Butternut Squash Couscous Fritters
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Couscous blends with roasted butternut squash, eggs, and a slight spicy kick. Form small patties, pan-fried to golden brown crispness. Topped with tangy skyr yogurt and fresh herbs. A textured bite, nutty, savory, hints of warmth from spices. Easy, quick skilling in pan with little oil, faster than roasting. Versatile side or snack. Substitutions for any squash or grain, simple tweaks for smoother or crispier results.
Prep:
18 min
Cook:
16 min
Total:
34 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Mediterranean
#vegetarian
#snack
#side dish
#pan-fried
#spices
#quick meal
#fall cooking
Halfway through winter, craving something hearty yet fresh. Found roasted butternut squash sitting in fridge from last night’s dinner. Couscous is a fast base, no soaking needed. Tried fritters once that stuck or turned mushy. Learned that undercooking couscous and drying squash first keeps integrity. Eggs hold it; flour tames moisture but too much and you get cakey bricks. Mind the pan heat; too low, they soak oil, too high, they burn before inside cooks. Skyr yogurt spray lifts it, cuts richness. Herbs? Vital. Flavour balance. These fritters come save dinner. Fast, crisp, a bit smoky from paprika and cumin. Comfort food without dragging you down. Tweaked as I went, like any good cook does.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Israeli couscous (pearl couscous)
- 1 cup finely diced roasted butternut squash
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adds warmth)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil (can swap for avocado oil)
- 1/2 cup Icelandic skyr yogurt (or plain Greek yogurt)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
About the ingredients
Israeli couscous preferred over regular for texture—it swells but stays toothy. Roasted butternut squash crucial; raw squash releases water and ruins binding. Whole wheat flour adds nuttiness but swap with chickpea flour or almond flour for gluten-free. Eggs - fresh ones, size matters; large works best. Spices: cumin is earthy, paprika gives color and warmth, cayenne offers a boost but optional. Olive oil has flavor complexity; vegetable oil the neutral done in original, but I prefer olive for aroma. Yogurt topping: Icelandic skyr thicker and tangier; plain Greek works but thinner. Parsley or cilantro changes dynamic: parsley fresh pepperiness, cilantro adds bright zing. No raw onions or you risk soggy bites. Always dry ingredients well after roasting.
Method
- Cook couscous according to package but slightly undercook, drain and let cool; over-soft couscous means soggy fritters
- Roast or pan-sauté diced butternut squash beforehand till tender, caramelized edges slapped on flavor; raw squash packs too much water
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs with spices; toss couscous and squash in, then sprinkle flour a bit at a time to find balance; mixture should cling but not heavy
- Wet hands makes shaping less sticky; take small handfuls, pressing into 2 inch-wide disks; tight but not doughy - traps air for lighter center
- Heat olive oil in heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat, swirl so oil coats pan like a shimmer; heat ready when oil ripples but not smoking
- Set patties in single layer without crowding; a soft sizzling sound signals they start crisping; black specks mean too hot, lower flame
- Cook 5 to 7 minutes per side; watch edges turn deep golden, almost caramelized and gritty to touch; flip gently with thin spatula; resist poking
- Removing each finished fritter to paper towel helps drain and keep them crisp; if drying oil, add a splash between batches
- Serve hot with a dollop of skyr yogurt, sprinkle chopped herbs; yoghurt acidity cuts fat and cuts through sweetness of squash
- Optional garnish: squeeze fresh lemon, add toasted pine nuts for crunch; leftovers reheat in skillet, not microwave, to regain crispness
Cooking tips
Cook couscous just shy of done; mushy results kill texture. Stir and cool before mixing; hot destroys egg binding. Roasting squash brings caramelized sweetness; skipping this step makes bland, watery fritters. When mixing, add flour gradually—too much leads to dense batter; too little, messy. Shaping with wet hands stops sticking but don’t overhandle or batter warms and softens. A thin metal spatula is your friend flipping to save fragile edges. Medium heat is key; puffs up slowly with a soft sizzle, not crackling fast fire. Watch for golden edges rather than relying on timers; smell is a clue too—nutty, toasty aromas emerge. Always drain on paper towels briefly to avoid oily fritters. Serve immediately; they lose crispness resting longer. Reheat in pan for crunch restoration.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cook couscous just shy done; too soft means soggy patties. Drain thoroughly. Let cool fully before mixing. Hot kills egg binding quick. Roasting squash till caramel edges appear dries water and amplifies nuttiness. Raw squash too wet kills crisp.
- 💡 Adding flour gradually key. Too much clogs batter, dense like bricks. Too little and shaping fails. Whisk eggs with cumin, paprika, then fold in couscous and squash gently; flour last. Wet hands help shape; no overhandling or batter warms, turns sticky and heavy.
- 💡 Heat pan med; swirl oil to coat evenly. Oil ripples but no smoke signals readiness. Too hot moves black specks; burn risk. Lay patties single layer, no crowd. Sounds? Soft sizzle means right temp. Too loud crackle means down the heat now.
- 💡 Flip with thin metal spatula to save edges; thick tools bruise, tear. Edges turning deep gold, almost gritty mean time to flip. Patience needed; early poke leads to flat, oily mess. Drain on paper towels right after cooking keeps crispness alive.
- 💡 Skyr yogurt thick, tangy lifts richness; Greek yogurt works but thinner, less punch. Herbs fresh chopped—parsley brings mild pepper, cilantro bright zing, choose per mood. Add lemon squeeze or pine nuts for crunch if you want layering. Leftover reheat pan only; microwave softens, kills crunch.
Common questions
Can I substitute regular couscous?
Israeli preferred for texture. Pearl holds shape, stays toothy. Regular swells too much, mush risk. If using regular, cut cooking time close. Drain well, cool down fast to stop softness.
What if fritters fall apart?
Check dryness of squash first. Too wet ruins hold. Roasting or pan-sauté dries edges, reduces moisture. Flour amount too low also culprit. Eggs bind but won’t fix soggy batter. Wet hands when shaping helps compress gently but firmly.
How to fix burnt edges but raw inside?
Heat too high common cause. Lower flame mid-cook. Oils shimmer, ripple but don’t smoke. Flip only when edges deep gold with gritty feel; don’t rush. If oil dries up, splash more between batches to keep pan slick.
Best way to store leftovers?
Cool completely before fridge. Stack on paper towel to avoid sogginess. Reheat in skillet over med low; adds back crisp, avoids microwave mush. Can freeze but texture suffers; thaw and pan-fry again works better than oven reheating.
