Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole – An Easy Cheesy Squash Casserole

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Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. You can use yellow squash or zucchini or a combination of both to make this perfect side dish for pork chops.

 If you love summer squash and zucchini like I do, you will love this easy cheesy summer squash casserole. The best part is you can use yellow squash and zucchini interchangeably if you want to!

Summer Squash Casserole

This baked zucchini and squash casserole recipe is a true winner. The easy cheesy squash casserole uses the gobs and gobs of zucchini and summer squash from our summer gardens.

Depending on what you have on hand, use either zucchini or yellow summer squash, or used a combination of both (which is what we like doing), just be sure to have a total of 4 to 6 cups of diced squash ready for the casserole.

Want other garden vegetable recipe inspiration? Take a look at our Garden Fresh Summer Recipes post.

Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

There are two amazing elements to this squash and zucchini casserole with Ritz (butter) crackers.

First off, it’s the cheese.  This yellow squash casserole recipe calls for shredded cheddar cheese, but you could absolutely use your favorite type of cheese.

Second, Ritz crackers or any type of butter cracker you have on hand gets crushed up and sprinkled on top.  And if that’s not good enough, melted butter is poured over top.

The combination of the cheesy squash and zucchini, crunchy Ritz crackers and melted butter is a match made in heaven, and it gives an amazing flavor. The top is buttery and crunchy and the inside of this casserole is cheesy goodness.

This Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great side for any grilled meat option, especially our 3 Ingredient Steak, Grilled Pork Steak and Easiest Grilled Chicken Ever.

What Goes with Squash Casserole

Squash casserole is the perfect side dish, but what should you serve with a yellow squash casserole? The good news is that it goes with almost any type of protein. Pork chops, ham steaks, grilled steak, pork roast, BLTs, grilled pork roast, or even plain old hot dogs would be quite tasty as a main dish.

Check out our top five main courses to serve with yellow squash casserole.

  1. Grilled Pork Shoulder Steak
  2. Country Fried Cube Steak Recipe
  3. Fried Pork Chops Like Grandma Used To Make
  4. Quick Crock Pot Pulled Pork
  5. 12-Minute Old-Fashioned Ham Steak

Easy Cheesy Squash Casserole Ingredient List

Summer Squash (yellow squash, zucchini or a combination)

Dried Onion Flakes (or diced fresh onion)

Eggs, beaten

Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (or your favorite type of cheese)

Cracker Crumbs (use a buttery cracker such as Ritz)

Butter, melted

How to Make Casserole with Zucchini and Summer Squash

Step By Step Instructions

  1. Prepare a casserole dish by spraying with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a large saucepan, boil washed and diced summer squash (or zucchini) in salted water until fork-tender over medium heat.
  3. Drain squash well in a colander to remove excess water.
  4. In a large bowl, stir together drained squash, onion flakes, cheese and beaten eggs. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
  5. Pour the squash mixture into a prepared baking dish, and sprinkle on cracker crumbs.
  6. Melt butter, and pour over the top. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Storage Instructions

Let the leftovers cool completely. Store in an airtight container or a dish tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Full ingredient amounts and recipe steps for baked squash casserole is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card. 

Why is my squash casserole watery?

Squash is naturally high in water content. To prevent your casserole from getting runny, there’s a couple tips to follow.

  • After boiling the squash, drain the squash well to remove excess water. A sieve works great for this.
  • Use a binder in the casserole such as eggs to hold everything together.
  • Top the squash casserole with something crunchy such as breadcrumbs, cornflakes or cracker crumbs.

Yellow Squash Recipes

Try our favorite yellow squash recipes.

Recipe FAQs

  • This cheesy zucchini casserole uses a 2-step cooking process; first you boil the diced squash in salted water, and then you assemble the casserole and bake in the oven.
  • You can use all zucchini or all squash in this baked squash casserole if you’d like or use a combination of the two.
  • Substitute fresh, diced onion for onion flakes, if desired.
  • Any type of crackers can be used for the crunchy topping.  We typically make this squash casserole with Ritz. One and a half cups is approximately one sleeve of butter crackers. Panko breadcrumbs would also work.
  • The melted butter and cracker topping makes a delicious crunchy topping.  We use a similar concept in 4 Ingredient Broccoli Casserole and Old Fashioned Cauliflower Casserole. Kids go nuts for it!
  • If desired, add herbs and seasonings such as fresh thyme or parsley.
  • We typically make this in the summer when we have squash coming out of our ears, but you can find squash all year long at the grocery store.
  • Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite pantry essentials and kitchen items.

How do you prevent squash casserole from getting watery?

Summer squash and zucchini are naturally full of water which can be bad news when it comes to a good casserole.  Follow these easy steps to prevent a watery squash casserole.
  1. Boil the squash to par-cook before baking.  To do this, wash and dice the squash.  Boil in salted water for until fork-tender.
  2. Drain the squash in a colander before assembling the squash casserole.
  3. Add a binding ingredient to the squash casserole.  Beaten eggs, cracker crumbs, crushed cornflakes, sour cream and cooked rice are all good binders.

How to store zucchini?

First off, leave the squash unwashed.  Next, place it in a plastic bag with one end open in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to a couple weeks. The skin will most likely start to shrivel after 1 to 2 weeks, letting you know it’s time to use it or toss it.

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Easy Sausage Zucchini Casserole from Farmwife Feeds

Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. Y
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5 from 5 votes

Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole – An Easy Cheesy Squash Casserole

Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. You can use yellow squash or zucchini or a combination of both to make this perfect side dish.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Casserole, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked squash and zucchini casserole, cheesy squash casserole, cheesy summer squach and zucchini casserole, cheesy zucchini casserole, easy cheesy squash casserole, squash casserole
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 309kcal
Author: Barbara

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds summer squash or zucchini (a combination can be used) 4-6 cups
  • 1 Tablespoon onion flakes
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 eggs slightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed crackers
  • 1 stick melted butter

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Wash and dice summer squash/zucchini. Boil in salted water until fork tender. Drain well.
    Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. Y
  • Combine drained squash, onion flakes, cheese and eggs.
    Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. Y
  • Pour into prepared 13 x 9-inch pan.
    Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. Y
  • Spread the crushed crackers over the casserole.
    Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. Y
  • Pour the melted butter over top the cracker crumbs.
    Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. Y
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
    Cheesy Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole is a great use of all of the summer garden bounty. This easy cheesy squash casserole has a buttery, crunchy top and a cheesy filling. Y

Notes

  • This cheesy zucchini casserole uses a 2-step cooking process; first you boil the diced squash in salted water, and then you assemble the casserole and bake in the oven.
  • You can use all zucchini or all squash in this baked squash casserole if you’d like or use a combination of the two.
  • Substitute fresh, diced onion for onion flakes, if desired. 
  • Any type of crackers can be used for the crunchy topping.  We typically make this squash casserole with Ritz. 1 1/2 cups is approximately one sleeve of butter crackers. 
  • The melted butter and cracker topping makes a delicious crunchy topping.  We use a similar concept in 4 Ingredient Broccoli Casserole. Kids go nuts for it!
  • Please note that the carb counts, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on the products you use. The auto-calculation is an automated estimate and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.
  • We typically make this in the summer when we have squash coming out of our ears, but you can find squash all year long at the grocery store.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 922IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 1mg

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24 Comments

    1. Anna – Thanks for the question. While we haven’t done this, it should be OK. Just be sure to drain your cooked squash/zucchini really well and wait to put the crushed crackers and butter on until just before you bake. We’d pull it out of the fridge a bit before it goes into the oven – it will need to cook a bit longer if totally cold. Good luck!

  1. What type crackers would you recommend? We love the ritz pretzel flip and the garlic butter flavor, would these be good?

  2. I am going to make this, I love squash, and freeze it. I think I should wait to put the topping on just before popping it in the oven. What do you think? Also, do you think this would be good with French onions as topping??

    1. If you are going to freeze the Unbaked casserole, then wait until you are ready to bake to add the cracker crumbs and butter. Also, while we haven’t tried it, French fried onions always sound good!

  3. Awesome dish. I spiced it up with paprika and pepper. I also used the small round squash instead of zucchini and they worked wonderfully.

  4. Made this but I did not precook the squash due to the length of the baking time and the high baking temperature. Squash came out tender and it did not release much water into the casserole.

  5. Excellent I tried this because it was similar to what I remember my great grandma making. She preferred to bake in a wood stove so her directions always say cook until clean up is done. Grandma didn’t write many of her recipes down I was fortunate to spend a fair amount time cooking with her.

  6. Made this last night and it is delicious! We had a total of 4 people and the entire casserole was eaten! No leftovers! I am making it again tonight!

  7. What a delicious side dish this made for BBQ ribs. I mixed the yellow and zucchini and par boiled them for five minutes. Drained well and added the other ingredients with a pinch of salt, pepper and Montreal seasoning. Baked it for thirty minutes, let it rest for 3-4. It was by far the most scrumptious casserole yet. Ritz crackers make it yummy 😋

  8. I haven’t ever made a squash & zucchini casserole till I saw yours,it was a family hit. ,thank you for a Great and Easy recipe. I’ll be making this for the holidays and any times in between.

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