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

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.
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.)