Summer Squash Fritters With Cheese

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/4/22
squash fritters and ranch dressing
Diana Rattray
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 4 mins
Total: 14 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
293 Calories
25g Fat
14g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 293
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 37mg 12%
Sodium 430mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 7mg 34%
Calcium 172mg 13%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 277mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These summer squash fritters are made with the addition of shredded cheddar cheese. A bit of minced onion and cornmeal add flavor and texture to the simple fritters.

The fritters are great with Sriracha mayonnaise (see below), chipotle mayonnaise, or ranch-style dressing. They make a great snack or side dish.

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 (2 pounds) medium yellow summer squash

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • 1/3 cup cornmeal

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1 bottle oil, for deep-frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Remove stem and blossom ends of squash and cut them into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until squash is very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

  2. In a large bowl, mash the drained squash. Add the remaining ingredients to the mashed squash and blend well.

  3. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the batter for a few hours or fry them right away.

  4. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep saucepan or deep fryer to 370 F.

  5. Drop squash batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil.

  6. Cook the squash fritters until they are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, turning them as they fry to brown all sides.

  7. Remove with a metal slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

  8. Serve hot with Sriracha mayonnaise (see below) or another dipping sauce.

Tips

  • Always fry fritters in small batches to keep the oil temperature from dropping rapidly.
  • Move fritters around as they fry so they can brown evenly and to keep them from sticking together.
  • To keep batches warm as you fry subsequent batches, have an oven preheated to 200 F. After draining, place the fritters on a rack in a baking pan and place them in the warm oven.

Recipe Variations

  • Quick Sriracha Mayo: Mix 1/2 cup of mayonnaise with 1 or 2 teaspoons of Sriracha sauce and 2 tablespoons of Asian chili paste (sambal).
  • Replace the finely chopped onion with finely chopped green onion.
  • Add about 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley to the batter.
  • Add a few tablespoons of crumbled cooked bacon to the batter.