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Acorn Squash Fritters with Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella

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This recipe is a hybrid of Spring and Winter.

Acorn Squash Fritters with Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Mozzarella

Most people, myself included, are over Winter especially since this past one was particular brutal, record-setting even.

Technically though, Spring has sprung; on March 20th to be exact, and The Sweet Spot gave out free gelato in her honor. I opted for the coffee flavor, and I was not disappointed.

The days are lasting longer, and the sun is setting well into the seven o’clock hour. I’m thrilled with the extra light for more reasons than I can now share my evening eats. 

The cats and I are soaking up as much vitamin D as possible, fighting one another for sun patches throughout the house. On weekends, I win and they claim my lap as a consolation prize.  

Squash Fritters with Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Mozzarella

Outside, my chives are starting their long ascent, peeking out of the damp earth, while the crocus are just beginning to open, showing off their brightly colored faces. The daffodils and tulips are breaking through the layers of leftover Fall leaves, eager to see the sun once more.

The birds are back, frolicking across the yard while Oscar watches eagerly from a window, plotting his next move. I’m still waiting for the neighborhood woodpecker to make his presence known, although I’d be delighted if he settled on a new location this year.  

Slowly and steadily, signs of Spring are popping up all over.

Acorn Squash Fritters with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Mozzarella

Mother Nature does not seem content to let Winter go gently into that good night though.

The temperatures are rather low, with highs only in the forties this week, with the exception of one day. I’d happily cling to another twenty degrees or so.

While I no longer leave the house buried underneath mountains of wool and layers of hats, scarfs and gloves, I’m still rocking a lightweight winter coat and thick fabric encompasses my feet.

The days are definitely longer, and the evenings are chilly. Our fireplace has been going strong. 

Snow flurries have come and thankfully gone.

We’re ushering out one season and saying hello to the next. We’re kicking Winter to the curb and running, arms wide open, into Spring’s soon to be warm embrace.

Acorn Squash Fritters with Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella Cheese

The same is true of this recipe: Acorn Squash Fritters with Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella.

These fritters utilize the last few Acorn Squash, which were safely stored in my root cellar all winter. It combines their puree with hopeful Spring spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and the always uplifting mozzarella cheese. The diced almonds add a textural bite in the form of a fun little crunch.

These Squash Fritters are the last remnants of Winter, wrapped in a bow of Spring.   

Acorn Squash Fritters with Spinach, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Acorn Squash Fritters with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups Acorn Squash Puree* or 1 15 oz can Squash Puree
  2. 1/2 cup Almonds, finely diced (I used the Food Processor to dice them).
  3. 1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded
  4. 3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
  5. 1/2 cup Spinach, diced
  6. 1/2 cup Onion, finely diced
  7. 1/4 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes, finely diced
  8. 1/2 tsp. Salt
  9. 1/2 tsp. Oregano
  10. 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil.
Instructions
  1. Toss all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, into a medium size bowl and stir thoroughly, until the mixture comes together. It will resemble a wet and sticky dough. Form the mixture into approximately ten patties, give or take one, depending on size.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and spread around with a spatula. Once the skillet is hot, add your squash patties and let cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.
  3. Once browned on both sides, reduce the heat to low and let cook another five to ten minutes until center is cooked through. Alternately, if your patties are very thick, you can finish them off, by sticking the entire cast iron skillet in a 350 degree oven for five minutes to ensure the center gets cooked properly.
Notes
  1. For Acorn Squash puree: cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Place each half cut side down in a shallow casserole dish with just enough water to come about a quarter of an inch up the sides of the squash. Bake in a 425 degree oven until the squash is completely softened. Depending on the size of the squash and the strength of your oven, this can take anywhere from 30 minutes up to an hour. I recommend checking at the 30 minute mark, 45 minutes and then 1 hour. Let the squash cool slightly, and then scoop out the flesh into a medium sized bowl. Mash flesh with a potato masher until it resembles puree.
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As an aside, I’m due for a blogging break and I intend to take one. This means it’ll be a few days before we meet again. Until then, have a lovely week, a wonderful Easter if you celebrate, and a warm Spring.

What’s the weather doing in your area? What signs of Spring are you seeing?

Comments

  3. Liz says

    Hip hip hooray for Spring!! Yes, spring is sprining here, with warmer temps and sunny skies. It is BEAUTIFUL!
    I have to admit, I have stopped collecting veggie patty recipes as they always seem to be pretty much the same thing over and over again. But these babies, they look…. different. I love the idea of a nutty crunch (texture is key) and the sundried tomato/mozzerella combo did me in. I am trying these for sure! With some leftover acorn squash that I also hoarded (and ignored) all winter long.

    Reply

  5. danielle says

    perfection! yes, this is the perfect combo of winter and spring. i love it, my husband would as well. i would make this for dinner with possibly a hearty cooked salad, and maybe a soup? hmmm i’m already planning a meal around this so it must be good. i could see this as a brunch dish as well, with some frittatta. or go crazy and make a sandwich or ‘hamburger’ out of this fritter. ya know, like falafels? mmmmm. fritter falafels! ugh i’m fritter crazy now! fritters, frittatas, falafels…. help.
    enjoy your breaky break. i’ll still work for nuts!

    Reply

    • Meghan says

      Yes, it would be great not only with a salad, but on top of a salad…. on top of a sallllllad, all covered with cheese, I lost my poor fritter…..when somebody sneezed.

      Reply

  7. Brittany says

    MMMM These look tooooo tasty!! I am enjoying some chilly sunshine right now, but I have no complaints! So long winter, I won’t miss you! Enjoy your blog break, it’s times like this that make me thankful we are official text buds. If I miss you, I just holler! <3 By if I totally mean when…WHEN I miss you.
    Brittany recently posted…Quitters Sometimes WinMy Profile

    Reply

  8. Amanda @ .running with spoons. says

    I wonder if my mom’s chives are growing yet. She planted them on a whim one year and stopped taking care of them but they keep coming back, time and time again. That’s my kind of plant 😉 And our weather has actually been exceptionally nice this week… Even our winter hasn’t really been anything to complain about. Usually we get hit with the white stuff pretty hard, but I think we traded places with the east coast this year. Sowwy.
    Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. at a glance – march 2015 .My Profile

    Reply

  11. Khushboo says

    Mmmm sundried tomatoes with cheese is always a winning combination – love the use of squash in this recipe too, Meg! The transition of seasons sounds so lovely- unfortunately that’s far from the case over here. It’s reached a point where being outside has become uncomfortable in Bombay—> I’d happily trade it for even a blizzard. The ‘grass is always greener’ phrase comes to mind! Enjoy your blogging break, friend…I took one last week and loved every second!
    Khushboo recently posted…What I typically eat in a day (II)My Profile

    Reply

    • Meghan says

      I think removing the almonds should be fine, although you may need to add a little more flour to ensure they hold together well. I’d start by simply removing the almond portion and see how they hold together. If the batter is too damp, I’d add more flour one tablespoon at a time until they come together easily. Overall though, the batter will slightly wet though because of the squash puree. Let me know how it works for you. Thanks.

      Reply

  23. Kirsten says

    Meghan,
    I read this and went out to check out my chives, transplanted last year from my parents’ final community garden plot to the New And Improved Herb & Hibiscus Landscaped Area. They came back!
    While there I couldn’t help but clear some of the debris, and handed a piece of hibiscus stem to Robert Barker to chew. Apparently I gave him ideas, because when I came outside later the chives had been chewed down to nubs!
    A week later they’ve come back again, stronger than ever. Perhaps you could suggest to Oscar . . .?

    I’m in the mood to use my final 2 butternut squash, and even wrote down my ideas for them. Must find the note (good thing I put it in my phone not on a slip of paper).
    Kirsten recently posted…Spicy Lima Bean Dip with AvocadoMy Profile

    Reply

    • Meghan says

      I have an even better idea. I should cut my chive nubs and eat them myself. Oscar will get catnip. I surround my raised bed with it so the cats see it as a happy space and not their bathroom.

      Also make sure those chives are in a contained space or they will take over everything.
      Meghan recently posted…Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie RecipeMy Profile

      Reply

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