The Best Squash Casserole
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The Best Squash Casserole is classic southern comfort food made with yellow squash, onions, sour cream, cheese, and a buttery cracker topping. This yellow squash recipe has everything you love without condensed soup...and the flavor is amazing!
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Why You'll Love It
- easy casserole to make and bake
- great way to use up fresh squash from a summer garden
- family favorite at your holiday table
- can be served as a main dish or side
- budget friendly casserole dish with tons of flavor!
Recipe Highlights
Southern Squash Casserole is a classic dish that's been around a long time. Most folks like to use cream of mushroom soup to make it, but I promise you'll love this new recipe that has no MSG or artificial ingredients!
The addition of sour cream, along with mayonnaise and eggs, creates a creamy sauce that is made even better by including two kinds of cheese. It's the perfect combination that makes a great side dish or family dinner everyone will love.
The delicious topping made with buttery cracker crumbs and french fried onions will have the whole family coming back for seconds!
I know you've been making this dish for years, but y'all...this recipe is worth a second look. Folks tell me they'll never go back to the old way of making it after trying this version!
Ingredients
- During the summer months, we always have extra squash in our garden. This recipe is the perfect way to turn an abundance of squash into a cheesy squash casserole recipe.
- Summer squash casserole is so easy to put together, it's ready to pop in the oven in just 15 minutes!
- See recipe card for quantities.
Squash Mixture
- butter - can use olive oil if preferred
- fresh yellow squash - quartered and diced
- sweet onion - diced
- garlic salt - adds just the right touch of flavor
Filling
- sour cream - adds creaminess to this dish
- mayonnaise - is a great binder
- sharp cheddar cheese - shredded by hand or pre-shredded in a bag
- parmesan cheese - shredded (not grated)
- large eggs - binds casserole together
Topping
- butter - melted
- Ritz™ crackers - crushed
- french fried onions - crushed
How to Make Squash Casserole
- Add squash, onion, and garlic salt to a skillet. Saute' for 10 minutes over medium-high heat until tender. Take off heat.
- Fold in sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar and parmesan to the skillet. Stir well. Beat eggs and mix well with filling. Pour contents into a 13 X 9 inch baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, melt butter in microwave. Crush crackers and french fried onions in a large baggie, then mix with melted butter in bowl.
- Sprinkle cracker mixture over squash casserole. Bake for 30 minutes until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
- Cover squash casserole with aluminum foil to keep warm until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQS
Yellow squash is the best squash to use in a casserole because the seeds are tender and do not have to be removed. You can also eat the skin, which makes yellow squash a great choice for this recipe.
Any type of meat tastes great alongside this dish. Try pork tenderloin, glazed ham, pot roast, and fried chicken to name a few!
If you follow the instructions in this recipe your squash will not be watery. Cooking it in a skillet with butter instead of boiling it in water makes the squash turn out perfectly every time.
Yes! This recipe is so creamy and rich, you won't even miss the condensed soup version. Try it and see what you think! Don't forget to leave a comment below this recipe.
Absolutely! Frozen squash works great in this recipe as long as it is drained properly. Rinse it well and squeeze squash with a dish towel before using.
Expert Tips
- Sautéing onions and squash in butter gives this dish its robust flavor.
- Adding a dash of garlic salt to the squash while sautéing adds depth.
- Use two cheeses for best results. Make sure one of them is parmesan.
- Feel free to substitute zucchini for squash if you wish, but the flavor will change.
Storage and Freezing
Squash casserole freezes well before or after it's cooked for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To reheat, thaw overnight in fridge, then bake as directed in instructions.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. To crisp up the topping, bake leftovers in a 350 degree oven until warmed throughout and topping is crunchy.
What Readers Say:
"I made this and it was great! What I especially liked is that I could just make it for 2 people. The parmesan cheese was the kicker that really made this dish! Took squash to a new level"
CONNIE JONES
What to Serve with Squash Casserole
Casseroles are a southern way of life! This recipe is one of our family's favorite side dishes. Check out these other amazing recipes that go well with this southern squash casserole recipe...
More Casseroles
- Vidalia Onion Casserole - sweet onions are layered with swiss cheese
- Broccoli Cheese Casserole - another great recipe without condensed soup
- Sweet Potato Casserole - uses both marshmallows and candied pecans as a topping
- Loaded Hash Brown Casserole - the creamiest and most delicious way to serve potatoes!
- Skillet Green Bean Casserole - no condensed soup makes this recipe a stand out
Main Dishes
- Spiral Ham - great at Easter or Thanksgiving, these two pair well together
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast - a warm and comforting roast made perfect with squash casserole on the side
- No Peek Chicken - an easy dish that includes wild rice pilaf
- Roasted Whole Chicken - juicy chicken that just screams for a squash side dish!
- Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin - a great one pot meal
Recipe Card
The Best Squash Casserole
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
SQUASH
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 3 large yellow squash quartered and diced
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt with parsley
FILLING
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise I use Duke's
- 8 oz. pkg. sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 eggs beaten
TOPPING
- ¼ stick butter melted
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed
- ½ cup french fried onions crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt butter in skillet. Add squash, onion, and garlic salt.
- Saute' for 10 minutes over medium heat until tender. Take off heat.
- Add sour cream, mayonnaise, cheddar and parmesan to the skillet. Stir well.
- Beat 2 eggs and mix well with filling.
- Pour contents of skillet into a large casserole dish.
- In a separate bowl, melt butter in microwave.
- Crush crackers and french fried onions in a large baggie and mix with melted butter in bowl.
- Sprinkle cracker mixture over squash casserole.
- Bake for 30 minutes until topping is golden brown.
Notes
- Squash casserole pairs well with fried chicken, pork tenderloin and glazed ham.
- Use two cheeses for best results. Make sure one of them is parmesan.
- Squash casserole freezes well before or after it's cooked for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To reheat, thaw overnight in fridge, then bake as directed in instructions.
- View the Google Web Story for Squash Casserole!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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I would love to make for Easter, hope someone will help me. Ritz crackers are not sold in a sleeve in Canada, how many crackers will I need? Please and Thank you. Happy Easter 2022 to everyone. So nice to see our friends again.
Hi Paulette! There are 32 Ritz crackers in a sleeve. Happy Easter to you too! 🙂
Hi Debi,
Since squash come in many sizes, would you please give an approximate measure in cups how much fresh, unpeeled, diced squash to use?
Thanks so much!
Theresa Day
Hi Theresa. Good point. I was thinking folks might be able to judge the amounts by looking at the skillet in the photos. But, to be sure, plan on 3 large squash or 3 to 4 cups of diced and unpeeled yellow squash. Anything in that range will do nicely!
Alternating squash is easy if you puncture the seed cavity of the squash 3 or 4 times with a knife. Bake the squash until easily poked with a knife. Cool a bit, then slice open and easily scoop out the squash flesh with a spoon.