The More Cheeses, The Merrier In (and On!) This Yellow Squash Casserole (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep squash casserole from getting watery? ›

Salting and sautéing the squash before baking helps to remove excess moisture and prevents the casserole from becoming watery. Cream cheese and sour cream lend the filling richness and tang. Tossing crushed crackers with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano results in a satisfying and crunchy topping.

In separate medium size skillet, sauté the sliced onion in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and, using a large bowl, add squash, onions, sour cream, Paula Deen's House Seasoning and sharp cheddar cheese. Pour mixture into a buttered casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

The Southern classic combines fresh squash and onion with a creamy sauce and a crunchy cracker-Cheddar cheese topping. Whether you serve this squash casserole as a flavorful side or a veggie-centric main dish, everyone will be begging you to make it again and again for family gatherings, potlucks, and holidays.

Stack and slice, then make crosswise cuts into cubes: If you are cubing the squash, lay the slices down (you can stack a few at a time) and make another set of lengthwise cuts. Then make crosswise cuts to make cubes. One 1 1/2 pound butternut squash will yield approximately 4 cups of 1/2-inch cubed squash.

Make sure you mix a solution of cornstarch and water cold, and then add it to your hot dish. Same can be said for flour. A flour and water paste (desk or wasteland spoon of flour then upload cold water until it is a liquid paste) delivered to the casserole will thicken it.

Covering a casserole helps the dish cook evenly, stay moist, and prevents burning. Uncovering helps with browning, crisping and allowing for steam to release.

Butternuts are the ideal "ingredient" squash. While they are perfectly fine roasted on their own with a little butter and salt, their smooth, moist texture and uncomplicated sweetness make them the perfect base for pies, soups, curries — you name it, butternuts can adapt to the recipe.

Too much salt may draw out more moisture than you want, and excess olive oil can make baked spaghetti squash soggy. Don't Add Water.

Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy. It also concentrates the flavors, giving this subtle veg a little more oomph.

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

What are the four components to a casserole? ›

Not every single casserole has all of them, but as a rule of thumb, here's what to look for: a starch, a binding agent or sauce, and a protein or vegetable. Many casseroles also have both vegetables and proteins, as well as a crunchy element to give some textural contrast, and cheese.

Putting it cut-side down creates a sort-of steam chamber for the flesh, helping it cook faster and retain moisture (no dried out squash here!).

Yellow squash: you'll need a total of about 6 cups sliced, or about 2 lbs. That is equivalent to about 4 small yellow squash or 2 bigger squash. I prefer small squash, if available, because they are typically more flavorful, tender, and have smaller seeds.

The same 1½ reduction occurs during the cooking process; 2 cups raw slices would shrink to 1 cup cooked yellow squash on your plate. Or, either 1 medium straightneck or crookneck squash would yield about ¾ cup of cooked squash. Yellow crookneck and straightneck squash is related to pumpkins, cucumbers and melons.

Before cooking sprinkle salt on the cut sides and let sit for 15 minutes. You will be surprised how much water comes out. Pat dry and then bake!

Corn starch is a good way to thicken up the water into something more saucy. This is my preferred method if the extra water actually has flavor, because it adds a nice sauciness to the dish. Make a corn starch 'slurry' by mixing cold water and some corn starch, then add that to the hot dish that still cooking.

Salt and drain zucchini

If you've got the time, try salting and draining your zucchini. This method involves liberally salting your sliced zucchini and allowing it to set in a colander (over a bowl) for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour, before patting dry with paper towels or a tea towel.