This squash and zucchini casserole is a comfy facet dish starring tender squash in a light-weight Parmesan sauce with a golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping.
After I’ve acquired a great deal of squash and zucchini readily available in peak summer time, right here’s one among my favourite issues to do with them: make this squash and zucchini casserole! It’s a comfy casserole that’s not too wealthy and heavy, and each time I make it, I can’t cease shoveling in bites.
This one is full of taste, with a light-weight Parmesan sauce that covers the tender squash topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. It’s such a simple and distinctive summer time facet dish!
Substances You’ll Want
This squash and zucchini casserole has a brief ingredient listing! There’s just one particular substances with some notes. Right here’s what you’ll want:
- Summer season squash and zucchini: Weigh out the quantity so that you simply use the correct amount for the seasoning. Medium zucchini and squash can range in weight tremendously.
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and kosher salt mix for giant taste (no chopping an onion required!).
- Olive oil or butter: Both works; butter provides richness, olive oil retains it lighter.
- Parmesan cheese: This aged cheese flavors each the sauce and the topping.
- 2% milk and flour: These make the sunshine, creamy sauce.
- Seasoned Italian panko: That is the bread crumb combination that comprises seasonings and salt! You ought to be obtainable to seek out it at your native grocery. If not, see the notes under.
Need extra of this duo? Strive Roasted Zucchini and Squash or Grilled Zucchini and Squash.
The Italian Panko Trick (and a Substitute)
This casserole is made utilizing Italian panko or breadcrumbs, which have seasonings and salt added. This makes it straightforward to sprinkle onto the highest of a casserole as a result of it’s acquired plenty of taste and seasoning already. Italian breadcrumbs and panko are straightforward to seek out at most grocery shops. In the event you can’t discover it, right here’s a substitute:
- Use common panko or make do-it-yourself breadcrumbs.
- To 1 cup of the plain panko or breadcrumbs, add: ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder and ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme, and ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Use ½ cup within the recipe under and save the remaining for future recipes.
Learn how to Make Squash and Zucchini Casserole
The essential steps for making this squash and zucchini casserole! There are a number of approach issues to know, so overview this primary earlier than going to the recipe under:
- Slice and season the squash and zucchini. Three kilos may seem to be quite a lot of squash and zucchini at first, but it surely condenses right into a small baking dish. Slice it into rounds and season it in a bowl first to get even coating.
- Prepare dinner the squash and zucchini: You’ll want your largest skillet for this one! The best solution to cook dinner all of it is by protecting it for a couple of minutes at a time. Quite a lot of moisture will likely be launched. Prepare dinner solely till crisp tender: it takes about 6 minutes.
- Add the sauce: To the identical pan, you’ll add milk, flour whisked into a bit milk (as a thickener), and Parmesan cheese. Let that cook dinner for two minutes: it’ll thicken a bit, however not a lot.
- High with breadcrumbs and bake! Lastly, you’ll switch all the pieces to a small baking dish, high with breadcrumbs, and bake for 10 minutes.
Learn how to Preserve Squash Casserole From Getting Watery
Watery casserole is the most important criticism with this fashion of facet dish, since zucchini and squash include a lot water. Listed below are the keys to maintaining it set:
- Pre-cook the zucchini and squash. Sautéing first removes a lot of the moisture from these veggies. Ensure that to cook dinner solely to crisp tender.
- Bake sizzling and quick. This enables the veggies to be tender with out overcooking them.
- Relaxation for 10 minutes after baking to let the sauce within the pan thicken. When the casserole is simply baked, the sauce is pretty watery. Because it cools, the sauce will thicken. Additionally, the squash and zucchini are highly regarded as soon as they arrive out of the oven. The remainder time helps them come to heat and helps to set the feel.
Variation: gluten free casserole
Do you eat gluten-free? Listed below are a number of choices for making this a gluten free squash and zucchini casserole:
- Panko / breadcrumbs: Gluten free Italian breadcrumbs and panko are simply obtainable on-line lately. It’s also possible to typically discover them at your native grocery. (If all you’ll find is obvious, not Italian, see the part above about the best way to season your personal.)
- Flour: You should use gluten-free flour or cornstarch instead of the flour.
Methods to Serve Squash and Zucchini Casserole
This squash and zucchini casserole is simple to make! For us it’s extra of a facet dish for entertaining or a particular meal, however you would additionally serve it on a weeknight in the event you’re an organized cook dinner. Listed below are a number of methods to serve it:
Storage and Make-Forward Suggestions
You may refrigerate leftovers as much as 3 days in a lined container. Reheat in a 350°F oven till warmed by means of. I’d not advocate freezing leftovers, as a result of they grow to be watery when thawed.
To make this casserole forward, prep this by means of the sauce step and refrigerate within the baking dish, then add the breadcrumb topping simply earlier than baking so it stays crunchy. Add a number of additional minutes of bake time if wanted because you’re baking from chilly.
Dietary Notes
This squash and zucchini casserole is vegetarian. For gluten free, use gluten free Italian breadcrumbs or panko for the panko, and cornstarch as a substitute of flour.
Print
Squash and Zucchini Casserole
This squash and zucchini casserole is a comfy facet dish starring tender squash in a light-weight Parmesan sauce with a golden, crunchy breadcrumb topping.
- Prep Time: quarter-hour
- Prepare dinner Time: quarter-hour
- Whole Time: half-hour
- Yield: 4 to six 1x
- Class: Aspect Dish
- Technique: Baked
- Delicacies: American
- Food plan: Vegetarian
- 3 kilos zucchini and squash (about 2 medium zucchini and 2 medium squash)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons 2% milk
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup seasoned Italian panko or Italian breadcrumbs (comprises salt)*
- Preheat the oven to 450 levels Farenheit.
- Slice the zucchini and squash into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place them in a bowl and stir them along with the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
- In your largest skillet, warmth the olive oil or butter over medium excessive warmth. Add the zucchini and squash. Cowl the skillet and cook dinner for two minutes, then uncover and stir. Cowl once more for two minutes and uncover and stir, transferring slices to the underside layer as essential in order that they’ll get browned. Prepare dinner 2 minutes once more, flipping the items fastidiously, till they’re crisp tender.
- Cut back the warmth to low. Add one other ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon flour whisked into 2 tablespoons milk, and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Prepare dinner 2 to three minutes till barely thickened.
- Pour the zucchini and squash right into a small baking dish (2 quart or 11″ x 8″). High with the seasoned Italian panko and one other 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes till golden brown. Enable to face for no less than 10 minutes so the sauce thickens barely. Serve with a slotted spoon.
