Buttery and comforting, this classic Southern Squash Casserole with Ritz Crackers is an easy side dish that is a family favorite! The crispy, golden brown buttery cracker topping is the perfect complement to the tender squash, and it is surprisingly simple to make.
Having my family around for the holidays got me thinking about many of the recipes from home that I love. Of course, I put in a few special requests while I had my mom around. One of them was this scrumptious Green and Yellow Squash Casserole with Ritz Cracker topping. It’s a classic dish!
Its super easy to pop in the oven as you make the main dish. The squash casserole features a buttery, comforting taste while I keep the texture thick to complement the flavor. The Ritz cracker topping completes it with all that crunchy goodness next to the tender squash. Yum!
This is the perfect side dish for all those summer outdoor cookouts and comforting for fall nights and Thanksgiving. Or any time of year, because you can use a variety of squashes to make it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All ingredient amounts and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is an overview of the ingredients you will need and any applicable substitutions:
Squash: This recipe requires 7 cups or about 5 small to medium sized crookneck or summer yellow squash. You can substitute other types of squash (acorn, delicata, butternut) or go half and half. One of the more popular ones is making half summer squash and half zucchini.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese: I prefer a good sharp or extra sharp cheddar.
Green onion - For color and freshness in the flavor. It’s an excellent zing.
Ritz Crackers – The crispy, buttery taste of Ritz cracker crumbs is the perfect finishing touch for this recipe, but other crackers can be used to suit your tastes. I crush the crackers in their sleeve or a ziplock bag with my hands. If you like a more even or fine texture cracker topping, use a food processor.
Butter – Unsalted or salted is fine.
Ideas to Make It Your Own
You may notice there aren’t really any seasonings beyond salt & pepper in my version. I feel like it has plenty of flavor on it’s own, but if you want to dress up this classic cheesy squash casserole, here are some ideas:
- Sour Cream – this will make for a bit of a creamy sauce for the casserole. Some cream cheese could offer the same affect. I will note that this is a suggestion that I haven’t tried with this recipe.
- Garlic Powder – This will cut the sweetness of the squash a little bit while adding flavor. ½ teaspoon is all you need.
- Sweet Onion – this will add a touch more flavor and texture to the squash.
- Cayenne Pepper or Red Pepper – if you love a bit of a kick, these are the perfect seasonings for that!
- Parmesan Cheese – this is another cheese variety that pairs well with this green and yellow summer squash casserole.
Step by Step Recipe Guide
- Sauté sliced squash over medium heat until just tender. Since we are pre-cooking the squash, there is no need to dry your squash slices. The excess moisture cooks off easily enough. I like the squash to be just tender, but not super soft or mushy. It will cook a little bit more in the oven, so I wouldn’t recommend over cooking it.
- Put together egg mixture. Beat the eggs and milk first until blended. Then add the butter, squash and green onions. Stir to coat well before pouring the mixture into a baking dish.
- Layer the casserole. I use a glass or ceramic pan and have never had to grease those. Spread the squash and egg mixture evenly throughout the pan. Sprinkle all of the cheese evenly on top and add the crushed Ritz cracker topping.
Main Dish Ideas
So. Many. Possibilities! For me it depends on the time of year and how simple I want to be with the entrée. It is a great side dish for many recipes that doesn’t take much time.
- Try it alongside simple marinated grilled chicken or Blackened Mahi Mahi.
- a simple roast, whether beef or chicken or pork.
- One of my favorites to serve it with is Oven Baked Parmesan Pork Chops but Oven Baked Chicken and Rice is a close second.
- Don’t forget the homemade biscuits!
Serving and Storage
Serve: Serve immediately. It does reheat well in single portions, but I find the cracker crust to heat unevenly in the microwave if you reheat the entire dish. Works great in a warming server tray for BBQ’s or potlucks. Because of the dairy, it can stay at room temperature for up to 2 hours before refrigeration.
Leftovers: Heat individual portions in the microwave or you can warm up the entire dish in the oven.
Freezer: This casserole can definitely be made in advance and stored in the freezer for another day. I would prepare the casserole (including baking) without the Ritz cracker topping and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add the ritz cracker topping and bake until warm.
Make Ahead: This dish can definitely be made the day before or put. Put the dish together minus the cracker topping until you bake it. If baking after being refrigerated overnight, you may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
Quick Tips
- I cut my squash relatively thick (about 3/16 inch) to give the casserole structure. Cooking time for sautéing the squash will be slightly less for thin slices.
- Prevent a watery casserole by following my directions for making this recipe. Cooking the squash first eliminates the worry of excess liquid in the casserole itself.
- If you want a gluten-free dish, you can substitute crushed pork rinds for the Ritz crackers. The sugar and milk still have carbs so it’s hard to make it keto friendly.
- The very best part of this recipe is how forgiving the ratios of squash to topping are. I have used anywhere from 7 – 10 cups of squash in it without much fuss. I might add slightly less sugar with the lower end of the spectrum though.
Frequently asked questions
This casserole can definitely be made in advance and stored in the freezer for another day. I would wait on adding the Ritz cracker topping till you bake it so they don’t lose their buttery crunch. Prepare the casserole as directed and thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you are ready to enjoy!
I like using a glass 9×13 pan best for casseroles. With a glass dish, you can see the sides bubbling and cooked through. The internal temperature will be about 165 degrees F. The food will be hot, the sides will look cooked through, and steamy throughout.
In this recipe, we are cooking the squash a little beforehand so any additional moisture will drain away without making your casserole too thin. The egg and cheese mixture clings so well to the squash during baking!
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Squash Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Ingredients
- 7 cups Yellow or Crookneck Squash, Sliced about 5 small to medium squash
- ¼ cup Milk
- ½ cup Butter divided
- 2 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Green Onions, sliced 1 small bunch
- 3 tablespoon Granulated sugar
- 1 ⅓ cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 cups Ritz Crackers, Crushed about 1 sleeve of ritz
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoon of butter add 7 cups Yellow or Crookneck Squash, Sliced and season with salt. Sauté until centers are tender but not soft, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
- Melt the remaining butter.
- In a large bowl, quickly whisk ¼ cup Milk and 2 Eggs until mostly smooth and frothy. Stir in butter, ⅓ cup Green Onions, sliced, 3 tablespoon Granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Saltand ½ teaspoon Black Pepper until well mixed. Stir in the squash.
- Transfer the squash mixture to a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1 ⅓ cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded and top with 2 cups Ritz Crackers, Crushed.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- I cut my squash relatively thick (about 3/16 inch) to give the casserole structure. Cooking time for sautéing the squash will be slightly less for thin slices.
- If you want a gluten-free dish, you can substitute crushed pork rinds for the Ritz crackers. The sugar and milk still have carbs so it’s hard to make it keto friendly.
- The very best part of this recipe is how forgiving the ratios of squash to topping are. I have used anywhere from 7 – 10 cups of squash in it without much fuss. I might add slightly less sugar with the lower end of the spectrum though.
SheShe6 says
I am SO glad this came up on my google when I put in my ingredients. It is a keeper and my family ate the entire casserole at ONE sitting. The hint of sugar was what set this apart from other squash casseroles with Ritz Crackers. Absolutely Delicious
Bobby says
I have made this recipe twice, it is scrumptious. I did crumble fried bacon on the top Ritz crackers. Thank you for great recipe!
MaryAnn Webb says
The perfect squash casserole!
Courtney says
This was a huge hit with my family for Father’s Day! However, I did not saute the yellow squash first, I sliced them thick and roasted them first with a little bit of seasoning on top. Roasting them gave them a new flavor that was just amazing!
Vatanya Smith says
This recipe is by far the easiest and best squash recipe I have tried for the first time. The first and last time I tried squash casserole was about 15 years ago. My hubby grandmother made it and it was delicious. My family isn’t a big squash fans so I decided I would try this recipe to see if it’s a keeper. Thanks Rachel for sharing:)
Tatiana says
Thank you! I invited a few extra people to Thanksgiving at the last minute. My dad always had me make squash casserole as a kid, but he has passed away, so I needed to google a recipe. I knew squash casserole would be a quick way to add an extra dish to the table. My dad never put green onions in his version, so I left that out. Otherwise, this tastes just like what I grew up on! Comes together in a pinch. Thank you!
Suzie Fitzgerald says
This recipe is a keeper. I used zucchini and yellow squash, added 1/2 onion since I didn’t have any green onion, and 1/2 a sweet red pepper to get a good punch of color. I HATE mushy vegetables and these had a nice crunch without being under cooked. Only change I would make is reducing or eliminating the sugar, but that is probably just my palate since we don’t even like honey cured ham or sweet sauces for meats. Will be making this again with the squashes producing in the garden. Thank you for sharing!
cindy davis says
does this freeze well
Rachel says
Yes. I freeze squash all the time, but I do find that it gets somewhat runnier/mushier when frozen. I would prepare the casserole (including baking) without the Ritz cracker topping and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add the ritz cracker topping and bake until warm.
Roxanne says
I can’t wait to try this one!