Sometimes it's the simplest foods that just taste the best. This easy side dish recipe doesn't have a lot of ingredients but it does have a generous amount of delicious flavor!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- It's a great way to use all that fresh squash from the garden.
- You can assemble it a day or so ahead of time and bake when needed.
- Extra creamy sauce and buttery crumb topping makes this dish so yummy even the squash haters will love it.
Adding sour cream turns bland yellow summer squash into a creamy, comforting side dish that most everyone loves. The crunchy, buttery crackers topping just takes it over the top.
This is the perfect recipe for the summer months when you've got a lot of squash on hand .
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients for my southern baked yellow squash recipe. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- I've also used zucchini or a combination of zucchini and yellow squash for this summer side dish - it's always just as good!
- You can add cooked chicken breast, ham, or cooked ground beef and make it a main dish, too.
- Cream cheese is a nice variation for the sour cream. It's a little more dense than when made with sour cream. Have it at room temperature or warm it slightly so that it stirs in easily.
- Some people use mayonnaise instead of sour cream. I don't care for it that way but you might like it.
- Some people use a can of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup instead of sour cream in this.
- Use bread crumbs instead of the buttery cracker crumbs on the top of the casserole.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a baking dish. Saute the squash, onions, & peppers.
- Drain in a colander to get rid of excess water.
- Mix the sour cream, cheese, and egg in with the squash.
- Spoon the squash mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with cracker crumbs and cheese, dot with butter. Bake.
🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
🥫 Storage
You can assemble this ahead of time, but leave off the cracker crumbs, cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. Add the crumbs just before you bake it.
Leftover squash casserole can be put in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You'll need to crisp the buttery cracker crumb topping back up in the oven - just heat at 375F until heated through.
Freezing instructions
You can also freeze this for up to 3 months unbaked. Mix it up and transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish. Don't add the cracker crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze.
When you're ready to bake just thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add the crumb topping and bake as directed.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Use smaller, tender squash for this easy squash casserole. They don't have to be tiny but make sure the skin is soft, tender, and unblemished.
- Grate the Cheddar cheese from a block don't buy pre-shredded. The pre-shredded doesn't melt properly. I've used it to try to save time and it was a mistake.
- Slice the squash in even slices.
- Don't use frozen veggies in a yellow squash casserole because it has too much liquid and makes the finished dish watery.
- You can add diced ham or cooked, diced chicken to the squash mixture to make this squash recipe more of a main dish.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
👩🍳 FAQs
Always saute the squash don't ever boil it. After sauteeing transfer the cooked squash mixture to a colander for a few minutes to let it drain. If it still seems watery gently press with paper towels.
No need to peel fresh yellow squash or zucchini before cooking as long as it is tender.
Put it in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and it will be fine to eat for about three days, although the crumbs will get soggy and the texture might get a little watery toward the end.
📚 Related recipes
- Pineapple zucchini bread is a delicious way to use summer squash - and you can substitute crookneck squash for the zucchini!
- Eggplant casserole is a similar side dish.
Another one of our favorite meals is crockpot cabbage rolls. It's my mom's recipe and I'm obsessed!
🍽️ Serve with...
We love this creamy yellow squash casserole anytime of year but it's especially yummy in the summer. I like to serve it as a side dish with Deviled Chicken, sliced ripe tomatoes, and an easy no bake dessert like this Hershey Pie.
I love the Cracker Barrel squash casserole recipe. It's a little different from the one I grew up on but it hits me right in the YUM every single time. I pretty much always order than and the turnip greens.
The thing is... it's on and off the menu around here. One time I go and it's there and another time it's not. I'll tell you what - I had to learn to make something similar because I couldn't count on it being available.
📞 The last word
I usually think of this southern squash casserole recipe as a main dish. That's how it was generally served when I was growing up.
It's the perfect side dish with just about any grilled meat and I love it with meatloaf!
It's so easy to make and really budget friendly - especially in the summer when your neighbors are leaving bags of summer squash and zucchini on your porch.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Yellow Squash Casserole
Print Pin Recipe SaveEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yellow squash
- ½ cup butter, divided use
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup Bell pepper, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup sour cream
- 16 Ritz Crackers, (1 sleeve)
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, reserve ½ cup
- Salt & pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish or a 1 ½ quart casserole
- Melt 2 tablspoons or so of the butter and the olive oil in a heavy skillet.
- Saute squash for about 5 to 10 minutes. If you are using fresh onion and pepper add it with the squash.
- Cover, reduce heat, and steam until very soft, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and let stand in a colander for a few minutes to drain any excess liquid.
- Add to a large bowl.
- Mix in the sour cream to cool it down a little.
- Add the 1 ½ cups Cheddar cheese and the beaten egg.
- Mix well.
- Spoon into the greased casserole.
- Top with crumbs and cheese.
- Dot with remaining butter.
- Bake for 30 -35 minutes, until the top is golden and the casserole is firm to the touch.
Notes
- Use smaller, tender squash for summer squash casserole. They don't have to be tiny but make sure the skin is soft and tender.
- Don't use cheese that is pre-shredded. Shred your own from a block.
- Slice it in even slices.
- You can use zucchini if you like.
- Add the sour cream to the squash to cool it off before adding other ingredients.
- Don't use frozen squash in a yellow squash casserole because it has too much liquid and makes the finished dish watery.
- You can add diced ham or cooked, diced chicken to make this more of a main dish.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published July 21, 2020. Last updated June 9, 2023 for editorial improvements.
Leslie Stevenson
I would like to try this, but I am somewhere that doesn't have a scale. About how many cups of squash would this be?
Laurie Wright
I made this casserole this past weekend and it was delicious! I shared some with my daughter and she asked for the recipe. I am planning to make it again tonight with zucchini squash. I am enjoying your posts and will be trying more of your recipes!
ELIZABETH SWYGART
I have a recipe similar to this that uses ranch and italian bread crumbs. Back home in Hephzinah Ga. the rural electric co put it in their monthly magazine and it was a big hit. That was over 20 years ago and Im going to try this recipi tomorrow with broccoli instead of swuash simply because I have some, I think it will be good.
Janice Curry
As these all sound delicious and I like how people can ask questions back ..easy to access and plain to understand ..doable for me ..a simple mom and grandmother !!!
Marye
🙂 Welcome Janice! Be sure to let me know if you need anything.
Shannon
Perfect! Easy but doesn’t taste like it. Exactly right as a summer main or side dish. A new favorite!