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    Home > Veggies and Sides > Parmesan Yellow Squash Fritters

    Parmesan Yellow Squash Fritters

    June 18, 2021 by gritsandgouda 6 Comments

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    If you're looking for summer squash recipes that are easy, cheesy and family friendly, Parmesan Yellow Squash Fritters is perfect! These pan-fried golden yellow squash patties are crispy on the outside and filled with shredded squash and cheese on the inside. 5 ingredients and 15 minutes from start to finish.

    a stack of 4 squash patties with 2 yellow squash in background

    Dip these Southern squash fritter favorites in Ranch dressing, top them with sour cream and green onions or serve them just as they are right out of the cast iron skillet next to your mashed potatoes and green beans.

    Summertime is when gardens are overflowing with summer squash like yellow squash and zucchini. If you don't have a garden, the farmers markets and even grocery stores are loaded with these tender vegetables.

    I planted late this year but some sweet friends shared their yellow and zucchini squash harvest with me. So, I treated myself (and my husband got to eat a few) to an extra helping of these cheesy, crispy summer squash fritters.

    With the rest of the squash, I plan to make Chocolate Zucchini Bread with Nutella Glaze, One Bowl Lemon and Blueberry Muffins and Sausage and Summer Squash Casserole. Or I may make this refrigerator Sweet Heat Squash Pickles from my friend over at Southern Made Simple. Yum!

    What you will need to make squash fritters

    • Yellow summer squash
    • All purpose flour
    • Shredded parmesan
    • Egg
    • Ground black pepper
    • Salt (optional)
    Ingredients on a wooden cutting board: shredded yellow squash, measuring cup of Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, flour, egg

    How to make this recipe

    Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the detailed, printable recipe. Pictures below will help guide you as you read the recipe.

    a hand squeezing shredded yellow squash into a bowl
    squash fritter batter in a bowl
    • Squeeze the shredded squash over a bowl or sink. If the squash is fresh from the garden, more liquid will be squeezed out.
    • Combine all the ingredients except oil in a bowl.
    squash fritters frying in a cast iron skillet with some turned over
    squash fritters frying in a nonstick skillet
    • Heat a cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot; add oil and heat until hot. Spoon fritter batter into the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd them. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on the first side.
    • Carefully flip them over with a flat spatula when the tops are set enough to flip. They won't bubble like a pancake. Cook them 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.
    a blue plate of yellow squash fritters with 2 squash in background

    Recipe Shortcut(s)

    • Squeezing the liquid from the squash is way faster than letting it drain in a colander. It also saves a tree (or maybe a bush) by not pressing with a paper towel.
    • If you plan to serve a crowd, double the recipe and quickly shred the squash using the food processor's shredding blade.
    • Make ahead and reheat them in the air fryer or oven. (See air fryer tip below.)
    • Save time washing dishes and avoid fritters sticking by using a seasoned cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet. Make sure to preheat the pan before adding the fritter batter.

    Can I freeze them?

    Yes. Freeze cooked squash fritters on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place the frozen patties in a large plastic zip-top bag and freeze until ready to serve up to 3 months.

    How can I reheat them when frozen?

    To reheat them in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer on 390 degrees for 3 minutes. Place the fritters in a single layer on the rack and air fry or roast at 360 degrees for 4 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 1 minute or until crispy on the outside and heated through in the center.

    To reheat them in the oven, bake in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet pan and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crispy on the outside and heated through in the center.

    Substitutions and Add-ins

    • Zucchini and patty pan squash can be traded out for yellow squash if that's what you have an abundance of in your garden. No need to peel the skin.
    • Trade out your favorite cheese like Cheddar, provolone, Swiss, Montery Jack or Romano for the Parmesan cheese.
    • Stir in chopped jalapeno, red or green bell pepper, or poblano pepper.
    • For a little heat, stir in 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
    • Add 1/2 cup corn-fresh off the cob, canned or frozen
    • Add 1/4 cup chopped onion or 1 tablespoon minced chives or green onion
    • Instead of salt and pepper, add 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning, Cavendar's Greek Seasoning, or Mrs. Dash original seasoning + a dash of salt.
    • Crumbled bacon.

    If you make this recipe I'd love to see it! Tag me on social media with #gritsandgouda or @gritsandgouda. Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to give the recipe a rating of 5 stars if you love it!

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. Be social and share, y'all! Don't forget to sign up with your email so you don’t miss a single post on my Southern shortcut recipes!

    stack of yellow squash fritters with blue plate of fritters in background
    Print Recipe
    4.80 from 10 votes

    Parmesan Yellow Squash Fritters

    If you're looking for summer squash recipes that are easy, cheesy and family friendly, Parmesan Yellow Squash Fritters is perfect! These pan-fried golden patties are crispy on the outside and filled with shredded yellow squash and cheese on the inside. Five ingredients and 15 minutes from start to finish.
    Prep Time9 mins
    Cook Time6 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 93kcal
    Author: Kathleen Phillips | GritsAndGouda.com
    Cost: 2
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 small or 1 medium yellow squash (1 cup shredded)
    • 1 large egg
    • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional-Parmesan is pretty salty)
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
    • Vegetable or olive oil for frying (about 2 tablespoons unless cooking in batches)

    Instructions

    • Using a box grater or a food processor's shredding blade, shred the squash to get 1 cup firmly packed shredded squash.
    • Working over a bowl or the sink, squeeze the squash with your hands. Discard the liquid and place the squash in a medium bowl.
    • To keep from washing another bowl, lightly beat the egg off to one side of the bowl with a fork. Add all remaining ingredients except for the oil and stir together with the fork.
    • Heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add oil and heat 1 minute or until hot. Drop the fritter batter by about heaping 2 tablespoonfuls in the skillet. Do not let the fritters touch, cooking them in batches, if necessary. You can make them smaller if you like. You will need a little more oil to fry them in batches.
    • Cook the fritters 3 to 4 minutes on one side or until the tops are set enough to turn. They will not bubble like pancakes. Turn fritters and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the other side or until golden.
    • Serve immediately as a side dish to entrees or as an appetizer with Ranch dressing or sour cream and green onions.

    Notes

    The older and larger the yellow squash, the less liquid you'll have to squeeze out. 
    Easily freeze cooked fritters by freezing in a single layer on a baking sheet, then placing in a plastic freezer bag or container until ready to reheat.
    To reheat frozen fritters in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer on 390 degrees for 3 minutes. Place the fritters in a single layer on the rack and air fry or roast at 360 degrees for 4 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 1 minute or until crispy on the outside and heated through in the center.
    For fluffier thicker fritters, use 1/2 cup flour instead of 1/3 cup.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2fritters | Calories: 93kcal
    Did you make this recipe?If you love it, share it! Tag me on Instagram @gritsandgouda using #gritsandgouda Comment below before you go!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Callie

      July 14, 2021 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      My family enjoyed these a lot! I didn't add much salt in the batter which turned out to be a mistake, it definitely needed some seasoning. We served these as a breakfast item and dipping them in ketchup got thumbs up from the fam. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • gritsandgouda

        July 14, 2021 at 2:31 pm

        I love that idea of using the squash fritters as a hash brown substitute! Great low carb option and just plain yummy. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Rue

      June 03, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious. One question though, do they freeze well?

      Reply
      • gritsandgouda

        June 03, 2022 at 2:19 pm

        So glad you like them! They freeze "ok", but not fantastic. Since squash is made up of mostly water, anyway, they do tend to be a little soggy when thawed. My best recommendation for reheating them would be in an air fryer or oven rather than a microwave.

        Reply
        • gritsandgouda

          July 27, 2022 at 3:48 pm

          I agree! I love to dip them in a little bit of sour cream and chives or Ranch dressing, too!

          Reply
    3. Barbara

      July 27, 2022 at 3:46 pm

      Yum! Great snack food when dinner isn’t quite ready.

      Reply

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    Hi y'all! I’m Kathleen. I share Southern shortcut recipes! I’m a food stylist, cookbook author, and former test kitchen director in Alabama. I take traditional Southern recipes you know and love (and a few new ones) and make them with shortcuts so you can enjoy them faster.

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