Description
Creamy yellow squash and zucchini casserole brings summer garden goodness to your dinner table with layers of tender vegetables and cheesy comfort. Hearty side dishes like this southern classic connect family and friends around a delicious, satisfying meal you’ll savor to the last bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 2 medium yellow squash, sliced
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- 0.5 medium onion, finely chopped
Dairy and Cheese:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Seasonings and Topping:
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking vessel by coating a 9-inch dish with a light layer of grease, ensuring optimal non-stick performance. Position the oven rack to the middle and warm to a precise 375°F (190°C).
- Activate a large skillet over medium thermal intensity. Introduce olive oil or butter, allowing it to shimmer. Gently cascade squash, zucchini, and onion into the pan, stirring occasionally to promote even caramelization. Cook for approximately 5-7 minutes until vegetables soften but maintain structural integrity. Carefully eliminate excess moisture through careful draining.
- Transition vegetables into a spacious mixing receptacle. Incorporate cheddar cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Manipulate ingredients with a sturdy utensil, creating a harmonious, creamy amalgamation that coats each vegetable fragment uniformly.
- Gracefully transfer the vegetable medley into the prepared baking dish, ensuring an even distribution. Create a crisp topping by combining crushed crackers with melted butter, then generously dust across the casserole’s surface for textural contrast.
- Slide the casserole into the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, monitoring until the edges bubble enthusiastically and the topping transforms into a golden, appetizing crust.
- Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes, permitting internal temperatures to stabilize and flavors to harmonize before serving.
Notes
- Swap out crackers for gluten-free alternatives like almond flour crumbs or crushed gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this dish celiac-friendly.
- Reduce cheese quantity and use low-fat versions for a lighter, healthier casserole that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Fresh herbs like thyme or basil can elevate the dish’s taste profile, adding unexpected brightness and complexity to the vegetable mixture.
- For a vegetarian protein boost, consider incorporating quinoa or diced plant-based protein directly into the vegetable sauté to create a more substantial meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 30mg