You're going to love this creamy and cheesy Yellow Squash Cornbread Casserole made from scratch. This satisfying dish is so easy to make and will have everyone coming back for seconds. The perfect side dish for potlucks.
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You can say that I've become an expert in cooking with yellow summer squash. I love it so much and I want other people to discover more ways to use it in their cooking that highlight its delicious flavor and enhance its texture.
Some of my favorite recipes to make are my summer squash soup, grilled zucchini and squash, and parmesan roasted zucchini and squash. And this recipe follows my tried and true method, don't had the flavor of the squash while improving on the texture.
📖Why My Recipe Works
- Made from Scratch- We're skipping the Jiffy cornbread mix and making it from scratch with yellow cornmeal, flour, and baking powder.
- Reduced Sugar- Yellow squash is super sweet at the height of summer, so we're reducing the sugar in this recipe.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Yellow Squash- AKA a summer squash. But yes you can use zucchini if you like. Or even a mix.
- Yellow Cornmeal- Make sure to use fine ground cornmeal, not medium or coarse ground, like what you would use for grits. If you have a coarser cornmeal, just put it in a high-speed blender for about a minute, and it will break up into a finer ground, and you can use that.
- Flour- Use all-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free option. Both options have been tested.
- Egg- For binding the ingredients.
- Sour Cream and Milk- You can skip the milk and just use sour cream, but you'll need to add almost a full cup of sour cream instead of just ⅔ cup.
- Cheese- I like to use sharp cheddar cheese because it adds a really good flavor, but you can use other types of cheese like Monterey Jack or Colby cheese.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter. Don't add it to the batter, you'll want to use it as a topping so you get a nice, golden brown top.
- Baking Powder- Helps the cornbread rise and become fluffy.
- Seasonings- I used kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Granulated Sugar- You can use honey in place of sugar.
💭 Tex-Mex Variation
Add a can of green chilis or diced jalapenos to the squash mixture. For more Tex-Mex flavors, serve the casserole with a dollop of sour cream, garden salsa, or a side of avocado pico.
⏲️How to Make Yellow Squash Casserole
Wrap the squash in a cheesecloth or kitchen towel and twist it around to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. This step is crucial to prevent a soggy and watery casserole.
Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined and make sure to break up any clumps.
Ensure that the sour cream, milk, and egg are at room temperature before adding them to the dry ingredients. Fold in the grated squash, onions, and cheese. It's normal for the mixture to seem dry, so don't add any additional liquid.
The natural moisture from the squash will be released during baking.
Transfer the squash mixture to the baking dish and spread it to a smooth, even layer. Cut the butter into small cubes and spread evenly across the top for even melting and browning.
Bake it uncovered until cooked through, and the top is golden brown.
You'll know it's done when you insert a toothpick or knife in the center, and it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but not a wet batter.
Depending on how fresh the squash is, the cooking time may increase.
Expert Tips
- Use a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment to grate the squash faster. You'll want to wash the squash and trim the ends first before grating.
- Drain the grated squash thoroughly. Excess moisture can make the casserole soggy. After squeezing, let it sit in a colander for a few minutes to drain further.
- Do not salt the squash to remove moisture. This will break down the cellular walls, causing the squash casserole to be mushy.
More Southern Side Dish Recipes
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📖 Recipe Card
Summer Squash Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour or substitute cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 4 cups grated squash
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter plus extra for pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease the inside of an 8x8 pan (or cast iron skillet) with butter or a light oil.
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the sour cream, milk, and egg. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the grated squash (squeezed of excess moisture), onions and cheese. The mixture will seem a little dry. Transfer to the prepared pan and smooth out. Cut the butter into pieces and top the cornbread.
- Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until cooked through (i.e. a knife inserted into the center comes out clean) and the top is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting.
Stacie says
My family loved this casserole. What a treat! Thanks for the recipe.
Debbie says
Had some yellow squash I needed to use so I tried your recipe and it turned out great. We loved it. Will definitely make this again and try a few variations as suggested by you and by other commenters. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Jen Wooster says
Thanks for the review! I am glad you enjoyed!
Janette Spencer says
The dish came out excellent. I substituted the sour cream with 1/2 can cream of corn. My husband and I couldn't stop eating it.
Jen Wooster says
Great idea on the substitution!
Rob says
Straightforward & easy to follow recipe. Delicious. We served it with grilled pork chops, roasted broccoli, smothered eggplant but it could accompany many dishes. Used mozzarella because it’s what I had - turned out great. Will omit garlic next time.
MJ Spenner says
Awsome recipe and so easy to make. Family and friends loved it!
Donna Broookings says
this was an easy dish to make and use up our summer squash everyone loved it
Jen Wooster says
My family loves this, I hope yours does too.