Healthy, gluten free, potato free latke recipe for Hanukkah.
Hanukkah is a day away and that means only one thing: fried food! Lots of it. Yum. I love a good crispy latke, or just about anything fried for that matter.
Below is my favorite recipe for latkes. I have been making these gluten-free latkes for 5 plus years and my family still rejoices each Hanukkah when I serve them.
Butternut Squash Latkes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and grated
- 1 small onion, peeled and grated
- 3 large eggs, whisked
- grapeseed oil or olive oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl make latke batter by mixing together squash, onion and eggs
- Use your hands to form batter into 3 inch patties
- In a large skillet, heat oil
- Fry patties on each side over medium heat until golden brown and crispy
- Remove latkes from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil
- Repeat Steps 2-4 until batter is used up
- Serve with applesauce, sour cream or yogurt
This gluten-free latke recipe is one of my all time favorite dishes. Sweet in flavor and fried to a crisp –what could be better?
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 :-)
Laura says
I am so excited to see your recipe!!! Thank you, I will be making this!!!
Elana says
You’re welcome Laura!
Nancy says
I can’t wait to try these. Last year I did spaghetti squash latkes made with coconut flour. I have since found that I don’t tolerate coconut flour. I will probably try a batch with your ratio of eggs to squash with both spaghetti squash (pre cooked and well drained) as well as following your posted recipe.
Alice says
Hi there,
Did you use one or two butternut sqaushes to make the recipe?
What can you use instead of the onion?
Thanks!
Jacqueline Lamb says
We had these last night for Hanukkah along with Elana’s chicken with olives and prunes. The are the easiest, tastiest latkes I’ve ever had. The whole family voted for these in the future – no more potatoes!
Aili Galasyn says
We shall have them tomorrow.
Kara says
I was just told about your site last night! I am so thankful for what you are posting. My 6 year old has hf as and is allergic to dairy and is glutton intolorent. My question is what egg substitute works best with this and some other recipes? I noticed if I use substitute for more than one egg the dishes never turn out right. Any suggestions would be very helpful. Thanks again
Louise says
A gelatin egg might work. I was just considering how to replace the eggs I use grass fed natural beef gelatin from ital Proteins, available on Amazon, but Knox might work too. I have a cake in the oven right now where I used the gelatin and I have fingers crossed it will come out OK. I sprinkled the gelatin powder over 1/3 cup of water in a shallow saute pan (coated) and waited for it to bloom before turning on the heat and whisking until the gelatin was melted.
Karey Garner says
I used to use tapioca flour or flax seed flour as egg substitute and I thought it worked out very well in baking. I am sure you could find ratio to water on the internet… would like to use this as egg replacer again myself!
Elana says
Karey, thanks for the suggestion. If you do experiment with it in this recipe please let us know if it works :-)
Broski says
Do you have to cook the squash before you peel and grate it?
Kristen says
Excellent recipe! Don’t add salt until after they are cooked as it will leach out water from the squash. Primal/GAPS SCD people try fring in lard. Double delish.
Shaya says
These were so delicious and easy!! All my guests loved them too. Plus I got quite an arm workout from grating all that squash!
Thank you so much!
Brandi says
do you cook the butternut squash first or shred it raw?
Alyssa says
Hi Elana,
Tonight was the first night of hanaukkah, and did a search for SCD latkes since I have been on the SCD way of eating for 4 months now. I was so excited to have found your recipe! However, nothing binds them together even though I followed the recipe exactly and they completely fell apart in the oil and got destroyed when I flipped them. So the next batch I added some almond flour which helped, maybe I didn’t add enough. Ay ideas why mine went wrong? Your don’t fall apart? Doesn’t it need a binding agent! But they still were delicious! We gobbled them up!
Happy Hanukkah!
Alyssa
Tiffany says
Do you grate the butternut squash when it is uncooked?
Maria-Elena says
Wonderful recipe – thank you so much for the idea! We made these last night and fried them in tallow. While it is true that olive oil is perhaps more authentic, it does not hold up well to frying. Coconut oil works well too, but may impart a coconutty flavor. The tallow (collected from the top of a large batch of bone broth) worked really well for us.
Rachel says
My husband made them tonight with what we had on hand: sweet potatoes, no onion, egg, garlic, salt and pepper. They were SO, SO good . . . Happy Hanukah . . .
Dani says
Those look awesome. What would you substitute for egg to make them vegan?
Michelle says
Has anyone ever tried freezing and reheating these? I often did this with my potato latkes and then i didn’t have to fry when I had company. They reheated well in the oven. Would like to try these instead…
Beth says
Also try using sweet potatoes instead of squash & coconut oil instead of grapeseed oil – YUM
Edie Zaprir says
Thanks Elana for this recipe. I love butternut squash and since I’m making latkes for my Hanukkah party this Saturday night, I’m switching from the potatoes.
I need a recipe for sufganiyot (donuts)
Happy Holidays !
rachel sebell graveline says
These look fabulous. My family switched to rice flour in latkes years ago for me and they come out fabulously but these look interesting and a fun spin to an old recipe. Question, do you soften the squash before you peel it if so how? I find it hard to peel squash when it is raw. Do you have any advice?
Amanda says
I do not peel squash with a peeler. Rather I cut the top and bottom off so that I have the straight piece of sqush and then using my chef’s knife cut straight down the sides (standing the squash on a flat end). The more bulbous part takes a bit more finessing but I do the same way. If you want to peel it, I find it easier if you chop it into smaller pieces first.
Wenonah says
I was surprised that these held together so well. It almost makes the effort of peeling and grating a butternut squash worth it. I used red onions instead of yellow and these tasted fantastic. It is incredibly time consuming to peel and grate a squash though. I might not make these very often esp since I am not Jewish and I almost feel like I am breaking some sort of religious law by making these in November. Go Fig. Anyway, I like them. I hope my husband does too! He hates “healthy” food I always have to trick him.
Jen Blackmon says
These are delicious!!! I used the grating attachment to my food processor and it made quick work of grating the squash and onion. I have tried serving my three children butternut squash roasted in the oven and in soup, but this is the first time they have eaten it and asked for seconds!
Alex says
I love this recipe however I would like to use sweet potato….Can I still use the same ingred?
~M says
Chag Sameach! These were SO delicious! It’s amazing how sticky butternut squash is, without any added starch! My husband really liked them too!
The only change I made is the oil: I used organic, virgin/unrefined coconut oil since I’ve read it’s healthier, especially for frying, than grapeseed. Plus, I have a new gallon of it, thanks to a present from my mom! :) I didn’t need very much oil to fry these in my cast iron pan.
Sarah says
I’m excited to try the latkes and avoid the crash after I eat potatoes!
Eric says
Friday night is coming! These guys are going to join us over that 8 days, for sure! :]
cheryl says
OK Elena,
This is the second year I have made the SCD compliant butternut squash latkes. While the rest of my family was bloated with indigestion from potato latkes, my husband and I were enjoying easy digestion and mouth-watering sensations eating the squash latkes. We’ll never miss potato latkes again. These are simply scrumptious! Honestly, people just don’t know what they are missing.
Julie Carlsen says
Just made these and they are ALL gone. So delicious. Some cracked sea salt on top was perfect. I didn’t have grapeseed oil so used some sesame oil I had on hand.
But now I’m interested in finding a way to bake/broil them in batches on a cookie sheet. With no oil would be my thought. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks!
April says
I, too, am part of the Crossfit community. I first bought your book because I follow a paleo+dairy diet and then stumbled upon your website. My husband and I are passionate about eating real food and avoiding refined foods including grains. We hope to set a good example for our newborn girl.
I can’t wait to try this squash recipe. Roasted butternut squash is one of our staples and I have a feeling this will be as well.
Thanks so much!
Eric says
Thank you for this recipie! (I will be using some others as well!) I am very excited that you are both Gluten Free and Jewish! That is more than I bargained for. :]
I have been on a strict form of the Paleo Diet, infusing elements from Barry Sears’ “Zone.”
I am a member of a new, and quickly growing, world-wide phenomenon known as CrossFit. The CrossFit program has been introducing Paleo eating to thousands of people (athletes, firefighters, police, military, housewives, and grandmas!). Many of us are completely grain free, legume free (no peanuts!), and dairy free (except for a bit of heavy whipping or manufacturing cream).
Your website is a goldmine!
So as Hanukkah is approaching any ideas other than latkes, like maybe jelly donughts ? :]
I know a few CrossFit Jews that would be very grateful about this! (I am sure they will love the Macaroons for Passover).
Thanks again.
You are a Rockstar!
jyoti says
Next time I come across a butternut squash, I’m trying this. Have you tried making almond yogurt? I did a raw version where you soak the almonds, blend them with water and then add salt and lemon. It came out more like ricotta, but I liked it.
I want to try adding cultures and fermenting it sometime.
elana says
Hi Jyoti, The almond yogurt sounds delicious!
Jyoti says
Have you tried making this yogurt with some coconut yogurt culture?
elana says
Jason,
I use them as is. Hope you enjoy them.
Elana
Jason says
Do you wring out the extra moisture out of the squash in a dish towel, like you would with potatoes, or do you use as is?
Thanks!
elana says
Zannestar-
Thanks for your comment; glad you like them!
Elana
zannestar says
These were absolutely delicious! I couldn’t have imagined the flavor, so wonderful, and perfect with applesauce. We will definitely be making these again – thank you!