Butternut Squash Fritters

By Brita Britnell // September 17, 2024

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Butternut Squash Fritters have savory, nutty flavors with a hint of sweetness that’s so delicious! Just 4 key ingredients is all you need, and these can be ready to serve in less than 20 minutes. They are cooked in a skillet until they are crispy on the outside with a soft and tender center. You’ll want these on repeat all season long!

Butternut Squash Fritters- these VEGAN fritters are easy to make (just one bowl!) and are perfect as a side dish or even a main meal!

Table of Contents

Butternut squash fritters are so tasty with the best texture that it will be hard to have only one serving! They are crispy on the outside but perfectly soft on the inside. Loaded with sweet, savory, nutty flavors and veggie goodness, this recipe can easily be made vegan and is a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your family’s diet. Enjoy them as an appetizer, side dish or a light main with other sides.

Why you will love this recipe

It’s easy and simple to make: These butternut squash fritters are mixed in one bowl, then pan-fried on the stovetop and ready in just 15 minutes.
Nutritious: Packed with fiber, this low calorie vegetable is a great source of vitamins A an C as well as magnesium.
Super tasty: Crispy on the outside, these fritters are flavorful and so addicting! Picky kids love them, too! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce.

Ingredients you’ll need

In order to make this butternut squash fritters recipe, you just need a few everyday ingredients, plus the squash. See the recipe card below for exact ingredient measurements.

Butternut squash: You’ll need 5 cups of butternut squash that has been shredded and lightly squeezed of excess moisture.
Eggs or flax eggs: Bind the mixture together with 2 large eggs or 2 flax eggs.
Fresh thyme: Has a minty flavor that’s a little bit sweet and a little bit peppery. It complements the taste of the squash wonderfully!
Flour: Use all-purpose flour or a 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to give these a golden color and crispy exterior as they cook.
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: To enhance and balance all the flavors.
Olive oil: For frying.

Variations and substitutions

Other squash: You can replace the butternut squash with shredded sweet potato, pumpkin or another winter squash. However, this will change the flavor.
Dried thyme: If you don’t have fresh thyme, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. It is much stronger, so you’ll need to use less. Sage is another herb that would work great with the flavors of the butternut squash.
Mix in cheese: To make these a bit cheesy, feel free to stir some shredded cheddar cheese into the mixture.

How to make this recipe

The grating of the butternut squash is the most burdensome part of this recipe. After that, you simply mix all of the ingredients in a bowl, form the dough into approximately 10 patties, and then fry them in a large skillet for a few minutes on each side. That’s it – so easy! Let’s walk through all of the steps:

Combine ingredients: In a bowl, combine the shredded squash, eggs, thyme, flour and salt & pepper. Mix until combined.
Form the fritters: Taking about 1/4 cup at a time, squeeze out any excess moisture and form the batter into discs.
Cook: In a large skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil until just hot. Add in the fritters and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side. You want them to be a nice golden brown on each side and starting to get quite crispy around the edges.
Serve: Let cool slightly and ENJOY!

Helpful tips

Shredding the squash: The easiest way to shred vegetables is by using your food processor with the small shredding blade. Alternatively, you can use a small to medium grater.
Remove excess moisture: For maximum crispiness, you’ll want to squeeze out any excess moisture before combining the shredded butternut squash with the other ingredients.
For extra crispiness: Before adding the fritters, be sure to heat up the oil in the pan. Once you put them in to cook, don’t overcrowd the pan. You will get crispier butternut squash fritters if you only do a few at a time!
Baking option: They won’t be quite as crispy, but you can bake these if preferred. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place fritters on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes or until crispy and golden.

Frequently asked questions

What does butternut squash taste like?

The flavor and texture of butternut squash is a cross between pumpkin and sweet potato. It is a little sweeter than pumpkin with a slight nutty flavor and a little less sweet than sweet potato.

Can you make butternut squash fritters ahead of time?

While these are best served just after frying them, so that they don’t lose their crispiness, you can prep them ahead of time. They’re especially great reheated in an air fryer! To get a head start on the recipe, you could also shred the butternut squash a day before mixing the batter, just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

What do you serve them with?

I topped mine with a little bit of garlicky sour cream (because I’m obsessed) and ate them on their own as a light meal. They’re one of those things that are easy to eat 5 of before realizing that you’ve even done it. Consider yourself warned! They are also great served as an appetizer or a side with fish, chicken or other meats.

Storage recommendations

If you want to save some butternut squash fritters for later, here is how you can store and reheat them. They make delicious leftovers so you could even double the recipe and enjoy them through the week!

Refrigerator: Once cooled, place them in an airtight container in your fridge for 3-5 days.
Freezer: Once fully cooled, transfer them to an airtight container or resealable bag in a single layer. Make sure to put the date on the container! You can freeze them for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge. Using a tablespoon of oil in a pan, reheat them on both sides until they are warm and crispy! You could also reheat them in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes.

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