Butternut squash latkes are beautiful and delicious, only a few steps removed from the traditional potato pancake. The texture is similar: crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The flavor of butternut squash latkes is new enough for interest and usual enough to trigger those sentimental holiday feelings.
Why Rye?
My version for Chanukah 2020 has a little twist. The inclusion of rye flour instead of the usual white adds one of my favorite earthy flavors, and a little caraway seed heightens the nod to rye. Both of these flavors work beautifully with the sweetness of the butternut squash latke, in a way that wouldn’t quite play with potato.
If you don’t have rye flour and caraway seed around, just substitute any wheat flour and drop the caraway. Or, you can play with the idea of including some seeds and add a tablespoon of sesame or poppy. Heck, send me your perfected Everything Bagel Butternut Squash Latkes recipe and I’ll publish here on the site, with full credit where it’s due.
Latkes and Marital Harmony
While I mostly enjoy a quite peaceful marriage, the method of preparing latkes has been a source of contention. Elfy believes that latkes with a grated texture are not proper latkes at all, but rather hashbrowns offensively masquerading as a beloved ancestral food. She prefers latkes with a fully blended or processed texture and a roundish rather than shaggy shape. I grew up with the grated sort and don’t mind it at all.
The Compromise: Grater and Food Processor
So, in our happy home, with potatoes latkes as well as with butternut squash latkes, we combine the two techniques. Some of the squash is grated to add the textural variety I prefer, and some of it is whirled into oblivion to create that even textural flow from crispy to soft. It’s definitely not a hashbrown.
Jump to RecipeSquash the Squash
Removing the excess liquid from the processed vegetable is an essential technique in making any latke. Butternut squash behaves a little differently than potato. First, you don’t have to worry about it turning brown, so there’s no need to hurry hurry, or soak anything in a water bath at any stage. Second, grated squash doesn’t want to release its liquid quite as easily as grated potato. So, this recipe uses a little trick that will require you to add an extra 20 minutes to your butternut squash latke time budget. First, grate all of the squash. Then, toss it with salt and put it in a colander in your sink. After a while, the excess juices will squeeze right out.
Yes, It’s a Fried Food
Eating fried foods is part of the Chanukah observance. It references the miraculous oil that endured for eight days at the temple. Yes, it’s possible to make a latke in a hot oven with a whole lot less fat, but God forbid you should do so. Add the full complement of oil to your pan. When frying something starchy, having less oil in your pan doesn’t necessarily make your food less oily. In fact, the opposite can be true. Ample oil allows quick cooking in an even high heat that doesn’t vary. In and out fast and hot means less oil absorbed.
Low Carb, Sort Of
I labeled this dish low carb. This is just a matter of relativity. The squash has about half the carbohydrates of the same weight in potato. So, if you lean low carb but still want a great latke, this is a way to go. But it’s a stretch to call this a low carb food.
The Toppings: Sour Cream, Applesauce, and . . .
I go traditional with my latke toppings. Sour cream and applesauce are the usual with the potato variety, and they are just as good here. Do you like something different in your latkes? Tell me about it in the comments!
Butternut Squash Latkes with Rye and Caraway
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Large Frying Pan
- Colander
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Butternut Squash Pieces One average squash
- 1 Onion, Yellow Small to medium
- ¼ cup Rye Flour
- 2 Eggs, Beaten
- 1 tsp Salt Divided
- ½ tsp Caraway Seeds
- Oil, Such as Avocado or Peanut Sufficient to put ¾ inch in your pan
- Sour Cream and Applesauce Or your preferred toppings
Instructions
- Peel and seed the squash. Peel the onion. Cut both into pieces that fit into your food processor chute.
- Set up the food processor with the grater attachment. Grate the squash and onion.
- Put the grated vegetables in a colander. Toss with half the salt. Let sit for 15-30 minutes.
- Heat oven 250°. Prepare a baking sheet with a layer of paper towels.
- Squeeze some liquid out of the vegetables using your hands or a rolled towel. Don't go too crazy with the squeezing, aim for about half the bulk you began with.
- Remove the grater and put the blade in the food processor. Put half or more of the squash/onion mixture back in and process until smooth.
- Combine the grated vegetables, processed vegetables, egg, flour, remaining salt, and caraway seeds in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Heat the oil until a drop of water sizzles. Scoop using a heaping soup spoon, flattening slightly and reshaping in the pan. Do not overcrowd. You will fry the latkes in two or three batches.
- Fry until brown. Flip and brown the other side. May be about five minutes total fry time, depending on the heat and type of oil.
- Remove to the prepared sheet and keep warm in the oven while you fry the other batches.
- Serve with applesauce and sour cream.