Squash Casserole is a filling, creamy yet crunchy side dish that transforms a yummy summer vegetable into a whole meal. You can have it ready in under an hour!The Ultimate Cheesy Squash CasseroleThis southern Squash Casserole is the perfect side dish for any occasion especially when the abundance of summer squash is readily available and cheap! It has yummy layers of tender squash combined with a creamy cheese sauce and topped with a crunchy, buttery cracker topping!This casserole was amazing. I wont use any other recipe! Thats what I love about your recipes, a lot of them I follow to a tee and they turn out great, but they are also easy to use as a guideline and add or sub ingredients that we have in supply at a given time. I love that! AnneliseFrequently Asked QuestionsDo I have to drain the squash? I do think its an important step. I like to drain it so the filling isnt too runny. If you want a filling that is a little more wet, you can skip the draining part. How should I slice the squash? While you could slice these squash pieces by hand, I find it much easier to use a mandolin to slice it but I realize not everyone has one of those so its certainly doable by hand. What size slices should I use? Make sure the pieces are as similar in size as possible. You want them to cook evenly so having them the same size helps. I recommend trying to get them about a 1/4-inch in thickness if possible. A little thicker is fine if needed. You want the pieces to be thicker so they withstand being cooked without turning into mush. Why is my squash casserole watery? Typically this happens is you didnt drain your squash well enough. This can also happen if you cut your squash slices too thin and they started to disinegrate, releasing the water into your casserole. What if I dont have crackers? If you dont have crackers for the topping, I have seen other recipes use bread crumbs instead. While I havent tested this recipe doing so, it should work. I dont have an 117-inch baking dish, what do I do? Please note, I have never made this recipe in any other size dish but you could make it in a 913-inch but this casserole will end up thinner and you probably wouldnt need to cook it for quite as long (youll have to play it by ear and just keep an eye out for how long to cook it since I havent tested it with the larger dish). How to store leftovers? Leftovers should be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. I dont suggest freezing leftovers. Reheat leftovers by using the microwave for small portions, or cover a larger portion in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil and heat in the oven until warmed through again. Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe) salted butter you can use unsalted butter here if that is all you have but I would add another half teaspoon of salt to the recipe squash is a vegetable that needs plenty of seasoning so it doesnt taste bland. yellow squash you can also use zucchini for this recipe and follow the exact same procedure. Also, the skin on yellow squash is very thin and edible so you dont need to peel them just make sure you scrub them clean with water. sweet onion if you are not an onion fan, you can leave it out or perhaps use something like a shallot which will add a lighter onion flavor. kosher salt you can use regular table salt if that is all you have. garlic powder the seasonings here are easily changed to what you enjoy. If you dont like garlic powder leave it out or substitute with a cajun seasoning, etc (just be careful how much additional salt is in the seasonings you ay choose to use). paprika this is just regular paprika but you could use a smoked paprika if you enjoy a smoky flavor. large eggs these are going to act as a binder to hold the casserole together. sour cream you could also use plain Greek yogurt. mayonnaise use your favorite here I do not like Miracle Whip but if you love it then you could substitute it here. shredded sharp cheddar cheese feel free to use different cheese that you enjoy. Pepper jack would give it a kick of spice. Ritz crackers any cracker works here: saltines, Club crackers, etc.How To Make Squash CasserolePreheat the oven to 350F. Spray an 117-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. For the filling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the squash, onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir to combine, so the squash is covered with the spices and butter.Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the squash begins to soften, 10 minutes. Place a colander over a large bowl and add the cooked squash mixture. Allow to drain for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheese.Add the drained squash mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Discard any liquid that drained off of the squash. Place the mixture into the prepared baking dish.For the topping, crush the ritz crackers and add them to a medium-sized bowl (I like to keep some larger chunks of crackers and not completely crush them, this adds a nice texture to the topping). Add the melted butter and stir to combine.Sprinkle the topping over the casserole. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top and slightly bubbly along the edges.Add dried parsley for garnish if desired, and serve.Craving More Recipes?Southern Fried SquashBroccoli CasseroleSouthern Fried OkraFried PicklesFried Green TomatoesAir Fryer Zucchini FriesItalian Stuffed Spaghetti SquashDeviled Eggs50 Easter Recipes PrintSouthern Squash CasseroleTender yellow squash casserole is creamy, cheesy, buttery, and simple to make. Course Side DishCuisine AmericanPrep Time 15 minutes minutesCook Time 30 minutes minutesDrain Time 10 minutes minutesTotal Time 55 minutes minutesServings 8 servingsCalories 308kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredients3 Tablespoons salted butter2 pounds yellow squash, sliced about -inch thick1 cup chopped sweet onion (I use Vidalia onion)1 teaspoon kosher salt teaspoon black pepper teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon paprika2 large eggs cup sour cream cup mayonnaise1 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheeseFor the topping:1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed3 Tablespoons salted butter, melteddried parsley, for garnish (optional)InstructionsPreheat the oven to 350F. Spray an 117-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.For the filling, melt 3 Tablespoons salted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add 2 pounds yellow squash, sliced about -inch thick, 1 cup chopped sweet onion, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon paprika. Stir to combine, so the squash is covered with the spices and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the squash begins to soften, 10 minutes.Place a colander over a large bowl and add the cooked squash mixture. Allow to drain for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Add the drained squash mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Discard any liquid that drained off of the squash. Place the mixture into the prepared baking dish. For the topping, crush 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed and add them to a medium-sized bowl (I like to keep some larger chunks of crackers and not completely crush them, this adds a nice texture to the topping).Add 3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted and stir to combine. Sprinkle the topping over the casserole. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top and slightly bubbly along the edges. Add dried parsley, for garnish and serve. VideoNotesPlease refer to my FAQs and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.NutritionCalories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Sodium: 618mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5gOriginally published: May 2023Updated and republished: June 2026