Chock-full of goodness, these butternut squash fritters are incredibly easy and tasty! With pops of sweetness and texture from fresh corn and plenty of herbs, these homemade fritters are sure to be a favourite in your home as it is ours.
If you’re a fan of butternut squash, then these butternut squash fritters (or butternut squash cakes) need to happen!
They’re super squash forward with pops of fresh corn for sweetness and texture.
I especially love these in late summer/fall. When I’m not enjoying butternut squash sweet potato soup, these are regularly on the menu.
You don’t have to pre-cook the squash or anything — just shred, combine with the other fritter ingredients and cook.
They’re delicious on their own for any meal of the day, especially for breakfast with a poached egg on top. Talk about a yummy treat!
Why We Love These Butternut Squash Fritters
- These butternut squash fritters are made with yummy, simple ingredients.
- They’re a great way to use seasonal produce.
- They’re easy to prepare.
- The recipe yields quite a bit but can easily be halved.
- Of course, they taste delicious!
How To Make This Recipe
Full details on how to make these butternut squash fritters are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Add fritter ingredients (butternut squash, corn, eggs, salt, black pepper, chives, sage, thyme, cayenne pepper and garlic powder) to a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Gradually stir in your flour.
- Everything is good to fry when it binds together.
- Heat some olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and scoop the fritters into the pan. Use a spatula to flatten the fritters. There’s nothing fancy here. These fritters are rustic and not perfectly round and that’s completely okay! Cook the fritters on both sides until golden brown on the outside and cooked throughout.
Note: Cook the butternut squash fritters in batches, replacing the oil, as necessary, between batches.
Can I Use a Food Processor?
Absolutely!
I shredded the butternut squash with a box grater and got quite the workout. It wasn’t hard work, just tedious, and took me about 15 minutes.
If you want to shave off time, definitely use a food processor fitted with the shredded attachment here.
Tips and Variations
- This butternut squash fritter recipe yields quite a bit (about 22 butternut squash cakes, give or take). You can easily half the recipe if you like. If doing this, rather than mess around with trying to use half an egg, you can just use two eggs and add enough flour until everything sticks together.
- The quantity of flour you use may vary slightly depending on how much squash you have and the moisture level. You just want the butternut squash fritters to bind/stick together.
- If you don’t have fresh corn, use well-drained canned corn instead.
- Green onion is a great substitute for chives if that’s what you have on hand.
- Mix up the spices! Go a slightly different route and try a little smoked paprika or chipotle powder and cumin instead of sage and thyme.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these butternut squash fritters with any of these:
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Aioli
- Mixed green salad
- Pasta salad
- Potato wedges
More Easy Squash Recipes
- Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- Roasted Acorn Squash Crostini With Goat Cheese
- Pumpkin Soup With Coconut Milk
If you make these butternut squash fritters, be sure to leave a comment below!
Butternut Squash Fritters With Corn
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, a squash about 3 pounds, 6 ounces before peeling or 3 pounds after peeling and seeds removed
- 2 cups corn kernels, about 2 ears of corn
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup minced fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, less if you aren't a fan of spice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, approximately
- ⅓ cup olive oil, approximately (about 1 tablespoon per batch to fry the fritters)
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Clean your squash. Peel, carefully cut in half, remove and discard seeds (and any shreds inside). Also, at this point, preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (to keep fritters warm while you are completing your batches). Note: If you want to reserve the seeds for another use (like roasting for a snack), you can.
- Cut squash into chunks and shred with a box grater or food processor fitted with a shredder attachment (the food processor will save time. The box grater will take about 15 minutes to shred the squash). Place shredded squash into a large bowl after shredded.Note: For this recipe, about 10 cups of shredded squash was used.
- To bowl with squash, add corn kernels, eggs, salt, black pepper, chives, sage, thyme, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Mix until well combined.
- Sprinkle over flour, stirring in, about ¼ cup at a time until everything sticks together. I used 1 and ¼ cups. The amount of flour used may vary, depending on how much squash you have and/or how much moisture it has. Note: You don't want a super tight bind here, but use enough flour that you can scoop up the mixture with an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup from the bowl and place into the oiled pan.
- To cook fritters, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick frying pan over medium-low to medium heat.Note: You'll want to cook fritters in batches (about 4 to 5 fritters in the pan at a time), adding more oil to the pan between batches.
- Place 4 to 5 fritters in the pan (I used a round ice cream scoop, about ¼ cup for each fritter). Gently press down with a spatula to flatten slightly.
- Cook fritters for 2 to 3 minutes on one side.
- Flip fritters to the other side and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and cooked through.
- Once done, you can then transfer cooked fritters to a sheet pan and place into your preheated oven to keep warm, if you like, while you are cooking your batches.
- Repeat the process to cook remaining fritters.Note: As you are cooking your batches, your pan may get hotter. Just watch your fritters so they don't burn and adjust your heat accordingly.
- Serve fritters as is or with sour cream or yogurt. Note: Properly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days. Leftovers can be reheated in a non-stick frying pan.
Notes
- This fritter recipe yields quite a bit (about 22 butternut squash cakes, give or take). You can easily half the recipe if you like.
- Speaking of halving the recipe, rather than mess around with trying to use half an egg, just use two and add enough flour until everything sticks together.
- The quantity of flour you use may vary slightly depending on how much squash you have and the moisture level. You just want them to be able to bind/stick together.
- If you don’t have fresh corn, use well-drained canned corn instead.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
© Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Shannon says
These were delicious!! I think I just ate six in a row. 😬. Followed the recipe exactly and added a dollop of Greek yogurt on top. Thank you!!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Thank you for trying the recipe, Shannon! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Valorie Davis says
Wow!!! Fantastic recipe! Will make again.
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Thank you very much, Valorie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Donna says
These looked yummy. I had just plain leftover butternut squash so I thought to give this a try. I probably am able to tell you not what to use cause it did not work for me. Don’t use almond flour. It took away from the taste and browning. I did not have fresh corn so I used frozen. Yes to answer previous question you will need to use more flour. Since I used almond flour I think I needed to add more seasoning, in which I didn’t do. Mine turned out eatable, but did not have enough seasoning. I will not make these again using almond flour. I will use the white flour next time. Thank you for the recipe and I will next time follow it to the tee. I was just a little unprepared with proper ingredients to make these today.
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Hi Donna! Thanks for the info. If you do try them again with the recipe, I’d love to know how they turn out for you. 🙂
Mel says
Am about to shop for the ingredients when I noticed there’s no cheese in the “Cheesy Corn and Butternut Squash Fritters.” Hmmm. It looks like there’s cheese in the picture. Can you tell us how much cheese to add?
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Hi Mel! There is no cheese in these butternut squash fritters with corn. Perhaps it’s the shredded butternut squash that you see? Hope you enjoy the recipe all the same!
Kathryn says
Just wondering if this would work with frozen squash and corn?
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Hi Kathryn! I would imagine that if it was thawed it would work, but can’t say for certain as I used fresh. I’m just thinking that it will have a lot more moisture than fresh, so you may need to use more flour to bind everything together. If you do try with frozen, I’d love to hear how it turns out. 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I’ve pinned your fritters and can’t wait to give them a try. Thanks for letting us know how many the recipe makes, I’ll half it for just my husband and I.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Karen! My pleasure! Enjoy!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
I’ve made corn fritters and I’ve made squash fritters – but never together. Brilliant! And I love that color!! XO
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much, Annie! XO
Valentina says
These are totally getting me in the mood for fall flavors. Dawn, these are brilliant. I love all of your serving suggestions, and I also think I’d love them for breakfast with a fried egg on top. Move over potato pancakes! 😉 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Happy to hear that! Thanks so much, Valentina.
Marissa says
With fall just around the corner, I already have butternut squash on my mind. These fritters look absolutely divine, Dawn!! These fritters will 100% happen in our house!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Yay! Thanks Marissa! Enjoy!
Rahul @samosastreet says
These look incredible Dawn !! Definitely a great summer meal, packed with seasonal produce.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much, Rahul!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
These look super yummy Dawn. I love the added corn, which I’ve got alot of right now. Pinned!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Yay! Thanks Mary Ann! Enjoy!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I love this time of year when the garden is in full harvest mode! This is a perfect way to use up some of that delicious produce. I love the combination of squash and corn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Right?! Thanks Kathy!
David @ Spiced says
Yum! I love a good fritter, but I don’t think I’ve ever made ’em with butternut squash. Totally on board for these though! And I really like the idea of fresh sage and thyme in there, too. Sounds delicious, my friend!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Thanks David!! Happy you enjoy!