These delicata squash fritters make a tasty appetizer that is packed full of flavor.
Crispy and delicious, with lots of melty cheddar cheese, this gluten free appetizer recipe will please a crowd.
The holiday entertaining season will be here before you know it and I am starting to pull together my favorite appetizer recipes.
I like to plan everything out because it makes it so much easier when I know what I am bringing. These crispy fritters are so good, you won’t mind that they are mostly squash!
You are going to love this delicata squash recipe!! It is full of fall flavors that the whole family will love!”
Time for a confession. I am an appetizer fiend.
You know the type. Appetizer fiends are the ones who could snack on appetizers all night, leaving no room for the actual dinner. (If you are an appetizer fiend like me, try these Stuffed Pepper Jack Mini Peppers or these BBQ Chicken Nachos.)
These gluten free fritters are a delicious appetizer that people tend to eat quickly.
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.
What is a Delicata Squash?
Have you tried this sweet mild winter squash? Delicata squash is a long yellow squash with green stripes.
I love to use squash in recipes because it is so easy to conceal in recipes. My kids don’t really know there is something healthy hidden in these fritters! If you don’t believe me, try these Gluten Free Delicata Squash Brownies. (They are paleo too!)
How to roast delicata squash:
For this recipe, I used raw grated delicata squash. It is very easy to grate delicata squash. (You can also cook the squash, though it won’t be as crispy throughout.) I am going to share my long way and a quick and easy way to cook squash.
- To grate, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Use a peeler to remove the outer thin skin of the squash. Cut long strips of the squash and run over a grater.
- If you prefer to use cooked squash, you can roast it in the oven with a little good quality olive oil. Depending if I am using it for something savory or sweet, I may add a little salt.
- 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.
You can’t blame me for wanting to devour all of these little fritters. Their cheesy crispiness is so hard to resist. One crunchy bite and you will understand. These may make you an appetizer fiend as well!
And….a bonus!
Maybe I shouldn’t say it. If you are a sneaky parent like me, you will love that these cheesy fritters are a fabulous way to hide veggies in your appetizer!
My kids devoured these little fritters and never knew they were eating squash :-).
How to make gluten free fritters:
Add all of the ingredients into the bowl and mix well.
What kind of oil do you use to make fritters?
When frying foods, it is important to use an oil that can tolerate high heat. I use mostly avocado oil for frying, but depending on the flavor of the dish, coconut oil can also work well.
Heat avocado oil, or another high heat oil to a pan and drop the dough into the hot oil. (I don’t recommend olive oil for this because it can not take the high heat you will need to get the outsides of these cheese fritters nice and crispy.)
How do you know when the oil is hot enough for frying?
To test if the pan is hot enough to add the fritter batter, add a drop of water into the pan. If the water sizzles immediately, it is ready for you to add the fritter mixture.
What kind of squash is best to make fritters?
You can make fritters out of any squash! I used delicata squash in this recipe but you can also use:
- Butternut squash
- 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!
(*Please note this post has affiliate links. Ordering through my site will not change the price you pay. A tiny commission will come to Fearless Dining to help offset the cost of running this blog. I truly appreciate the support.)
Tools You Need To Make This Squash Fritter Recipe:
- Cast iron pan. This is my favorite thing to fry food in.
- Vegetable grater. I love this grater because it has an easy to hold the handle at the top, which makes it so much easier to use!
Crispy Delicata Squash Cheddar Fritter appetizer.
- 1 1/2 cups shredded delicata squash 1 large squash
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup gluten free flour blend
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- garnish with sour cream and scallion.
- 1/4 teaspoon * optional cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or other high heat oil
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Peel the rind off a delicata squash.
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Cut the squash in half and remove the seed.
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Use a grater to grate the squash into a bowl.
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Add all other ingredients.
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Mix well.
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Set up a large platter with paper towels on the bottom.
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Heat oil over high heat in a pan.
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When the oil is hot (drop a drip of water in, if it sizzles, it is hot enough)
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Drop the batter into the hot oil.
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Cook 2-3 minutes then flip so the other side cooks.
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Remove the fritters from the oil and set onto the paper towels.
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Top with sour cream and scallions.
More Yummy Appetizers to Try!
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- Savory Italian Ground Pork Meatballs
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- Sweet Potato Nachos
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- Southwestern Spinach and Corn Cheese Dip
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- Spicy Shrimp and Roasted Red PepperCrostini with
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- Endive with Goat Cheese and Kumquat
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- GF Bok Choy Meatballs
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- Bok Choy and Bacon Deviled Eggs
Check out these Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheddar Pancakes!
(*This post was updated from a 12/21/15 post.)
Janet
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!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you liked my recipe…it is one of our favorites too!
Nika
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.
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Chip
This recipe calls for flour. How do you make this gluten-free???
Sandi Gaertner
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 :-).
Debi @ Life Currents
These look great! I love using veggies like delicata squash that are often under-used. Thanks for the recipe.