Squash Casserole
This southern spin on Squash Casserole features tender yellow squash, cheese, and sour cream topped with buttery crackers and baked for a delicious, comforting side dish!
I'll be the first to admit that yellow summer squash has never been my favorite of the stereotypical Texas garden harvests. However, seeing as how my in-laws have a glorious and abundant stereotypical Texas garden, we end up with lots of it every summer. I like zucchini and have come up with numerous yummy ways to cook (and bake) it...but when it comes to yellow squash, I usually either roast it with Parmesan or -- more often than not -- I simply grate it up to hide in dinner and no one is the wiser <insert evil cackle>. But now we have a new recipe for enjoying it! This Squash Casserole is not only downright tasty, but it's my new favorite way to choke down actually enjoy yellow squash.
How to Make Squash Casserole
And how could this recipe not be delicious?
- Sliced yellow squash is sauteed and steamed with salt and pepper until tender.
- Then it's broken down with a potato masher and mixed with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and egg to achieve a creamy consistency.
- The resulting mixture is spread into a baking dish and topped with crushed crackers, Parmesan, and a drizzle of butter.
- Finally, it's baked until golden and bubbly.
And...shazam! A southern spin on a summer squash side dish that the whole family will scarf down.
This Squash Casserole smelled so good while baking that none of my kids even guessed that it contained squash. I considered it a win when my 3-year-old (who typically balks at trying new things) conceded to taste a bite. And my 6-year-old ended up truly loving this recipe. But the real test came when my (lifelong-squash-disliking) husband got home and polished off a hearty portion...he actually liked it, too!
Tweaking the Texture
The only critique that this recipe received from the kids was that they would have enjoyed it more if the squash was totally smooth and pureed.
I actually enjoyed the subtle texture in the casserole that was achieved by hand-mashing.
But next time, I may try blending the cooked squash in the food processor for a few seconds to give the kids' requested consistency at try.
If you're looking for a family-pleasing way to cook up some yellow squash this summer, I hope you'll give this southern Squash Casserole recipe a try!
Because let's be honest here...even squash haters are likely to be swayed by cheese, sour cream, and cracker crumbs. 😉
More Summer Sides
- Simple German (Swabian) Potato Salad
- Tomato Cucumber Poppy Seed Salad
- Carrot Apple Slaw
- Southern Baked Beans
Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds yellow summer squash, about 6 medium squash, washed & sliced ¼-inch thick
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, DIVIDED
- 18 golden butter crackers, finely crushed (about ¾ cup cracker crumbs)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter and swirl to melt and coat. Add the sliced squash, season generously with salt and pepper, and sautée for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot with a lid and continue cooking for 15 minutes longer, stirring every few minutes, or until the squash is very tender. Stir in the minced garlic during the last 5 minutes of the cooking time. Add more salt and pepper until the squash is well-seasoned.
- Adjust oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square casserole dish with softened butter or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the cooked squash to a large bowl and mash it with a potato masher to desired consistency. Mix in the sour cream to cool down the mixture (so that the egg doesn't scramble), then stir in the egg, cheddar, and ¼ cup of the grated Parmesan until well-blended. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle the top of the squash mixture with the cracker crumbs and the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan, then drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Post originally published on June 23, 2016.
Wonderful !
Made this tonight with garden pickings and my anti-squash hubby had a second serving:*) This recipe is a keeper!!
Yay! 🙂
Just made this and it was delicious! Added some ground sage sausage to make it a complete dinner casserole!
It says the Southern Squash recipe is 225 calories per serving, but it doesn’t say what portion size the serving is. So how much of a serving is 225 calories?
As the recipe indicates, there are 8 servings in the dish. So 1/8 of the final casserole is one serving. 🙂 Hope that makes sense!
Sooooo good. My husband doesn’t care for garlic, so I substituted onion. My son in law who does not eat squash, loved it. He went back for thirds. Lol
Has anyone tried this recipe with zucchini ?
I'm thinking it would be delicious.
Either all zucchini or half zucchini and half yellow summer squash?
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I didn’t have sour cream so I used plain Greek yogurt which works beautifully.
Hands down the best yellow squash casserole I have tried.
Yay, Cara! I'm so happy to hear that. 🙂
I'm drowning in yellow squash, so I just made this. It's fantastic!!! Deep in flavor, it'll be a perfect side for a BBQ pork rib dinner or as a main course served with some roasted summer tomato soup and a side salad.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Patrick!
Soooo many squash from our garden. I found your recipe & enjoyed it so much, I did the sauteing & cooking of the squash (with the garlic in the second cooking) & froze it for this winter. It will be interesting to see how it turns out. I did drain it before freezing. Thanks for the recipe
Have you tried this recipe with the puréed squash yet? I’m wondering if my family would like that better, but I’d like to know how it turned out! Thanks!
I haven't tried it but I see no reason why it wouldn't work! I'd perhaps try draining any excess liquid from the pureed squash, though, before proceeding with the recipe. Good luck!
Hey Samantha, have you tried battered squash with cornmeal and flour and fried with onions? OMGosh! The only way to ever eat yellow squash fresh out of the garden!
Sound delicious, Wilma! I'll have to try that next summer. 🙂
I love summer squash and this recipe was perfect for it. I did change one thing-I used panko bread crumbs instead of the crackers. It was delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
The flavors were delicious, but next time I'll drain the squash before baking - it was a tad too runny. Also - we eat low carb, so eliminated the crackers - still yummy!
I LOVE yellow squash, can't wait to try this recipe. Have tried to makes squash casserole before but it didn't turn out right, so I think this one will be just what I'm looking for. Also thanks for the positive reply. You Rock !!!!!!!!!
I love squash in any shape or form. Looking forward to trying this! Loved your response to the negative comment, btw.
I appreciate that, Kym. 🙂 Hope you enjoy this casserole when you have a chance to try it, and hope you're having a great week!
The benefits of squash is actually negated by all the cheese, sour cream and all the crackers. It's ok not to like a particular vegetable. Why just not eat squash? Because let's be honest, you're really not eating squash here at all...
Hi Lisa! I have to respectfully disagree with your comment. 🙂 I embrace a "real food philosophy" with most of my cooking. Yellow squash (2 pounds worth) is still the primary ingredient in this recipe, and I used all-natural cheese and sour cream to enhance it. There is nothing inherently unhealthy about cheese and sour cream just because they contain fat. I'm not afraid of cooking with real ingredients that contain fat, because I think our bodies process them a lot better than low-fat ingredients that have been altered to make them that way. Fat is also necessary to help our bodies absorb the vitamins from veggies like squash. That being said, it's all about balance, and I served this cheesy side dish with an entree of grilled chicken. As for the crackers, I buy organic ones, avoiding processed ingredients there as well, though the cracker crumbs could certainly be reduced in this recipe should anyone wish. Ultimately, my kids were proud of themselves for trying and enjoying squash, and knowing that they liked it here will probably encourage them to try it cooked other ways in the future...so that makes this recipe a win in my book. I wouldn't make this every week, but I think that making it a couple of times per summer when the garden is going crazy is a perfectly acceptable way to eat squash. 🙂
I totally agree with you on getting others to try veggies by introducing them to other ways they they can be introduced to them. My children will eat any vegetable now because I made them curious with cheese added. Now they will eat them with little of nothing added because they aquire the taste for them. My only problem now is getting them to refrain from eating them raw out of the fridge before I have had a chance to cook them in a dish. I only prepare Southern style squash casserole on special occasions or I prepare it while they are at school. The only veggie I can keep are Brussel sprouts, but as soon as they are cooked even slightly my boys are sniffing at the kitchen like hungry puppies waiting for me to get busy and look away. Geting some people especially kids to eat veggies even hidden is better than them thinking junk food is a side dish. I'm sorry some get upset but as long as your diet is ballanced you shouldn't worry about a little cheese,sour cream, or crackers.
Let's be honest, that was an annoying comment...if you don't like the recipe, don't make it. Let's hear from real people who actually made the recipe.
I made this when my kids were little. To get them to eat it I called it cracker casserole. It worked for a while. Thanks for sharing.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
Ha, Linda...I love that story. Isn't it funny how a topping of crackers can make just about any veggie appealing? 😉 Hope you're having a great summer!
Hi Sam!
Yellow summer squash is my very favorite veggie! Love this casserole and definitely making it soon. I also like the texture left in. Thanks for sharing and hope ya'll are having a great summer!
Deb
Hi Deb! Oh, I hope you love this recipe since you're such a fan of yellow squash! Great hearing from you and hope you're having a fantastic summer as well... 🙂
I love yellow squash and this recipe is wonderful. One question - do you peel the squash? The skin seemed a bit tough so unsure if I should peel.
Just made this and had to eat it right away. Totally delicious. I did drain the squash after cooking it. Glad I did. Will eat this for a couple of days with pleasure. (Husband will not eat vegetables. His lose.)