Crispy Spaghetti Squash Pancakes – Baked or Fried
Spaghetti squash pancakes, fritters or latkes, call them what you will but these things are awesome! Whether you have leftover cooked spaghetti squash or a spaghetti squash you’re not sure how to use – you gotta try this recipe.
If you’re looking for spaghetti squash pancakes that are crispy and stay crispy – you’ve definitely come to the right place. After endless testing, I have solved the soggy pancake dilemma! Crispy spaghetti squash pancakes – fried in a light layer of oil or oven baked.
Recipe for Crispy Spaghetti Squash Pancakes
Crispy Spaghetti Squash Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 small to medium sized spaghetti squash 3 cups cooked squash
- 2 Tbsp canola oil divided
- 1 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- 1/2 Tbsp jalapeno pepper finely chopped
- 1/4 cup onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 egg lightly beaten
Instructions
To Bake Spaghetti Squash
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Wash and dry squash. Cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
- Place cut-side down on baking sheet and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until fork tender.
- Once cool to the touch, use a fork to scrape the strings out of the squash halves.
- Place squash in sieve, hold over sink and using back of spoon or your hand, squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Or place squash in tea towel and squeeze out liquid. Discard liquid. Set aside.You should get about 3 cups of spaghetti squash.
The Crumbs
- In small fry pan, heat 1 Tbsp of canola oil over medium-high heat.
- Add panko crumbs and stir to coat evenly. Continue to stir until crumbs are an even golden brown. Remove from heat. Watch carefully as they can turn black very quickly!
The Pancakes
- In large bowl, mix drained squash, hot pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup panko crumbs and egg.
- Pour remaining panko crumbs on large plate.
- Form a heaping tablespoon of batter into a ball and place on top of crumbs. Roll in crumbs to evenly coat the batter.
To Pan Fry
- Heat 1 Tbsp canola oil in large fry pan over medium-high heat (add additional oil as needed).
- Place panko covered squash into hot pan. (Do not fry more than two or three pancakes at a time to avoid crowding.)
- Flatten squash and fry until brown and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- To keep pancakes hot while frying the remainder, place finished pancakes on a wire rack in a 250°F (120°C) oven. Do not stack.
To Oven Bake
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Use 1 Tbsp canola oil to generously coat baking sheet to ensure crispy coating.
- Place panko covered squash onto baking sheet and flatten.
- Place baking sheet on middle rack of oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Flip and bake for another 8 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Tips for Crispy Spaghetti Squash Pancakes
Here are my top tips for crispy spaghetti squash pancakes.
1. Panko Crumbs
Panko crumbs are crispier than regular bread crumbs, so using them gives us a head start. We use those crispy crumbs in the batter and as a coating to help us get that crispiness.
2. Pre-browning Panko Crumbs
Browning panko crumbs in a fry pan before using is another tip to keeping your pancakes crispy. I know, I know, nobody wants an extra step in food prep – but if you want crispy – it’ll only take 3 minutes in the same pan you’re going to get dirty anyway – so no big deal! Just watch those crumbs carefully, they go from brown to black very easily towards the end.
3. Use oil, but No Need to Deep Fry
The only way I used to be able to get crispy pancakes is by deep frying, not my preferred method of cooking. What I’ve discovered is that a little bit of canola oil goes a long way. Whether you pan fry or oven bake your pancakes you need a bit of oil to encourage browning and crisping but you don’t need to deep fry them.
In the oven, coat the pan or parchment with canola oil to encourage a crispy edge.
3. Don’t Crowd Your Pancakes
In the fry pan or in the oven, leave space between your pancakes to let air circulate. If they’re too close together, they will create too much steam and prevent good browning. In the fry pan, I usually only do 3 or 4 small pancakes.
4. Keep in Single Layer & Keep Hot
If you stack pancakes on top of each other, they will become soft. When I take pancakes out of the fry pan, I place them on a cooling rack in a single layer. I store that cooling rack in the oven at 250°F until ready to serve.
When I made these for the video, they didn’t actually make it til supper time – turns out they make great snacks for hungry teens!
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Make Squash Pancakes
So, are you more likely to pan fry these or to do them in the oven? Let me know if you end up making these pancakes and how they work out for you.
Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag @getgettys and #MakeitCanola so we can see it and like it!
I created this recipe for Canola Eat Well in 2016 for their Eat Well with More Veggies recipe booklet. This recipe was written in paid partnership with the Canola Eat Well. As always, opinions are my own and a sincere reflection of life in my home.
Select, store and serve seasonal food for everyday cooking with Getty. Getty is a food educator and Professional Home Economist,who loves sharing tips and recipes following the seasons from her Canadian kitchen. Sign up to get seasonal tips and recipes delivered to your inbox. Learn more about Getty or check out her books and pdf guides.
I’d love to try this but since my husband has celiac disease the panko crumbs are out. Do you thing GF cracker crumbs would work?
Hi Wendy,
Yes, I think gluten free crackers would work. The crispier the better! Let us know how it works. Getty
I can’t wait to try this one!
Bet you’re going to love them! Let me know what you think.
We LOVE spaghetti squash and usually have some leftover, so this will be a great way to use the extras up! However, what else would you serve with this? Thanks
Hi Karen,
Think of the pancakes similar to fried potatoes or hashed potatoes. They’re great with breakfast for supper kind of meals, we love them with fried eggs and a salad. We have also had them as a side for BBQ chicken, ham or pork and roasted beets. They’d also go with a nice roast – the kind that begs for a little apple sauce on the side. Hope that gets you off to a good start but don’t let these ideas limit you, enjoy them with whatever you want or just have them on their own.
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