One of our family's favorite vegetables is yummy yellow summer squash. Where we live, it is plentiful in the summer. In gardens, farmer's markets, and at our local grocery, this healthy vegetable is a staple in our seasonal meal plan. We love it fried in butter, chopped up fresh in a salad, and of course, smothered in cheese and baked with buttery crumb topping. Get our savory recipe for Cheesy Squash Casserole. Your dinner table will be better for it!
Cheesy Squash Casserole
My husband LOVES squash. Anytime I can get my hands on fresh, yellow squash, I know I've got a winner on my hands. He usually likes to have it skillet-fried in butter with caramelized onions (yum).
But I like to put cheesy goodness into everything. Including squash. Good call, because that man of mine loves this easy recipe. L-O-V-E-S.
Ingredients needed to make Cheesy Squash Casserole:
- Butter
- Yellow squash
- Onion
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Ritz crackers
- Salt & pepper
For this recipe, you can use straight neck or crookneck yellow squash. I like to use medium-sized squash that are still firm.
I like to have good bites of crisp-tender squash, so I cut the squash into ½ inch sized slices. You can slice the squash thinner if you prefer.
How to make Cheesy Squash Casserole:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter an 8x11 baking dish or casserole. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir in the sliced squash and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the squash are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 - 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fold in shredded cheddar cheese, parmesan, sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Transfer to the buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle the top evenly with crushed Ritz crackers.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
TIP: For the best flavor, let the squash and onions brown while cooking because this adds a caramelized bit of buttery sweetness.
I really like the combination of tangy, sharp cheddar and nutty parmesan with the squash. You can mix and match your own favorite cheeses.
After you stir in the cheeses and transfer the squash to the baking dish, time to top it with golden, buttery crackers. We used Ritz-type crackers. To crush them, you can pulse them in your food processor. Or do what I do and zip them in a plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin. 🙂
Hey, it doesn't have to be fancy to taste good, right?
One of the best things about this recipe is it is so easy to make and bake. You can even make it ahead of time and pop it in the refrigerator. Just wait until right before baking to add the cracker crumbs.
This side dish is great paired with chicken, meatloaf or pork chops. And between me and you, it is great all by itself, too!
Dinner ideas to serve with this side dish:
Pan Seared Salmon
Honey Bourbon Pork Steaks
Smothered + Covered Onion Pork Chops
Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
Cheesy Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 6 yellow squash medium, sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 onion peeled and sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar shredded
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese shredded / grated
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter an 8×11 baking dish or casserole. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir in the sliced squash and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until the squash are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fold in shredded cheddar cheese, parmesan, sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Transfer to the buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle the top evenly with crushed Ritz crackers.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
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