Creamy, cheesy, and topped with a golden, buttery cracker crust, our Summer Squash Casserole is the Southern classic your dinner table has been missing. Quick enough for a weeknight and crowd-pleasing enough for family gatherings, it’s the perfect side dish that’ll win everyone over effortlessly.
It’s packed with crispy, cheesy goodness that’ll have even the most skeptical veggie eaters going back for seconds.
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Yellow Squash Casserole has been showing up at Southern family gatherings and church-covered-dish suppers for over a hundred years.
It started as a clever way to use up all that summer squash taking over backyard gardens, and somewhere along the way, someone added a cheesy, buttery cracker topping, and it became a Southern classic.
Our Squash Casserole sticks to tradition in all the best ways, with layers of tender squash, a creamy filling, and a buttery golden topping no one can resist.
Making a squash casserole only takes a few simple ingredients, and it comes together to create a cheesy casserole that feels a whole lot more special than it should.
Our cheesy Squash Casserole recipe takes just 15 minutes of preparation, and then the oven handles the rest.
Serve alongside our Homemade Cornbread Recipe (Southern Style), packed with sweet cornmeal flavor, a tender crumb, and those irresistible crispy skillet edges.
Add a scoop of our 7 Layer Salad for a fresh, creamy crunch that balances the richness of the casserole and brings the whole Southern spread together.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Summer Squash Casserole recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
Absolutely. We made our Southern Squash Casserole with yellow squash, but you can use zucchini or a mix of both if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
Swap the cheddar for Monterey Jack, or try smoked Gouda to bring a mellow, melty richness to the filling.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little kick.
For a touch of sweetness and color, mix in some finely chopped red bell pepper.
How to Make Squash Casserole
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Squash Casserole in your home kitchen.
- Clean and rinse the yellow squash under cold running water. Then pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Place the crackers in a ziplock bag.
- Use a rolling pin to break the crackers into small pieces.
- Add the crackers, melted butter, Romano cheese, and chopped parsley to a small bowl.
- Use a fork or a spoon to mix the melted butter and cheese into the crushed crackers.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the squash into half-inch slices.
*Keep the slices uniform in size, so they cook at the same rate. - Add two tablespoons of butter to a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- When the butter is melted, add the chopped onions and sliced yellow squash to the pan.
- Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions and squash become slightly tender. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Add the garlic and fresh thyme to the pan and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant (1-2 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, remove the squash and onion mixture from the pan. Place the mixture on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to let it drain off the excess liquid and oil.
- Set aside until needed, allowing it to cool to room temperature. Do not tent the squash.
- Add the salt, black pepper, beaten egg, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together to combine.
- Add the squash to the sour cream mixture.
- Use a rubber spatula or a spoon to gently fold the ingredients together, ensuring the squash is fully coated.
- Lightly grease a medium baking dish, then add the squash mixture to the dish. Spread the mixture in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the cracker crumb mixture evenly over the squash mixture.
- Place the baking dish on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the cracker crust is golden brown.
- Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve this at your next Sunday dinner, family gathering, or holiday spread, where it’s guaranteed to show up on every plate.
After their first bite, the only thing disappearing faster than the casserole is your chance at getting seconds!
How to Store and Reheat
Let the leftover squash casserole cool to room temperature before storing. Transfer it to an airtight container or cover the casserole dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place the casserole in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions, but the Ritz cracker crumbs will lose their crunch.
This dish does not freeze well due to the creamy filling and high water content in the squash.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can assemble it the day before and store it covered in the fridge. Just wait to bake it until right before serving so the cracker topping stays crisp and the casserole bakes up fresh and bubbly.
Yellow squash is naturally mild, so seasoning is key. Our recipe features sweet onions, garlic, fresh thyme, and the perfect amount of salt to bring out those savory flavors. You can’t taste the filling before baking because of the raw egg, so follow the recipe closely and trust that balance.
That usually means too much moisture was left in the squash. Make sure that it drains properly after cooking and cools completely before adding it to the filling. It only takes a little excess water to throw off the texture, so don’t skip that step.
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Squash Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Cracker Topping
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers About 32 crackers( you can use any cracker you prefer).
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup grated romano cheese or parmesan
- 2 teaspoons Italian Parsley
Squash Casserole
- 3 cups yellow squash about 4 medium-sized squash
- ½ cup sweet onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup mayonnaise room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Cracker Topping
- Place the crackers in a ziplock bag. Use a rolling pin to break the crackers into small pieces.
- Add the crackers, melted butter, Romano cheese, and chopped parsley to a small bowl.
- Use a fork or a spoon to mix the melted butter and cheese into the crackers pieces.
Squash Casserole
- Clean and rinse the yellow squash under cold running water. Then pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the squash into half-inch slices.*Keep the slices uniform in size, so they cook at the same rate.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Place a large skillet or cast iron pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the hot pan and stir until melted.
- Add the chopped onions and sliced yellow squash to the pan.
- Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions and squash become slightly tender. Stir frequently so they don't burn.
- Add the garlic, fresh thyme, to the pan and saute until the garlic becomes fragrant (1-2 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, remove the squash and onion mixture from the pan. Place the mixture on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to let it drain off the excess liquid and oil.
- Set aside until needed, allowing it to cool. Do not tent the squash.
- Add the salt, black pepper, beaten egg, sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise to a large mixing bowl
- Whisk together to combine.
- Add the squash to the sour cream mixture. Use a rubber spatula or a spoon to fold the ingredients together, fully coating the squash.
- Lightly grease a medium baking dish, then add the squash mixture to the dish. Spread the mixture in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the cracker crumb mixture in an even layer overtop of the squash mixture.
- Place the baking dish on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the cracker crust is golden brown.
- Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.
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