These delicious little spaghetti squash fritters are going to rock your world! Baked, not fried, they are loaded with Parmesan flavor and are so easy to make – we can’t get enough of them!

Hello! Friends! Longtime blog readers! Random first time visitors!

How are you?

Five golden brown spaghetti squash fritters on a piece of parchment paper.

It’s been a wild few days around here, and I feel as though I’m checking back in from a loooooong absence…even though it hasn’t really been that long.

My mental ineptitude in regards to judging time and space and distance and all feeling is the result of summer break finally coming to a close, I think.

Between the eclipse (we were totally geeking out around here), last minute school prep, and the official first day of school (today!), I’ve been feeling a bit discombobulated.

It’s amazing how in an instant, though, we can throw ourselves back into early mornings and tight schedules, and everything seems right in the world again.

Well, for me, at least.

My bleary-eyed children, who stayed up way too late in the summer and experienced true jolts of shock to their system when 6:45 a.m. reared it’s ugly head today, may beg to differ.

Golden brown spaghetti squash fritters lined up on a white platter.

I have some pretty exciting posts coming up over the next few weeks on how we are tackling school lunches, weeknight dinners, and other various tips to make the new school year/crazy fall months bearable.

Currently, we are still relishing in the late summer produce, and I have been dying to share these baked parmesan spaghetti squash fritters with you.

They are amazing!

Plus, with this 7-minute Instant Pot spaghetti squash cooking method in your back pocket, these fritters couldn’t be easier.

I’ve made them many times over the last couple of weeks – partly to get the recipe just right and partly because we cannot get enough of these delicious little fritters.

Actually, the first time I made them, Brian was home helping a few kids get dinner while I was running the older two to soccer and he texted me and said, “dude, these patty gems are amazing!!”

And I was like, “don’t ever call them patty gems again.” Because that just sounds wrong somehow.

Baked spaghetti squash fritters is more my style in terms of recipe title (albeit a little boring).

A stack of spaghetti squash parmesan fritters with the top one split in half on a piece of parchment.

No matter what you call them, these healthier, baked fritters are fantastic.

I’ll never turn my back on these baked zucchini bites (basically, a baked zucchini fritter), but I think I’ve officially decided that I love the texture of spaghetti squash in a baked fritter type thingie even better.

If you really want to think outside the box, I think this “dough” would make a fabulous faux-pizza crust.

The thinner strands of spaghetti squash are less watery than zucchini and lend a firmer, less soggy texture to the fritters.

I’ve given a few important notes in the recipe – don’t disregard! Make sure to preheat that oven all the way to 450 degrees (don’t be afraid!) and generously grease the parchment paper with cooking spray.

When those fritters flip beautifully without sticking, you’ll be happy you are a rule follower.

A stack of golden brown spaghetti squash fritters on a piece of parchment.

One Year Ago: Cookies and Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two Years Ago: Fluffy Zucchini Cornbread
Three Years Ago: My Mom’s Famous Calico Baked Beans
Four Years Ago: Overnight Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes
Five Years Ago: Creamy Peanut Butter Tart

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Baked Spaghetti Squash Fritters

4.68 stars (67 ratings)

Ingredients

  • 1 medium spaghetti squash, you'll end up with 2 packed cups of cooked spaghetti squash, (454-510 grams)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour

Instructions 

  • For the spaghetti squash, slice it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and either: 1) place the spaghetti squash cut-side down in a 9X13-inch pan with an inch of water and bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes until a fork pierces through the skin very easily OR 2) use the beloved Instant Pot method detailed here (basically, add 1 cup of water and the rack to the IP, add the spaghetti squash, seal the lid, and cook at high pressure for 7 minutes, quick release the pressure, and you are good to go).
  • Scrape out the tender, cooked strands of spaghetti squash when it is cool enough to handle. Measure 2 packed cups (about 16-18 ounces) into a medium bowl. Let the squash cool to room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Add the egg, garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper, panko, Parmesan, and flour to the bowl with the squash. Mix until evenly combined.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously grease with nonstick cooking spray (don’t skimp here or the fritters will stick!).
  • Scoop out the fritter dough onto the prepared baking sheet in mounds, a couple inches apart. I use about 2-3 tablespoons for each fritter (works great to get a heaping scoop in my #40 cookie scoop and portion out that way).
  • Flatten the mounds until they are evenly about 1/4-inch thick or so.
  • Bake the fritters for 10 minutes until they are browning on the bottom. Remove the pan from the oven and using a thin, metal spatula, flip the fritters and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden on both sides.
  • Serve immediately!

Notes

Keys to Success: this recipe is pretty straightforward and simple, but a couple keys to success are: 1) preheating that oven so it is HOT! 450 degrees is the magic temp in my oven; don’t be scared, and 2) generously greasing the parchment paper before baking so the fritters don’t stick (the hot temperature also helps the fritters sizzle so they don’t stick to the pan). 
Panko: I think the coarser texture of panko helps the overall texture of the spaghetti squash fritters, but if you don’t have panko on hand, you could try using regular bread crumbs.
Serving: 1 Fritter, Calories: 45kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 190mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g
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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe