The pumpkin fritters are one of those pumpkin recipes to always have on hand, because it’s an easy and tasty recipe to prepare for any occasion. In my house, we love pumpkin, so I often use it for savory pies, pumpkin pastas and side dishes, but also for pumpkin desserts.
These savory pumpkin fritters have a soft texture and delicate flavor, which you can prepare as an appetizer or side dish. They are made with cream cheese, so they could also make an excellent vegetarian main course, perhaps to accompany vegetarian savory pies like the rustic puff pastry pie with ricotta and spinach or the vegetable savory pie. They can accompany other winter side dishes like sweet-and-sour artichokes or pan-cooked radicchio with mozzarella.
The truth is these savory pumpkin fritters are truly delicious, and I’m sure you’ll love them, especially if you enjoy the sweetness of pumpkin and delicate flavors. You can also personalize them by adding speck or bacon into the mixture: this way, you’ll have fritters with a more intense flavor.
Their preparation is very simple: you can even prepare part of the process in advance by cooking the pumpkin ahead of time. After that, all you need is an immersion blender or food processor, and in a few minutes, the pumpkin fritter batter will be ready. If you follow my tips on how to make perfect fried dishes, your fritters will be dry and with little oil.
You can also prepare the pumpkin fritter batter with the Bimby. I’ll include both methods in the recipe.
Alright, now let’s move on to the recipe and see how to make these soft and delicious pumpkin fritters with and without Bimby. But first, I’ll leave you links to other recipes you might like!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Frying, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients to prepare the pumpkin fritters
- 4 oz pumpkin (weighed raw and net of waste)
- 1/2 white onion
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 4 oz cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste chopped parsley
- as needed sunflower oil (for frying)
Tools to prepare the pumpkin fritters
- Pan
- Blender
- Knife
Steps to prepare the pumpkin fritters
Let’s see together how to make these delicious soft pumpkin fritters. I’ll first show you the traditional method and then the method to prepare the Bimby pumpkin fritters.
Let’s start with the preparation of the fritters using the traditional method.
Clean and cut the pumpkin into small cubes, roughly the same size. Finely chop the onion with a knife.
Transfer them to a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Cook on low heat with the lid on for about 20 minutes. At the end of cooking, the pumpkin should be soft and dry.
Transfer the cooked pumpkin to a food processor.
Add salt, pepper, and the cream cheese, then blend until you get a puree.
Put the mixture in a bowl and also add the flour. Mix well with a spoon. You will get a soft and creamy mixture.
Finally, add the chopped parsley. If you decide to enrich the pumpkin fritters with cold cuts (e.g. speck, pancetta, or salami in pieces), add them at this stage.
Prepare a bowl with a little all-purpose flour.
With the help of a spoon, take a small amount of batter and place it in the flour. Flour it on all sides and try to give the fritter a regular shape. Proceed like this for all the batter.
Heat plenty of sunflower oil. When it reaches temperature, fry a few fritters at a time. Let them cook for a few minutes on one side without touching them, then turn them over and cook on the other side.
When they are ready and golden (you will hear a crust forming on the surface when touched with a fork), drain them with a slotted spoon and let them drain on absorbent paper.
Enjoy your pumpkin fritters hot or warm!
Now let’s see how to prepare the pumpkin fritters with the Bimby.
To prepare the pumpkin fritters, start by cleaning the pumpkin: remove the skin and cut it into cubes. Set aside.
In the bowl, put half an onion: chop 3 sec vel 7. Then add the oil and the pumpkin: cook 20 minutes 100°C speed 1. Once done, blend 10 sec speed 7.
Let it reduce for about 10 min Varoma temp speed 1. Pay attention to this step because in the end, you should obtain a dense and consistent cream. The cooking times at Varoma temperature depend on how much water the pumpkin has released, so check the consistency often. If necessary, stop this cooking phase earlier. Let the cream cool slightly.
Add salt, pepper, chopped parsley, flour, and cheese: mix 20 sec speed 3. You will get a soft mixture. If you decide to add diced cold cuts (speck, pancetta, or salami), add them at this stage.Put some flour in a bowl and, in the meantime, heat plenty of sunflower oil in a pan.
Using a spoon, take a portion of the mixture and roll it in the flour dish, flouring the pumpkin fritters thoroughly.Fry the Bimby pumpkin fritters a few at a time until they turn golden. Let them drain on absorbent paper and serve them hot!
Storage and Tips
– Fried foods are best when freshly made. I recommend frying and eating the fritters immediately, hot or warm. Over time, they lose their crispness and initial texture.
– If some are left over, don’t throw them away. Store them in the refrigerator and reheat them in an air fryer or oven for 4-5 minutes at 300°F: this way, the outer crust will become crispy again.
– I do not recommend freezing them: once defrosted, they would lose their texture.
– The cooking times for the pumpkin vary depending on the type of pumpkin you use. You need to obtain a dry mixture. From this point, increase or decrease the cooking times to achieve the desired result.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What type of pumpkin is best to use for pumpkin fritters?
For this type of fritters, it’s best to use a pumpkin with firm and dry flesh. The ideal would be the Delica pumpkin. If you have other varieties, that’s fine too, but make sure to dry them well when cooking the pumpkin in the pan.
Are these fritters vegetarian and vegan?
They are vegetarian but not vegan. To make these pumpkin fritters vegan, you should replace the cream cheese with vegan or plant-based cream cheese.
Can I substitute the cream cheese?
If you don’t have cream cheese, you can replace it with the same amount of well-drained ricotta.
