Parmesan Squash And Zucchini
Is zucchini or yellow squash better? Both of these squash are mild and similar in regards to flavor. They vary a little nutritionally but both are very healthy options.
What will I need to make baked Parmesan squash? Squash , freshly grated Parmesan , panko style bread crumbs, olive oil, and a few seasonings are all it takes to make this delicious vegetable side dish.
How To Bake Yellow Squash And Zucchini
While I really like the combo of the zucchini and squash, both for flavor and color, you could easily make this tasty veggie side with one or the other.
Thats the beauty of this recipe and style of cooking its so tasty to toss some garlic, parmesan, and simple herbs on some fresh vegetables and then roast them with a little olive oil. No matter what you do, youre pretty much gonna hit solid gold when it comes out of the oven.
Whereas I normally bake vegetables in the oven using just a baking sheet, I recommend using an oven-safe cooling rack on top of the rimmed baking sheet for this recipe because it really keeps the squash and zucchini spears nice and evenly cooked and not soggy at all.
Because we all know what happens if you overcook squash and we dont need that kind of sogginess here. Nope.
What we do need is all this deliciousness right here. I mean look at how fresh and light it even looks. So yummy!
Add A Cracker Crumb Topping
If you prefer your squash casserole to have a crispy topping, you can add some crumbled Ritz crackers or some seasoned bread crumbs over the top before baking. Simply mix about 1 cup of crumbled Ritz crackers with 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese and 3 Tablespoons of melted butter. Mix until crumbly and then spread over the top and bake.
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How To Make Zucchini Casserole
Preheat the oven to 400 while you prepare the zucchini casserole. Arrange the zucchini slices in overlapping rows in a small casserole dish, and season them with black pepper. I like to use a stoneware dish like this one.
Next, heat the brie, cream, milk, butter, and garlic in a small saucepan, until everything is nice and smooth. Here is the cheese sauce for your zucchini casserole! Dont be surprised if its a little thin it will thicken more in the oven later.
Pour the sauce over the zucchini, and top with plenty of shredded cheese.
Dont forget the Italian seasoning on top. If you have other herbs or spices around, feel free to use those instead. This zucchini gratin recipe is quite versatile! In fact, if you happen to make this dish later on in the fall, it would be delicious with some fresh rosemary, too.
Stick your cheesy zucchini casserole into the oven for about half an hour, until its golden brown. Youll know its done when the zucchini is soft, the cheese is browned, and the sauce is thick.
If the cheese browns but the sauce is too watery for some reason, you can still fix it. Cover the top and lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Then, continue baking for another 10 to 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens more.
Thats it your zucchini au gratin is ready to serve! Its simple, its delicious, and its definitely the best zucchini casserole in my book.
Cheesy Zucchini Summer Squash Casserole
One of our favorite summer veggies though technically a fruit is summer squash, both zucchini and yellow squash. Weve found theyre super easy to grow, so we always have them in abundance in our backyard, and look for new and interesting ways to put them into tasty dishes.
Here, we use the yellow and green little guys, along with fresh onion and basil, to create a cheesy casserole that no one can resist! Everything bakes perfectly together and the finished result is a hot and bubbly dish that serves as either a side dish or an entrée. If you want a fresh summer dish that everyone will love, look no further this one delivers every time.
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Baked Zucchini & Squash With Cheese
This Baked Greek Squash and Feta is a favorite in our house. It is SUPER easy to make and it tastes great! We make this all the time! It goes with basically everything grilled chicken, pork, steak, burgers, salad. You could even toss it in some pasta! This is perfect for when you need a quick weeknight vegetable.
Tips For The Best Cheesy Zucchini And Squash Casserole
Below, find a collection of tips and tricks to help you make the best veggie casserole.
- Slice the veggies into similar-size rings. The veggie rings dont have to be perfect, but the closer in size they are the more even the casserole will bake.
- Assemble the veggies in a spiral. Assembling the zucchini and squash in a spiral allows the cheesy sauce to distribute better throughout the casserole. It also makes for such a pretty presentation!
- Use freshly grated parmesan. Instead of buying pre-shredded parmesan, buy a block and shred it yourself. Block parmesan tends to retain more oils and nutty flavor than drier, pre-shredded varieties.
- Bake the casserole uncovered. To get that signature bubbly top, bake the casserole uncovered for the full 30 minutes.
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What Goes With Zucchini And Squash Casserole
- Salmon: Try this casserole as a side to accompany a beautiful entree of Old Bay Roasted Salmon. The salmons classic seasoning will pair perfectly with the cheesy vegetables!
- Chicken: These Pan-Seared Cajun Butter Chicken Thighs are an easy recipe that goes with just about anything, especially a creamy, garlicky side like Cheesy Squash Casserole!
- Banana Pudding: Thanks to its light, vanilla-accented flavor profile and foamy meringue topping, this tasty traditional Southern Banana Pudding is a fantastic follow-up to squash casserole.
Notes About Cheesy Squash Casserole:
- This cheesy zucchini casserole uses a 2-step cooking process first you boil the diced squash in salted water, and then you assemble the casserole and bake in the oven.
- You can use all zucchini or all squash in this baked squash casserole if youd like or use a combination of the two.
- Substitute fresh, diced onion for onion flakes, if desired.
- Any type of crackers can be used for the crunchy topping. We typically make this squash casserole with Ritz. One and a half cups is approximately one sleeve of butter crackers.
- The melted butter and cracker topping makes a delicious crunchy topping. We use a similar concept in 4 Ingredient Broccoli Casserole. Kids go nuts for it!
- We typically make this in the summer when we have squash coming out of our ears, but you can find squash all year long at the grocery store.
- Check out our for our favorite pantry essentials and kitchen items.
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How To Keep Your Zucchini Casserole From Being Watery
Zucchini has a lot of water in it. That means that when it bakes it can release a lot of excess water making your baked zucchini come out watery. So when youre preparing the zucchini for your casserole you want to make sure to remove as much of that water from it as possible before baking.
Its a simple process but it does take a little extra time. I promise you though, in the end its totally worth it.
After cutting your zucchini lightly salt it on both sides. Then play the slices on a thick layer of paper towels. Let the slices sit for 15 minutes, then flip them over and let them rest for another 15 minutes. Youll see how much water comes out of the zucchini and is absorbed by the paper towel!
What You Will Need To Make Cheesy Baked Zucchini Casserole:
- Zucchini Grow your own, pick it up at the local farmers market, or grab some at the grocery store. If you want a little variety, you can mix in some yellow squash too. For this recipe buy the thickest zucchini you can so you get nice, big, round slices to layer into your casserole.
- Onion This adds a little more flavor to the dish, and onion goes so well with the slightly nutty flavor of the Gruyere cheese.
- Garlic No recipe is complete without a little garlic. Mixed with the onions it adds just the right amount of flavor.
- Heavy Cream This makes the cheese sauce thick, creamy, and totally amazing. You can find it in the diary section of the grocery near the milk. Sometimes it is referred to as heavy whipping cream.
- Cheese For this recipe, youll use Gruyere cheese and Parmesan cheese. If you cant find Gruyere, you can substitute Swiss cheese, and of course, you can always substitute low-fat or nonfat cheese if you prefer.
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How To Cook Yellow Squash
It’s hard to believe that a recipe requiring just two simple ingredients could be so yummy. But it is…and it’s super easy to make, too! Just cut your yellow squash into slices that are no more than ¼-inch thick , arrange them on a baking sheet, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper . Then use a small spoon to top each piece of squash with a mound of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese. Bake until the squash is soft and the cheese is melted and bubbly. You can even broil them for a minute or two at the end to get that cheese nice and golden brown, which is what I like to do .
Baked Greek Squash And Feta
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Baked Greek Squash and Feta Recipe a simple side dish that tastes delicious! Ready for the oven in minutes. Great with grilled chicken, pork, steak, and even pasta! Yellow squash, zucchini, olive oil, Greek seasoning, and crumbled feta cheese. We make this all the time! YUM! #vegetables #squash #sidedish #lowcarb #keto
Remember this recipe.
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Meal Prep And Storage
You totally can prep-ahead and have this side dish ready-to-go when you are. This is especially handy when it comes to preparing a healthy casserole for a backyard BBQ, picnic, or Thanksgiving day.
- To Prep-Ahead: Follow all directions but wait to bake until youre ready to serve. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature and bake according to directions.
- To Store: If there happen to be leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To Reheat: Preheat your oven to 300°. In an oven-proof dish bake the zucchini and squash for 10-12 minutes or until heated through. You can also broil the casserole again for 1-2 minutes to bring back some of that crunchy topping.
What Is In A Squash Casserole
Most squash casseroles Ive seen contain eggs, bread crumbs and several other ingredients. I absolutely love fresh zucchini and squash from the garden so I wanted to create a casserole that really focussed on the squash itself. This simple recipe is all about the squash.
Ingredients for this fresh summer side include:
- Casserole: zucchini and-or yellow squash, onion, parmesan, Italian seasonings, salt & pepper
- Topping: butter, seasoned bread crumbs, cheddar cheese
- Optional Add-Ins: red or green bell peppers, cheeses, garlic, tomatoes
You can add other ingredients as well, or substitute other cheeses according to your preference or what you have on hand.
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Best Way To Cook Zucchini And Squash
As I mentioned, this recipe is simple to prepare and just as simple to clean up. Everything is mixed together in one large bowl and then roasted to perfection on a large baking sheet.
Can I Make Baked Zucchini Ahead Of Time
For the best results, I recommend making this dish the same day you will serve it. The longer the zucchini slices sit, the softer they will become. It is normal for any baked vegetable dish. However, you can still store leftovers in a container with a lid, in the fridge and heat up the next day. They will still be delicious!
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How To Make Squash Casserole
To Prepare the Squash
- Cut the squash into ¼ inch slices and thinly slice the onion.
- For crisper squash cut it thicker, for softer squash cut it thinner.
- To keep squash from getting watery, sauté in olive oil until slightly softened.
- Place squash and onions upright in a casserole dish.
- Prepare the topping and sprinkle over top.
- Bake and enjoy.
Buttered bread crumbs cook quickly, so keep an eye on your casserole. If the crumbs appear to be in danger of burning before the rest of the casserole is finished cooking, cover with a loose tent of foil. This will ensure they stay crispy but will reflect much of the heat away from the top.
Ways To Make Low Carb Zucchini Casserole
There are multiple ways that people make baked zucchini casserole recipes. Many of them shred the zucchini first, or they cook it in some way separately, to get rid of the moisture.
Id like to try a shredded zucchini casserole sometime, but I thought a sliced zucchini gratin was actually a much faster way to make an easy zucchini casserole. And you probably know by now I am all about easy!
Thats why I think youre going to love how quick it is to prepare this cheesy zucchini gratin bake. The active prep time is only then minutes!
The hardest part is impatiently waiting for the sliced zucchini to drain in the beginning. But, you can go off and do something else while this is happening.
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How Do You Keep Squash Casserole From Getting Watery
Zucchini and other summer squash naturally holds a lot of water, so you’ll probably notice that the vegetable releases a lot of water as it cooks. This can be a problem when adding squash to casseroles, bakes, and sauces, since the vegetables can water down the sauce or casserole, resulting in a bland flavor and undesirable texture.
If you sprinkle the shredded zucchini with salt and allow it to sit in a colander for about 10 minutes, the salt draws out a lot of moisture from the vegetable before you add it to the casserole.
TIP: In order to make sure that I get most of the water out of the zucchini , I like to wrap the zucchini in a dish towel. Squeeze it and wring it out multiple times while it’s in the towel — you will be shocked by how much liquid comes out!
Italian Baked Zucchini And Squash
Baked zucchini and squash is the perfect way to enjoy all the flavors of the season whether you are picking from your own backyard garden or perusing the local farmers market.
We are roasting our zucchini and squash right in the oven alongside onions and fresh parmesan cheese and topping the entire dish with a dash of balsamic vinegar to create a dish that is simple yet bursting with flavor. This baked zucchini and squash recipe is about to become your familys new favorite side dish because as youll find out, its a WHOLE LOTTA YUM!
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How To Make Baked Zucchini Crispy
First, start out by patting the zucchini dry after youve sliced it with paper towels. This can help absorb some of the extra moisture.
To make baked zucchini crispy, coat the sliced zucchini in Parmesan. Press all sides of the zucchini slice into the coating before placing it on a baking tray to bake. This will create a thick coating thats crunchy when baked.
Why Youll Love This Zucchini And Squash Recipe
- Just three simple steps are all that separates you from crispy and flavorful oven-roasted vegetables!
- Baked zucchini and squash takes less than 30-minutes to make.
- Roasted squash and zucchini pairs well with just about any main course.
- Easily adaptable to dairy-free and vegan lifestyles .
Create an entire low-carb meal by pairing your baked zucchini and squash withair fryer pork chops and this broccoli cauliflower salad.
Are you looking for more ways to use up all of that zucchini? Be sure to check out ourground beef zucchini casserole, zucchini curry, vegan ratatouille! These three dishes let the zucchini shine and are all packed with flavor.
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How Do You Keep Zucchini Squash Casserole From Getting Watery
- Option #1: Toss squash generously with salt and set in a colander over a bowl to let the water drain out for about 20 minutes. Then use your hands, a clean kitchen towel, or paper towels to squeeze more moisture out. Dont be shy about using a little strength the squash will stay together.
- Option #2: Cook the squash to allow excess water to evaporate. This can be done in the oven or a skillet, but it takes a bit more time.