Since moving to Alabama from Kansas City more than 12 years ago for college, my husband has had plenty of new culinary experiences (for better and worse). He attended his first crawfish boil (better) and witnessed his first grape salad (worse, in his opinion). During the years that we’ve been together, it seems like he can’t make an appearance at a holiday gathering with my side of the family without trying some new, weird-to-non-Southerners dish. West Indies salad in my hometown of Mobile (better), pineapple casserole in our new home of Birmingham (worse, again, in his opinion), and milk punch in both cities (better) are a few notable additions to his palette. But I realized this Thanksgiving that there was another recipe we could add to that legendary list: Old-School Squash Casserole.
Why We Love This Recipe
Credit:
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Many dishes are largely reserved for just one holiday, but in my family, you’re just as likely to see squash casserole at Thanksgiving as you are at Easter. Even though yellow squash is technically in season during the summertime, it’s always available and usually pretty affordable, too. The other ingredients for this recipe are probably already in your kitchen: butter, onion, salt and pepper, eggs, sour cream, shredded cheese, mayo, and buttery crackers. The only other thing you might need to buy is fresh thyme. Of course, I would not be writing about a recipe unless it was easy, too. It’s very hard to mess this one up, y’all. Yellow squash is kind of a blah vegetable on its own (no offense), but combine anything with cheese, mayo, sour cream, butter, and Ritz, and yes, it’s going to taste amazing. It has that perfect balance of creamy and crunchy that only Southern casseroles can strike, and because the savory, buttery flavor profile isn’t too complex, it complements whatever main and other sides you’re serving.
How To Make It
Credit:
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
To start, you’ll chop the onion and squash and cook them in a skillet until the squash starts to get tender. The next step is the most important and the key to being sure your casserole’s texture holds up: Drain the squash and onion mixture. Don’t rush it, or you might end up with a watery mess coming out of the oven later. To make the rest of your filling, stir together eggs, sour cream, two types of shredded cheese (yes, you should shred your own for this!), mayo, thyme, salt, and pepper. Then, just like in that famous Schitt’s Creek scene, you’re going to “fold in” the squash and onion mixture. As much as those instructions make me laugh now, they truly have a purpose. If you stir your squash too rigorously, it will turn to mush in the oven. You want your squash to still be able to hold its shape. The last thing to do before baking your casserole is putting the topping together. I love that this one isn’t just crackers and butter, but it also includes shredded Parmesan cheese, which gives it so much more flavor.
What The Readers Say
Credit:
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
My family isn’t the only one that loves this old-fashioned classic. Our readers consistently give this simple recipe five stars (77 of them and counting!) and rave about it. Many reviewers note additions and slight changes they made to the recipe to fit what was in their pantry or their tastes. Here are some of our favorite reviews:
“My grandmother made this and now I do. This is the first time I’ve seen the recipe online as she made it.”
“This is a delicious recipe. I’ve made many squash casseroles over the decades and think this is the best ever.”
“Tastes just like my grandmother’s receipt, but she never wrote it down so I haven’t had it this good since she passed away. Southern Living knows how to do it right.”
“I made this recipe over 35 years ago and lost it. It’s amazing! I can’t believe it showed up right in time for Thanksgiving. I’m so excited to prepare it again. It’s a collectible for my daughters to hold onto.”
“When I tell you this recipe is all of that, I kid you not. I made this for the first time last night for our church’s Ole Fashion Sunday buffet. Instant hit! My husband and I barely got a serving together. Even people who are not squash favorites were raving. Will definitely make it again! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.”
Dining and Cooking