Easy Southern Squash Casserole

I got an awesome recipe for you today. Yeap, Southern Squash Casserole is a fixture on southern dining tables. This buttery and flavorful yellow squash casserole is perfect for entertaining but easy to enjoy for a weeknight supper or when you want to envoke the feel of a Southern summer night.

In the south, it doesn’t matter if you don’t grow your own garden. It is common to come home to a large basket of squash on your doorstep gifted by a neighbor with a well-producing garden. When life gives you squash, you make squash casserole!

Related Link : Candied Sweet Potatoes.

What Is In Squash Casserole

A true southerner will know that food is love and this easy casserole is quite lovely. Thin slices of summer squash are combined with cheese and topped with buttery crackers to make a kid-friendly casserole that is reminiscent of mac and cheese.

From meal trains to Sunday supper with crispy whole chicken, from BBQs to town potlucks, this squash casserole recipe is one you will return to time and time again. 

Why You’ll Love It

• It is affordable. Yellow squash is abundant throughout the spring and summer months.
• It can feed a lot of people. Traditionally a side dish, this casserole can easily feed 8 or double it to feed more.
• It’s kid-friendly. Kids will love the cheesy, creamy texture and the crunch of the crackers on top.
• It’s easy to make. This casserole bakes in just 20 minutes and the prep is easy too.

Related Link : Salmon Croquettes.

How To Make Squash Casserole

1. Preheat your oven to 350F / 180C / gas 4.
2. Slice and steam the squash for 10 minutes to soften it.
3. Prepare the cracker topping by crushing the crackers and combining them with melted butter.
4. Whisk the remaining ingredients in a saucepan to make the cheese sauce.
5. Drain the squash and combine it with the cheese sauce. Pour it into a casserole dish and top with the crackers.
6. Bake 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Tips

• Feel free to mix in some zucchini as well.
• You might want to use a mandoline slicer to slice the yellow squash nice and thin.
• If not gluten-free, then use regular flour and regular crackers.
• Feel free to add in some finely diced red bell pepper to this.
• Sometimes I add in a pinch of homemade creole seasoning.

Questions You May Have

How Do You Cook the Squash?

You want the squash in this casserole recipe to be tender enough to almost melt in your mouth so it is important to cook it in advance.

Steaming is a popular way to cook squash. Add squash slices in a steamer basket over a pan of water. Boil water and cover the pan with a lid. Steam for about 10 minutes or until squash is tender.

You can microwave the squash as well. Place the sliced squash in a bowl with a bit of water. Cover with plastic wrap and heat on high for five minutes or until tender.

Cook in a skillet. To eliminate a few dishes, heat 2 tablespoons of oil or butter in a skillet and saute squash until tender.  When cooked, decant and proceed with making the cheese sauce in the same skillet.

Can You Prepare Baked Yellow Squash Casserole in Advance?

Down south, any gathering with people will likely have food, and any gathering with food will likely attract a lot of people. You’ve never quite seen a spread like the ones laid out at a southern potluck supper!

This comforting casserole is a great make-ahead meal. Combine all the ingredients and place the casserole dish in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. You may need to extend the baking time for a few minutes to heat up cold ingredients.

Tips for Freezing Summer Squash Casserole

• Leave off the cracker topping and add it just before baking.
• Thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight.
• Divide the casserole into several smaller pans before freezing so you can enjoy it more often.
• You may need to increase the bake time because the ingredients are cold.

Is Yellow Squash the Same as Zucchini?

Zucchini and yellow squash are related! While zucchini is green and yellow squash is, well, yellow…both have a similar taste and texture.

If you have zucchini on hand you can swap it for the yellow squash in this recipe. It’s also not uncommon for southerners to use both zucchini and yellow squash in this recipe.

What to Serve with Yellow Squash Casserole

• Instant Pot Chicken Breast.
• Air Fryer Pork Chops.
• Cajun Fish Fillet.

Other Southern Favorites You Might Like

• Scalloped Corn.
• Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes.
• Easy Shrimp Creole.
• Creole Seasoning.
• Instant Pot Jambalaya.
• Hoppin John.
• Red Potato Salad.
• Grape salad.
• Salmon Croquettes.
• Brunswick Stew.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 7 Blue Plan SmartPoints in a serving of this Yellow Squash Casserole.

Thank you for reading my Easy Yellow Squash Casserole recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry,  food blog.

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