut to the batter together with the chopped parsley (4).
How to fry butternut fritters?
- Oil: Place about 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a small bowl and use it to brush the pan between each of the batches. Heat the pan gently and brush it with a bit of oil. Let it get a little hotter after brushing.
- Fry: Add 1 tablespoon of the fritter mixture to the hot pan and level gently to obtain a nice flat circle. Add 3 more tablespoons batter into the pan and level as well (5).
- Depending on the size of your frying pan, you can fry between 3 and 5 little fritters at a time.
- Fry for about 2-3 minutes on one side. Check the underside; it should be golden brown.
- Flip with a plastic spatula and fry the butternut fritters on the other side for another minute or two until golden and cooked through (6).
- Keep the cooked fritters warm in the oven (180°F/ 80°C) until you fry the remaining mixture.
Expert Tips
- Proper peeling and prepping: Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel the squash, removing both the tough outer skin and the seeds from the center. Grate the squash finely using a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment.
- Pan: It's best to use a large wide pan, preferably non-stick (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it will allow you to avoid using excess oil when cooking the butternut squash fritters. You can also use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.
- Cook in batches, and don't overcrowd the pan. That can lead to uneven cooking and lower the oil temperature, resulting in soggy butternut fritters.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, you can use frozen butternut squash, but be sure to thaw and drain it thoroughly before using. Frozen squash may have more moisture, so proper draining is essential to prevent soggy fritters.
Yes, you can experiment with other types of winter squash, like acorn squash or pumpkin. The process will be similar, but flavors may vary slightly.
Yes, you can make the squash mixture ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Cook them when you're ready to serve for the freshest taste and texture.
No, the mixture will ooze through the holes of the air fryer's basket.
How to serve and reheat?
- Refrigerate the squash fritters in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Serve them at room temperature or reheated.
- Freeze them in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Defrost them in the fridge and reheat them before serving.
- Reheat the butternut fritters in the oven: Preheat the oven to350°F/175°C. Place the patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and heat for 10-15 minutes until they're heated through.
- Reheat them in a skillet: Reheat in a non-stick skillet with a touch of oil over medium heat. Flip them occasionally until they're warm again, usually taking 5-10 minutes.
- Microwave the fritters in 20-30-second intervals until they're warm throughout. Be cautious not to overdo it, as they may become soggy.
How to serve butternut fritters?
The butternut fritters are best served immediately while still hot. However, cold leftovers are delicious as well.
You can pour a few drops of pumpkin oil on top when serving; it tastes great but is not mandatory.
Serve as an appetizer or a light main meal with a sour cream dipping sauce, a dollop of Greek yogurt, and a salad on the side. Try this Autumn Pear Salad with them; it is a great combination.
Serve them with a fried or poached egg or with soup. For instance, Carrot Soup, Irish Potato Soup, Cream of Turkey Soup, Sweet Potato Carrot Soup, or Cream of Mushroom Soup.
More butternut recipes
Butternut Fritters
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 7 oz/ 200 g, Note 1
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (scant) milk 6.5 fl.oz/ 200 ml
- 10.5 oz butternut squash 300 g, Note
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- a little oil for frying
- a few drops pumpkin seed oil to serve optional
Instructions
- Batter: Mix flour, salt, eggs, and milk, making sure that you have no clumps. Cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth and let on the counter for one hour.⅔ cup all-purpose flour/ 200 g + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + 2 eggs + 1 cup (scant) milk/ 200 ml
- Prepare pumpkin: Peel the butternut squash and grate it roughly. If using Hokkaido pumpkin (red Kuri squash), there is no need to peel it. Chop the parsley. Add both to the batter together with the lemon juice.10.5 oz butternut squash/ 300 g + 2 tablespoon chopped parsley + 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Fritters: Brush a hot non-stick pan with a little oil. Add 1 tablespoon batter to the pan, level it to get a nice circle, and repeat with 2 or 3 more tablespoons batter; I can fry 4 fritters at a time in my pan.a little oil for frying
- Fry for about 2 or 3 minutes on one side, until nicely colored, flip and fry for another minute or so or until nicely colored as well. Keep warm in the oven while you fry all the fritters. Brush the pan with oil again between the batches.
- Sprinkle with more parsley and pour a few drops of pumpkin seed oil on top, if you wish. Serve with salad or soup.a few drops pumpkin seed oil to serve
Shashi at Savory Spin says
Adina - these sound delicious! My daughter LOVES butternut squash and she would go gaga over these for sure!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
These fritters are brilliant, girlfriend!! I love butternut squash, so I could eat a dangerous amount of these!! Cheers!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
They look awesome! I would eat the whole stack at one go!
Anca says
I love their colour, it's so vibrant. They must be delicious. x
allie says
Always a win if the kids will eat them! These fritters look delicious, Adina. And a great way to incorporate butternut squash. My kids will not eat butternut squash straight but I know they would eat these pancakes too! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
YUM! Love the colour of these, Adina! I could eat these for pretty much any meal of the day and be quite happy 🙂 Have an awesome weekend!!
Adina Gabor-Gagea says
Hi Adina, is the grated butternut squash raw or cooked? I want to make these soon.
Adina says
Hi Adina. It is raw. Happy cooking!
Mia Harmse says
Hi Adina, is it 300 grams cooked butter nut or is it 300 grams raw butternut which you then cook?
Mia Harmse says
Hi, do you cook the butternut before it you mix it with the rest of the ingredients?
Adina says
Hi Mia. The butternut is raw.