Potato Fritters—with Pumpkin and Curry

Three pumpkin fritters on a small gray plate

5 from 2 votes. Tap stars to vote

Freshly fried fritters are so delicious, especially when they're filled with flavor and texture. Potato Fritters made with pumpkin and curry have plenty of both!

Prep Time27

Cook Time40

Total Time1 7

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 213kcal

Author: Nancy Mock

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced (Waxy variety like Yukon gold or fingerlings)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt

For the fritter batter:

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup pure pumpkin purée
2 teaspoons dried chopped onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
More vegetable oil, for frying

For the Dipping Sauce

¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon curry powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook the potatoes:

In a medium bowl, toss the diced potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced potatoes to the pan.
Sauté the potatoes for about 15 minutes until they are browned.
Once the potatoes are browned, add in ½ cup of water, and cover the pan. Allow the potatoes to steam for 2 to 3 minutes until they're tender. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the potatoes to cool a bit.

Make the fritter batter:

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
In a separate small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, dried onion, and 2 tablespoons of oil.
With the mixer running on low, slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl. When the batter is combined and smooth, stir in the cooked potatoes.

Fry the fritters:

Place a cooling rack lined with paper towels near the cooking area. Have a large, metal slotted spoon or metal tongs ready.
Pour vegetable oil in a large heavy-duty pot or pan to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat, until a bit of batter dropped in the oil bubbles and cooks. I find the ideal temperature to be about 330° F.
Gently drop a tablespoon-sized portion into the heated oil and fry the fritter until it's golden brown, turning it often with slotted spoon or tongs to brown it on all sides: about 2 to 3 minutes.
The batter should spread enough in the oil to allow the fritter to cook through. Check the first few you do after they’re drained: if they’re raw in the middle, then thin the rest of the batter with a little milk.
Once the fritters have browned, remove them from the oil with the slotted spoon to the paper towel-lined rack. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Make the dipping sauce:

To make the dipping sauce, combine the sour cream, honey and remaining ½ teaspoon of curry powder in a small bowl. Serve it with the warm fritters.
Makes about 20 fritters.

Notes

The fritters must brown up quickly, but not so quickly that the middle stays raw. To achieve this, keep your oil between 330°F and 350°F. The easiest way to control your oil temperature is with an inexpensive digital thermometer.
Another tip to ensure the fritters cook all the way through is to keep the batter thin, like the consistency of pancake batter. It will spread better once it hits the oil which allows the insides to cook through quickly.

Nutrition