Yellow Squash Casserole

A perfect recipe starts in a summer garden. In South Louisiana, backyard gardens are full of summer squash. Sweet Daddy D’s Yellow Squash Casserole starts with fresh Yellow Squash and Yellow Onions, and that's almost all there is. Add butter, garlic, and seasonings then tighten it up with breadcrumbs and you have a simple and absolutely delicious summer casserole that everyone will love. This is the type of recipe that starts family traditions.

This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase.

Jump to:

• Yellow Squash in Louisiana
• Here's What You Need
• Here's What You Do
• Hints and Tips (FAQs)
• Recipe
• Comments or Questions?

Yellow Squash in Louisiana

Yellow squash is a type of summer squash that's very popular in South Louisiana. It's one of the many contributions to our cuisines by Native Americans who cultivated it in the rich, fertile soils of the Mississippi Delta even before beans and corn. Grown by commercial farmers and in backyard vegetable gardens everywhere you look, Yellow squash is harvested while still immature, leaving the skin tender and edible. Yellow squash is the demure cousin of other Summer squashes like the fashionable zucchini and the more flamboyant mirliton, also called chayote squash. But don’t sell it short, in the hands of South Louisiana cooks, its versatility is exploited in endless ways, like this delicious casserole.

Sign up for my email notifications of new recipes and posts right HERE.

Here's What You Need

Here are some of the key ingredients for this recipe:

Equipment

Here is some of the equipment I used in making this recipe:

This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase.

Here's What You Do

First...you have a beer. The great flavor of this dish does not require lots of ingredients, so your preparation will be simple and no-angst. It's still important to do your mise en place, so have a beer while you read the recipe all the way through. That way, you'll know what you need and what you're going to do with each ingredient. Let's get started.

Mise en place

Pro Tip: Yellow Squash is summer squash (like zucchini) and does not need to be peeled before consuming. You also do not need to remove the seeds. If you prefer to peel and deseed, that's fine also.

Steps for your mise en place:

• Wash the Yellow Squash under cold water and wipe them with a clean cloth or a soft brush.
• No need to peel the squash.
• Slice them into medallions about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick and set them aside.
• Slice the onions into rings, then cut the rings in half. Alternatively, you can rough-chop the onions. Place them in a separate prep bowl.
• Rough-chop the garlic and set it aside.
• Measure the sugar, creole seasoning, and bread crumbs into separate bowls.
• You’ll need a heavy-bottom Dutch oven with a heavy lid.
• Prepare a casserole or baking dish by smearing butter all over the bottom and the sides.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Saute the onions and garlic in the butter

What happens in this step? Simple recipes start with a simple foundation. We saute the onions in butter just long enough to start extracting the onion's natural sugars.

Set a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the butter and when it's bubbly, add the onions and stir them into the butter. Sauté the onions for about 5 to 8 minutes until they are soft and starting to clear. Add in the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 2 minutes.

Add the squash

What happens in this step? We start the process of cooking the Yellow squash. The long cooking time will draw out its natural water, helping to intensify its sweet goodness.

Add the squash and stir to incorporate all the ingredients. When all the squash has been added, lower the heat and cover the Dutch oven.

Pro Tip: You may need to do this in batches. Stir the squash until it cooks down just enough for you to add more squash.

Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the cover and mix in the sugar and about ¾ of the Creole seasoning. Use your wooden spoon to mash down some of the bigger pieces of squash (but don't make them like mashed potatoes). Continue to simmer with the cover off for another 15 minutes so that the liquid continues to render and cook-off. Stir occasionally so it does not stick.

Add the breadcrumbs and transfer to the casserole dish

What happens in this step? After a long simmer, most of the squash's water should be drawn out and cooked off. We now add a binder (breadcrumbs) to capture whatever liquid is left and bind all the ingredients together.

Start with about ¼ cup of breadcrumbs and mix them in thoroughly. Add more breadcrumbs a little at a time until it is the consistency you would like. You want the squash to stick together but not be too dense.

Once everything is thoroughly blended, roll the squash into the prepared casserole dish and smooth it out.

Pro Tip: If you are preparing this dish in advance you can stop at this step. Let the casserole cool down, then cover it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and place it in the fridge overnight. You can also place it in the freezer now. When you're ready to finish cooking it, pick up the process from this point.

Once you have the squash spread out in the casserole dish, sprinkle a light layer of breadcrumbs on top. Place about 6 or 8 small tabs (by “small” I mean a total of one tablespoon divided into 6 or 8 tiny pieces) of butter on top.

Into the oven

What happens in this step? Baking will remove even more moisture and complete the process of transforming the individual ingredients into one homogeneous, unique taste.

Place the casserole into a preheats 350-degree Fahrenheit oven, uncovered, and bake it for about 30 minutes. It should be slightly browned on top and a little bubbly around the edges.

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

That’s it, all there is to it, simple as that. If there is anything easier than this, I’d like to hear about it. Expect everyone to want seconds, it's just too good.

Sign up for my email notifications of new recipes and posts right HERE.

Hints and Tips (FAQs)

Serve your Squash Casserole alongside these Sweet Daddy D favorites:

Here are some other squash recipes from Sweet Daddy D:

If you make this recipe:

• Tell us about it in the Comments section below
• LEAVE A RATING ON THE RECIPE-worthy of 5-Stars?
• Questions or Comments? that’s the place!
• SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAIL UPDATES so you don't miss anything!
• Post a picture and share it with your friends on our Social Media:

Yeah You Right!

Author's Note: This recipe was originally published in August 2018. I am republishing it here with improved information and organization in an effort to make it more useful to you, our readers, as well as more search-friendly.

Recipe