Honeynut Squash & Potato Fritters

Please answer a question for me: Is honeynut squash as common as butternut squash these days? I ask because I only ever used to score the smaller, sweeter squash at the farmer’s market during a very specific window of weeks, but now I see them spilling forth out of boxes and crates everywhere I turn — from Trader Joes to Fairway to the 72nd Street corner vegetable stand. (Or maybe it’s because I live in Manhattan now, where hard-to-find things abound?) In spite of the bounty, I can’t seem to shake the habit of hoarding it, which is how I found myself with the absurdly nice (read: out-of-touch?) problem of How do I turn all of these cuties into dinner? I could’ve made my Rigatoni with Chard, Honeynut Squash, and Hazelnuts or replaced the butternut squash in my coconut-milk based squash soup in The Weekday Vegetarians. But I had some time on my hands, so made a batch of fritters featuring squash that I ran through the shredding attachment on the food processor, as well as some Yukon golds, onions, and spinach…

…We ate them with sautéed kale and scallions, a fried egg, and a splash of Mama O’s Kimchili Sauce, which I recommend picking up — not too hot, not too sweet, just the right amount of funk. Honestly, though, this could’ve been breakfast or lunch, too. And the fritters themselves could easily be a make-ahead side for Thanksgiving — I froze more than a dozen and successfully reheated them for subsequent meals. (P.S. Nine surprising things that you can do ahead of time for Thanksgiving.)

Honeynut Squash and Potato Fritters
Makes about 20 medium sized fritters

1 pound 4 ounces russet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into chunks that can fit through the shredding attachment of a food processor
1 pound honeynut squash (or butternut squash) peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks that can fit through the shredding attachment of a food processor
1 small yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks that can fit through the shredding attachment of a food processor
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten (even though that photo doesn’t show it that way!)
1 cup shredded baby spinach
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil (a lot, or enough to maintain about 1/4 inch in the pan)
suggested toppings: sour cream and chives, quick-sauteed apple slices, kimchi, chili oil, plain yogurt

Grate the potatoes, squash, and onions in a food processor, using the shredded disk. Add to a colander and rinse with cold water. Press down to remove as much moisture as possible, then transfer everything to a dish towel and wrap, squeezing over the sink so every last drop of moisture is extracted. Add to a mixing bowl with the flour, egg, spinach, salt and pepper. Combine everything using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

In a large skillet in about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat, fry 1/3-cup dollops of the vegetable mixture, flattening with a spoon. Fry for about 3 minutes a side, until golden and the eggs look craggy and crispy. Remove to a paper-towel lined platter or baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter.

Freezing: Allow fritters to cool completely, then place flat in a zip top freezer bag, rows separated by parchment paper. When ready to heat, place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Serve hot with desired toppings.

P.S. For more simple vegetarian recipes, check out my New York Times bestselling book The Weekday Vegetarians. Reminder: All the fun stuff these days happens in the Dinner: A Love Story newsletter on Substack, which is consistently in the Top 10 most-read food newsletters on the entire platform. You can subscribe here.

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