Name: Squash Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 pounds yellow squash (ends trimmed and cut into 1/4-1/3 inch thick rounds); 1 medium onion (chopped (about 1 cup)); salt & ground black pepper (to taste); 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup cream; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 cup shredded cheddar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika; ground black pepper (to taste); 1/2 cup shredded cheddar; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted); 1 sleeve buttery crackers (crushed)

This classic Squash Casserole features the creamiest baked squash topped with cheddar cheese and a crunchy, buttery cracker topping. Bring it to your next picnic or potluck, serve it as part of a holiday dinner or make it just because – it’s always a favorite!

frontal close up of wooden spoon scooping squash casserole from a white baking dish

What you’ll love about this recipe

Easy to make: This casserole only needs a few steps to assemble, and they’re all incredibly easy. A real no-fuss recipe!
Common ingredients: We’re not getting fancy here with any specialty ingredients. This is a good old-fashioned, homey squash casserole with ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Make-ahead friendly: You can easily make this casserole ahead, which makes it so convenient for big holiday gatherings, potlucks or even a busy weeknight!

Squash casserole might just be one of my favorite casseroles to make. The creamy squash filling paired with cheddar and the crunchy topping… So simple, but so perfect.

This one is a real crowd-pleaser – trust me when I say that your casserole dish will come home empty after every potluck and gathering!

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

ingredients for squash casserole with text labels — Ingredients to make Squash Casserole: Yellow squash, cheddar, butter, onion, eggs, mayonnaise, sour cream, cream, buttery crackers, ground paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Ingredient notes

Squash: I use yellow summer squash for that classic taste. Feel free to combine with zucchini, or use all zucchini!
Cheddar: I like using regular cheddar for its milder flavor and color.
Cream: You can use heavy cream or half-and-half. Most of the time, I will use half-and-half because it’s more budget friendly and still tastes rich and delicious. Do not use fat free half-and-half!
Crackers: Ritz crackers are the classic choice here, but feel free to use your favorite buttery crackers. I’ve also seen people use breadcrumbs or crushed croutons as a topping!

How to make a squash casserole

Before you begin: Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Once your squash is ready to be drained, turn on your oven to 350°F.

1. Prepare the squash and onion:

Melt half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and chopped onion and cook, carefully stirring occasionally, over medium to medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until he squash is tender and the onion is translucent.

Once cooked, place the squash and onion in a colander in your sink and allow any extra liquid to drain for 5 minutes. Blot gently with paper towels, then allow to cool for 5 more minutes before using in the filling. Don’t skip this step, or you’ll end up with a watery casserole!

overhead view of cooked squash and onion in skillet — cook squash and onion

overhead view of cooked squash and onion draining in colander — cook squash and onion

2. Make the filling:

While the squash is draining, whisk together all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Add the drained squash and onion and stir gently to make sure all of the vegetables are coated in egg mixture.

Spread in a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish.

overhead view of cooked squash in bowl with egg mixture — combine filling

overhead view of unbaked squash casserole filling in white baking dish — combine filling

3. Finish and bake:

Melt the remaining butter and combine with the crushed crackers. Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining shredded cheese, and then with the buttery cracker topping.

overhead view of unbaked casserole topped with shredded cheddar cheese — top with cheese

overhead view of unbaked casserole topped with buttery cracker crumbs — top with cheese

Bake the casserole at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly around the edges, the topping is golden-brown and the filling only jiggles a little bit.

Remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving!

overhead view of wooden spoon scooping squash casserole from white baking dish

overhead view of wooden spoon digging into squash casserole

Top tips

Draining: Make sure to drain the squash well. Too much water in the vegetables will make the casserole filling watery instead of creamy. I also like to gently blot the squash with paper towels right in the colander before I set it aside to cool, to get an extra little bit of liquid out without mashing up the vegetables.
Stirring: Stir the filling carefully once you add the squash if you want to ensure the squash rounds stay whole. If you prefer a more mashed up filling, feel free to use a heavier hand when mixing!
Watch the baking time: Make sure to keep an eye on the casserole in the oven. If the topping gets too brown before the filling is done, loosely cover it with foil to keep it from burning.

Recipe variations

Round out the casserole with a protein: Feel free to add cooked and crumbled sausage, cooked and diced ham or crumbled bacon to the casserole filling.
Add vegetables: Chopped red peppers are another classic you can add to your squash when sautéing! Some people also enjoy adding grated carrot. It’s not our favorite, but feel free to give it a try if you think you’ll enjoy it!
Make it spicy: Chopped green chiles, jalapeños, cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes are all great additions to the casserole filling if you’re looking to add a little spicy kick!
Change up the seasoning or the cheese: Parmesan adds another layer of flavor and is a delicious addition. Mozzarella can be used in place of the cheddar for a milder, creamier taste. Feel free to play with the seasoning – chopped fresh or dried garden herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme can add a delicious note. Just don’t overdo it, or the herbs will overpower the entire casserole.

Storage

Refrigerate: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until steaming hot all the way through, about 15-20 minutes. A microwave works well for individual servings.

Make-ahead: Assemble the casserole filling, top with cheese (hold the crackers!) and spread it in the prepared dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Once ready to bake, remove the dish from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Top with buttered cracker crumbs, then bake as directed. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Freeze: You can freeze the unbaked casserole WITHOUT the cracker crumbs. Assemble it in a freezer-safe dish and wrap it tightly first in plastic wrap, then in foil. Label with the name and use-by date, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before finishing and baking as directed in the “make-ahead” instructions.

Serving ideas

This casserole works wonderfully as part of a holiday dinner spread, or to bring to a potluck or a picnic.

If you want to serve it as part of a regular family dinner, it’s a wonderful side for simple meat dishes. Some of our favorites:

Baked salmon, baked steak, baked pork chops or baked chicken breast
Air fried hamburger steaks
A whole roasted chicken (or try a whole chicken in the crock pot!)
Crockpot pineapple ham or crockpot honey ham

I like to add a vegetable side, such as sautéed green beans, corn on the cob or roasted broccoli.

A squash casserole can also work well as a vegetarian main dish. Just add a veggie side or a green salad with homemade honey mustard dressing or homemade ranch dressing and you’ve got an easy and delicious meatless meal!

frontal view of squash casserole in white bowl

More zucchini recipes to try

PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.

Squash Casserole