These delicata squash fritters make a tasty appetizer packed full of flavor. Crispy and delicious, with lots of melty cheddar cheese, this gluten-free fritters recipe will please a crowd.
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Have you tried fritters? They are crispy on the outside, and they melt in your mouth. They are so easy to make gluten free. You can make fritters with many vegetables, but I love to use winter squash. Winter squash is sweet and full of flavor.
My gluten free fritters recipe can be made with any winter squash. If you love appetizers, don’t forget to check out my best gluten-free appetizer recipes.
We love these fritters and have made several times. Is it necessary to peel the delicate squash? I have a different recipe that bakes rings of delicate and they are not peeled.”
lindsay, blog comment
My response to Lindsay’s question is no, you do not need to peel the delicata squash. Delicata squash have a thin rind, which is edible.
What is Delicata Squash?
Have you tried this sweet, mild winter squash? Delicata squash is a long yellow squash with green stripes. You can buy delicata squash at most grocery stores and even at your local farmer’s market.
I love using squash in recipes because it is so easy to conceal. My kids don’t know something healthy is hidden in these fritters! If you don’t believe me, try these Gluten Free Delicata Squash Brownies.
How to roast delicata squash:
For this recipe, I used raw grated delicata squash. It is easy to grate delicata squash. (You can also cook the squash, though it won’t be as crispy.)
I will share my long way and a quick and easy way to cook squash. There is nothing better than delicata squash roasted so the flavors caramelize, but if you are in a hurry, I have those directions, too.
- To grate, cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and use a peeler to remove the outer thin skin. Cut long strips of the squash and run them over a grater.
- If you prefer to use cooked squash, roast it in the oven with a little good-quality olive oil. I may add a little salt, depending on whether I am using it for something savory or sweet.
- If you are in a hurry, don’t worry! There is a quick and easy way to cook this squash. Cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the delicata squash face down on a microwave-safe plate. Add a little water to the plate and microwave for 5-7 minutes until soft.
What kind of squash is best for making fritters?
You can make fritters out of any squash! I used delicata squash in this recipe, but you can also use:
- Butternut squash – butternut squash fritters are so full of sweet flavor!
- Acorn squash
- Zucchini (if you use zucchini to make fritters, you must use paper towels to dry the shredded zucchini. Otherwise, they will be soggy!)
- Riced cauliflower also makes delicious fritter-like pancakes!
Tips For Success
1. Whisk the simmering balsamic every 5 minutes to prevent it from burning.
2. Fresh herbs will taste better than dried herbs. It also makes it easier to remove the herbs when the sauce is thickened.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
It is so easy to cook delicata squash! Are you ready to get started?
Step 1: Grate the winter squash with a grater or food processor. Put it into a large bowl.
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Step 2: Add all of the fritter ingredients into the bowl with the winter squash and mix well.
Step 3: Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet. Drop spoonfuls of the squash mixture and press them flat with a metal spatula. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Before flipping them over, you will want the squash to be crispy like above. Be sure to use an oil that can tolerate high heat. I prefer to use avocado and canola oil. Avocado can get pricey, so if budget is a concern, use canola oil.
Step 4: As the fritters are done cooking, use a metal spatula to move them to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb extra oil.
Serve hot with sour cream and chives as a garnish. To spice things up, add a few drops of Sriracha!
How to Store Gluten Free Fritters:
These fritters will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer. Bake them at 350º F for 10-15 minutes to reheat them. You can also reheat them in your air fryer at 365º F for 5-7 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When frying foods, it is important to use an oil that can tolerate high heat. I use mostly avocado oil, but coconut oil can also work well, depending on the dish’s flavor.
Heat avocado or another high-heat oil in a pan and drop the dough into the hot oil. (I don’t recommend olive oil for this because it can not withstand the high heat needed to get the outsides of these cheese fritters nice and crispy.)
Add a drop of water to the pan to test whether it is hot enough to add the fritter batter. If the water sizzles immediately, it is ready for you to add the fritter mixture. The oil should be 375º F.
You can make these fritters using dairy-free cheddar cheese. I have used vegan parmesan, but I do not think the flavor is close enough to mimic the flavors, so you would need to omit it and adjust the liquid levels.
More Winter Squash Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Delicata Squash Cheddar Fritters
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Peel the rind off a delicata squash.
- Cut the squash in half and remove the seed.
- Use a grater to grate the squash into a large mixing bowl until you have 1 1/2 cups shredded delicata squash.
- Add 1/4 cup milk, 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the ingredients well.
- Set up a large platter with paper towels on the bottom.
- Heat 1/2 cup avocado oil over high heat in a pan.
- When the oil is hot (drop a drip of water in, if it sizzles, it is hot enough) Target 375º F for the oil temperature.
- Drop the batter into the hot oil.
- Cook 2-3 minutes then flip so the other side cooks.
- Remove the fritters from the oil and set onto the paper towels.
- Top with sour cream and scallions.
Nutrition
Notes
- You can use any winter squash in this recipe! I recommend also trying butternut and acorn squash.
- To make this dairy-free, you can use vegan cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. So far VioLife is one of my favorites.
- You can use any gluten free flour blend for this recipe.
- These fritters will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
- To reheat, bake the fritters in the oven at 350º F for 10-15 minutes or air fry them at 375º F for 5 minutes. This will help the fritters stay crunchy when reheating them.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
(*This post was updated from a 12/21/15 post.)
These were so good.
I am so glad you had a chance to make this recipe. I love the crispiness and flavors too!
Could you bake the fritters in the oven rather than frying?
Hi Janet, I have not tested this recipe baking it in the oven.
We love these fritters and have made several times. Is it necessary to peel the delicate squash? I have a different recipe that bakes rings of delicate and they are not peeled.
Hi Lindsay, I am so glad you love this recipe. I know delicata peel is pretty soft. You can eat it but I am not sure how it would affect the texture of the fritters. If you try it, please do let me know how it turned out.
Any recommendations for how to up the protein content of these? Could I add peas or black beans?
Hi Ellie, You could try black beans…flavor-wise that would be a great combination.
Great Recipe! I did use regular all-purpose flour and added a handful of chopped scallions (green part) into the mix…the cayenne pepper gave it a nice kick. I used a very well-seasoned cast iron skillet on high temp (gas stove) so I only coated my pan with oil (I used regular canola oil) so the fritters were not too oily and had a nice crisp coat on the outside. I liked the earthy taste of the raw squash. The other ingredients blended well together so the squash was still the central taste. My family loved these and look forward to me making them again. Thanks!
I am so glad you liked my recipe…it is one of our favorites too!
Cons : The recipe asks for too much oil. My fritters came out so so oily. You only need a little oil to fry.
Pros : Other than the fact that it was too oily, they were perfect and so simple and super duper yummy. It was so easy and quick to make and a very cheap snack indeed. Loved it.
Overall I totally recommend trying this out.
Thanks for the feedback Nika. You are right, you don’t have to use as much oil. It depends on how hot the oil is. I used the burner on our grill outside to make these and had the oil very hot so it didn’t absorb as much.
This recipe calls for flour. How do you make this gluten-free???
Hi Chip, I use a gluten free flour blend by Bob’s Red Mill. It is their 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend. I changed this flour to a clickable link so people can see the exact flour I used. I appreciate your writing with this feedback. Have a nice holiday :-).