Join us for an adventure in flavor!

    Southern Squash Casserole

    Southern Squash Casserole – When you marry a southerner, you learn to cook like a southerner!! This classic southern squash casserole is a typical vegetable dish smothered in butter, cream and cheese just the way they prefer it.

    Mildly flavored sweet squash folded into a creamy, cheesy sauce and topped with buttery cracker topping (and yes, Ritz is the best)… people will be going for seconds and thirds!

    Treat your family this holiday season with this yellow squash soufflé-ish dish, which pairs wonderfully with that giant turkey meal, or just a regular weekend fried chicken feast.

    wooden spoon scooping a helping of southern squash casserole out of a blue dish

    The last few years I have been trying to learn all the southern favorites that my husband grew up on. As they say, the way to your man’s heart is through his stomach. I can vouch for that big time, it’s been working great for the last 7 years or so.

    My first taste of this Southern Squash Casserole came in one of our favorite spots in the Golden Isles of Georgia. I remember it came in small individual ramekin like bowls, and one spoon into that cheesy squashiness and I said “how can your regular vegetable get to that level of yum??”

    My husband just said “welcome to the South.”

    serving of southern squash casserole in a black bowl

    This is a dish you will find in those small little diners or at any of those family get togethers like Thanksgiving, Christmas or just a summer potluck. It’s everybody’s favorite!

    Like so many holiday side dishes, it’s pretty quick and simple to put together. First, a few tips to ensure you end up with a mighty tasty dish on your table:

    Tips for Perfect Southern Squash Casserole

    southern squash casserole in a blue baking dish

    Tip #1: It’s very important to get as much liquid out of the squash during the initial cooking as possible, to prevent a watery casserole. Remember, these squash have a very high water content, so when you sauté them discard the liquid from the pan. To make sure most of it is gone, rest the sautéed squash in a colander for 10 minutes to drain out any remaining liquid.

    Tip #2: Slice your squash evenly and don’t overcook it. Avoid browning them. You just need to make them a little bit soft, otherwise you may end up with a mushy casserole.

    Tip #3: Try to stick with Ritz crackers, they are super buttery.

    Tip #4: Gently fold the sauce mixture in your sauteéd squash as you don’t want to break the squash up.

    southern squash casserole in a blue dish with a wooden spoon sticking out

    Ingredients for Southern Squash Casserole

    six yellow squash in a light blue bowl
    • Yellow Squash – the base for your dish.
    • Onions – because they go in everything.
    • Mayo, Sour Cream, Egg, Cheddar and Parmesan Cheese – the sauce!
    • Butter – mandatory for holiday casseroles!
    • Ritz crackers – for the crunchy topping.
    • Salt and Pepper – for taste.

    How to make Southern Squash Casserole

    collage of eight pictures: sliced yellow squash lined up on a wooden cutting board, raw squash slices in a collander, cooked squash slices in a collander, cheesy sauce in a bowl, sauce added to squash slices in a pan, squash and cheese sauce in a casserole dish, ritz cracker topping added to casserole, and finally the squash casserole after it has been baked

    Melt some butter in a skillet and sauté chopped onions until translucent. Add sliced squash and sauté with salt and pepper until a little soft, not mushy.

    Prepare the creamy sauce by folding together sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, egg, salt and pepper.

    Add sauce to squash and gently stir until mixed.

    Crush Ritz crackers and mix with 2 Tbsp melted butter. Spread this mixture over the top of your casserole.

    Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes uncovered until your casserole is a little bubbly and the topping is lightly browned.

    southern squash casserole in a blue baking dish

    Squash Casserole Variations

    1. You can do the same with zucchini or mix and match with both.
    2. If you want a complete, one-pot meal, how about adding some shredded rotisserie chicken along with the sauce. Brilliant, isn’t it??
    3. Try different cheeses like asiago, gouda, pimento cheese, or for a little kick some pepper jack.
    4. Use panko instead of crackers for a different crunch.

    What to serve with this Squash Casserole

    • As mentioned before, it’s perfect on your Thanksgiving or Christmas spread, or with fried chicken.
    • It goes great with grilled or roasted meats.
    • Try it with my Honey Mustard Chicken.
    • It’s delicious alongside stuffed Pork Pinwheels.

    Can I Make Southern Squash Casserole Ahead of Time?

    Absolutely! This casserole is very holiday friendly, as it freezes great. You can make it few days back, minus the Ritz crumble. Take it out to thaw the day before eating and leave in the fridge overnight.

    Add the Ritz topping right before baking. Voila, one dish you don’t have to put much effort into on the big day!

    serving of southern squash casserole in a black bowl

    We always have these squash a plenty in our refrigerator. Try this yellow squash casserole one of these days. Let me know if you try this for your special Turkey spread this year, or for a regular weeknight meal with my shredded chicken idea!!

    I would love to hear from you, come and say hello in my comment section. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to GypsyPlate for so much more to come!

    Looking for more squash recipes? Check out my collections of Butternut Squash Recipes, Spaghetti Squash Recipes, and Pumpkin Recipes!

    Southern Squash Casserole, on our Gypsy Plate… Enjoy!

    serving of southern squash casserole in a black bowl sitting atop the gypsy plate

    Try these other great sides this holiday season!
    Lazy Sweet Potato Mash
    Fruity Nutty Crispy Brussels Sprouts
    Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel
    Thanksgiving Kale Salad
    Butternut Squash Blossom
    Creamed Peas with Pearl Onions
    Stuffed Acorn Squash
    Succotash

    squash casserole.

    Southern Squash Casserole

    Yield: 6-8 servings
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes

    This classic yellow Squash Casserole is a great every day side dish for your favorite Southern fare. Easy and delicious, this will be especially popular on your holiday spreads.

    Ingredients

    • 2.5 lbs yellow squash, sliced
    • 1 c chopped onion
    • 1/4 c mayonnaise
    • 8 oz sour cream
    • 2 eggs
    • 1.5 c shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1/2 c parmesan cheese
    • 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 4 Tbsp butter, divided

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in sauteé pan. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add squash slices and cook with salt and pepper until they are just soft, but not mushy.
    3. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, eggs, cheeses, salt and pepper together for the sauce.
    4. Add sauce to squash and gently stir until mixed. Transfer to 2.5 qt casserole dish.
    5. Melt remaining butter. Crumble Ritz crackers in a bowl and then stir in butter. Spread mixture evenly over casserole.
    6. Place casserole in pre-heated oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until slightly bubbling and cracker topping is nicely browned.
    Nutrition Information
    Yield 6 Serving Size 1
    Amount Per Serving Calories 430Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 143mgSodium 865mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 3gSugar 8gProtein 14g

    Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

    Never miss a recipe!

    Join the GypsyPlate mailing list and get easy dinner recipes right in your mailbox. From homestyle comfort food to exotic dishes from around the world.



      7 thoughts on “Southern Squash Casserole”

      Leave a Reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      Search by Cuisine

      Travel a word of flavors with GypsyPlate. Sort our recpes by regions:

      GypsyPlate logo.
      Skip to Recipe