I love a crispy latke as much as the next person. But unlike most, I don’t eat potatoes and so the traditional fried latke is not on the menu for me. That’s why I created this incredible low-carb latke recipe made with butternut squash.
Why Do We Eat Latkes on Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is referred to as the Festival of Lights. During this holiday we celebrate an incident of divine intervention that occurred long ago. The Hanukkah miracle involved a tiny flask of pure olive oil that lasted for 8 days, until new oil could be retrieved. In honor, we fry foods in oil on Hanukkah. The tradition for Ashkenazi Jews is to fry latkes.
What are Latkes?
Traditional latkes are a fried potato pancake, that may contain wheat flour, or gluten. My healthy Butternut Squash Latkes recipe is potato-free and gluten-free making it perfect for those on low-carb and gluten-free diets.
Low-Carb Latkes
Below is my 4-ingredient recipe for Butternut Squash Latkes. I created it in 2002, shortly after I went on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. This diet heals the gut by eliminating certain starchy foods.
This gluten-free latke recipe is one of my all time favorite dishes. Butternut Squash Latkes have a hint of sweetness when they’re fried to a crisp. What could be better?!
Butternut Squash Latkes
Ingredients
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and grated (about 22 ounces)
- 1 small onion, peeled and grated
- 3 large eggs, whisked
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- grapeseed oil or olive oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine squash, onion, eggs, and salt
- Squeeze excess liquid from mixture and discard
- Heat ¼" oil in a 9 inch skillet
- Scoop 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto skillet and flatten
- Fry each side over medium heat until browned and crispy
- Transfer latkes to a paper towel lined plate
- Repeat process with remaining batter
- Serve with Homemade Applesauce and sour cream or yogurt
Equipment
Gluten-Free Hanukkah Recipes
Every year at Hanukkah I make the boys Homemade Apple Sauce to serve over their latkes. Here’s that recipe and more easy gluten-free Hanukkah recipes for you!
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Eileen says
Very excited to try. I am allergic to potatoes. Can I also substitute cauliflower? I will let you know how they come our
Elana says
Eileen, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Hannah says
These latkes were delicious! I made them on the second night of Hanukkah this year, and my dinner guests loved them. I did fry them in peanut oil along with the other latkes I made but still turned out perfect.
Elana says
Hannah, thanks for letting me know these latkes are perfect!
Elizabeth says
Elana I have a question for youI love your recipes and I want to purchase one of your books. I have nerds disease and I am vegetarian. I am having serious gut problems. Which book would you recommend me to start with?
Elana says
Elizabeth, thanks for your comment. Three-quarters of the recipes in my third book, Paleo Cooking, are vegetarian:
https://amzn.to/1VBWPN4
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Elana
Rachel says
I stumbled across this recipe as I was looking to see if anyone had ever substituted butternut squash in place of potatoes to make potato kugel. After reading the success of this recipe, I did substitute the butternut squash in my own kugel recipe (making it grain free). The success was remarkable! Tasted and looked almost identical to the real thing. Thank you!
Elana says
Rachel, thanks for your comment! I have a great grain-free SCD kugel recipe here:
https://elanaspantry.com/carrot-kugel/
Enjoy!
Elana
Joan says
My latkes fell apart, but I used matzoh meal to bind them. I did not follow your recipe completely, I’m too blame.
The ones I salvaged were delicious. Yum Yum
Elana says
Joan, thanks for your comment :-)
Elizabeth says
Do you think this would also work with fresh pumpkin? We still have some pumpkins from our garden and I am looking for something to do with them. Thanks
Elana says
Elizabeth, I haven’t tried that so not sure, but it sounds delicious. If you do experiment please let us know how it goes. Also, here’s a link to my Pumpkin Pie recipe for you. Fans say it’s super easy to make and better than “regular” pumpkin pie!
https://elanaspantry.com/paleo-pumpkin-pie/
Enjoy!
Elana
Charlene says
This recipe did not work at all. I was suspicious to begin with wondering how butternut squash onions and some eggs could actually make a batter. Perhaps I did something wrong? The mix did not hold together at all.
Elana says
Charlene, thanks for your comment. This is a traditional latke recipe in which eggs are the binder. The batter is very loose and the latkes come together perfectly while cooking :-)
Joni Renee Zalk says
Don’t forget to drain the excess liquid from the onions before putting it into the squash… otherwise the latkes end up steamed, not fried & crispy.
Joni
Elana says
Thanks Joni! I haven’t had to do this to get crispy latkes, but it’s a great tip :-)