The More Cheeses, The Merrier In (and On!) This Yellow Squash Casserole (2024)

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Packed full of sweet yellow squash and topped with buttery crackers, this Southern staple is worth turning on the oven, even during the hottest summer days.

By

Amethyst Ganaway

The More Cheeses, The Merrier In (and On!) This Yellow Squash Casserole (1)

Amethyst Ganaway

Amethyst Ganaway is a food writer, chef, and restaurant industry veteran who focuses primarily on Southern and African-American foodways, and the foodways of the African Diaspora. She's a two-time Les Dames d'Escoffier International Legacy Culinary Award winner.

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Published August 21, 2023

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In This Recipe

  • How to Prevent Waterlog

  • The More Cheeses, the Merrier

  • Topping It Off

Why It Works

  • Salting and sautéing the squash before baking helps to remove excess moisture and prevents the casserole from becoming watery.
  • Cream cheese and sour cream lend the filling richness and tang.
  • Tossing crushed crackers with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano results in a satisfying and crunchy topping.

If you’ve ever grown zucchini or yellow summer squash, you know that summertime means one thing: an abundance of the gourd that feels impossible to keep up with. Sometimes all the zucchini bread in the world isn't enough to keep up with it. Enter the yellow squash casserole, a staple side dish of the Southern table that's especially popular at potlucks and holidays like Thanksgiving. Packed full of sweet yellow squash and topped with buttery crackers, it’s a Southern staple worth turning the oven on for, even during the hottest summer days.

I wish I could tell you that making a yellow squash casserole was as easy as tossing a bunch of ingredients into a casserole dish and baking it. But there’s a little prep work that needs to be done first to ensure you don't end up with flavorless, watery results.

The key to developing the squash's flavor and texture is to first salt it ahead of time to extract excess moisture (more on that below), and then sautée it with aromatics until just tender. Then there’s the creamy base—which comes together quickly in a bowl if you’re working with room-temperature ingredients—and a crunchy topping of crushed Ritz crackers tossed with melted butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Once you have all your components, all that’s left to do is assemble and bake.

How to Prevent Yellow Squash Casserole From Becoming Watery

Like its cousin zucchini, yellow squash is almost entirely water! To avoid a mushy, flavorless mess, it helps to first salt the squash, which draws out excess moisture through osmosis. This not only speeds up the cooking process, but also helps to concentrate the squash’s flavor. After a quick dab with paper towels to dry the squash, the squash is pre-cooked in a skillet, helping to further reduce moisture, soften the squash, and develop its inherently sweet flavor.

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Building Flavor: The More Cheeses, the Merrier

Take a look at many squash casserole recipes, and you’ll see that most call for one or more of the following: whole milk, heavy cream, sour cream, cream cheese, or mayonnaise, along with eggs and either grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese. Here, I’ve gone with sour cream and cream cheese, which lends the casserole richness and tang, along with two eggs and a combination of grated cheddar, mozzarella, and, for the topping, Parmigiano-Reggiano. The resulting casserole feels more like your favorite baked macaroni and cheese—except it’s stuffed full of summer squash instead of pasta.

Topping It Off

Here comes the fun part: crushing up Ritz crackers in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. After you’ve turned the crackers into crumbs, all that’s left to do before baking is a quick toss with melted butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and some freshly ground pepper. Sprinkled evenly on top of your squash casserole before baking, the crushed crackers provide a much-needed and satisfying crunch.

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Recipe Details

Yellow Squash Casserole

Prep60 mins

Cook60 mins

Cooling30 mins

Total2 hrs 30 mins

Makes6to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds yellow squash (about 3 to 4 medium squash; 1135g), cut into 1/4-inch coins
  • Kosher salt
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 1/2 ounces; 98g), divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces; 227g), chopped
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature (2 3/4 ounces; 75g)2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup cream cheese, at room temperature (5 1/4 ounces; 150g)
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (3 ounces; 85g)
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 ounces; 57g)
  • For the Topping:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ounce; 28g), melted
  • One 3.4-ounce sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed (32 crackers; 96g)1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 ounce; 28g)
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. In a large colander, sprinkle yellow squash with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, tossing to evenly coat. Let stand for 30 minutes, then pat squash dry with paper towels.

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  2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with unsalted butter and set aside.

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  3. In a 10-inch nonstick pan or cast iron skillet set over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Scrape onto a plate and set aside. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in skillet and, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the squash and cook, stirring to coat in butter, until squash begins to soften around the edges, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking until squash is tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer cooked squash to a bowl and set aside. Repeat with remaining squash, adding 2 tablespoons butter for each additional batch.

    The More Cheeses, The Merrier In (and On!) This Yellow Squash Casserole (7)

  4. In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs, and cream cheese until well-combined. Using a silicone spatula, fold in the cheddar and mozzarella. Drain cooked squash of any pooled liquid, then add to sour cream mixture with reserved onion and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour squash mixture into prepared baking dish and set aside.

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  5. For the Topping: In a medium bowl, toss crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and a few cracks of freshly ground pepper until well combined. Sprinkle cracker mixture over the squash mixture, then bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 1 hour.

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Special Equipment

Large colander, 2 1/2 quart baking dish, 10-inch sauté pan, silicone spatula

Make-Ahead and Storage

The assembled casserole can be made up until step 5 and kept in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to finish, allow the casserole to come to room temperature, top with Ritz mixture, and bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 1 hour.

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The More Cheeses, The Merrier In (and On!) This Yellow Squash Casserole (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Paula Deen's squash casserole? ›

In separate medium size skillet, sauté the sliced onion in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and, using a large bowl, add squash, onions, sour cream, Paula Deen's House Seasoning and sharp cheddar cheese. Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

How do you keep squash casserole from getting watery? ›

Salting and sautéing the squash before baking helps to remove excess moisture and prevents the casserole from becoming watery. Cream cheese and sour cream lend the filling richness and tang. Tossing crushed crackers with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano results in a satisfying and crunchy topping.

How to get water out of yellow squash? ›

Go ahead and sprinkle the summer squash with ample amount of salt. This is going to draw the water out of the summer squash. When you are baking and frying and grilling summer squash, sometimes it gets a little mushy because of the excess water, so this step really helps that.

How do you cook squash so it doesn't get soggy? ›

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a few drizzles of olive oil. Add the squash and sauté for about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that all sides get cooked. I like to cook mine until it's soft, yet still has a firm bite, but before it becomes too watery and mushy.

How do you thicken runny casserole? ›

Make sure you mix a solution of cornstarch and water cold, and then add it to your hot dish. Same can be said for flour. A flour and water paste (desk or wasteland spoon of flour then upload cold water until it is a liquid paste) delivered to the casserole will thicken it.

How many squash for 4 cups? ›

We discovered a 3-pound squash yields 4½ cups uncooked 1-inch cubes.

Why are my squash turning to mush? ›

Far, far, far and away the most common are watering issues. If the soil dries out too much between irrigations, or if it stays too wet, it interferes with root function and water uptake and the plant will pull water from the fruit, resulting in soft squash.

How do you give squash more flavor? ›

Brown Nicely When cooking summer squash, don't be afraid of a little browning. A nicely browned surface adds great flavor. 5. Partner Strategically Finally, balance squash's milder taste with stronger flavors like chilies, curry, ginger, garlic, lemon, goat cheese and so on.

Can you eat too much yellow squash? ›

Summer squash does contain measurable amounts of oxalates, which are natural substances found in plants and other foods that can cause health problems in people with certain existing conditions. If you have untreated kidney or gallbladder problems, you might want to avoid eating too much squash.

How do you take the bitterness out of yellow squash? ›

It helps to know that the bitter compound is more concentrated in the stem rather than in the blossom end of the squash. To reduce the bitter flavor, peel the squash, beginning at the blossom end, and discard a couple of inches of it at the stem end.

What is the best squash to cook with? ›

Butternuts are the ideal "ingredient" squash. While they are perfectly fine roasted on their own with a little butter and salt, their smooth, moist texture and uncomplicated sweetness make them the perfect base for pies, soups, curries — you name it, butternuts can adapt to the recipe.

How to cook butternut squash Paula Deen? ›

directions
  1. In a medium saucepan combine squash, onions, carrots,broth, and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes.
  2. Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. Whisk cream into soup. Serve in wide, shallow bowls with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

What is squash casserole made of? ›

The Southern classic combines fresh squash and onion with a creamy sauce and a crunchy cracker-Cheddar cheese topping. Whether you serve this squash casserole as a flavorful side or a veggie-centric main dish, everyone will be begging you to make it again and again for family gatherings, potlucks, and holidays.

Why is my baked squash watery? ›

After you slice the squash in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Next, drizzle the insides lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I find that adding too much oil and too much salt at this stage makes the squash a bit watery, so a light drizzle and a light sprinkle will do.

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