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This Southern squash casserole is rich, creamy, a little sweet from the yellow squash, and topped with buttery Ritz crackers. The middle gets almost custardy from the egg, mayo, cheese, and Soup, while the crackers bake up golden and crisp. You’re going to love this easy, comforting side dish with baked Chicken or any holiday meal.
Why You’ll Love It
- Feeds a crowd — three pounds of squash makes about 12 servings alongside a meal.
- Easy prep — the squash, creamy filling, and cracker topping come together without fussy steps.
- Flexible texture — use small squash medallions or dice larger squash into small pieces.
- Buttery Ritz topping — crushed crackers and melted butter make a thick, crisp golden layer.
Ingredient Notes
Yellow squash is the star here, so firm ones without soft spots work best. Smaller squash tend to be more tender and have fewer big seeds. If all that is available are oversized squash, use them; just dice them smaller.
The Vidalia onion is optional. It gives the filling a mellow, sweet onion flavor, but it can be left out.
For the condensed soup, cream of mushroom or cream of Chicken both work exactly right. Cream of Chicken is especially good with cooked chicken or turkey. Use sharp cheddar if possible. Mild cheddar will do in a pinch, but sharp cheddar has more backbone. This casserole is already soft and creamy; it needs a little personality.
Real, full-fat mayonnaise gives this its proper richness. This is not salad dressing territory.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds yellow squash, sliced into small medallions or diced; I prefer the smaller squash when possible
- 1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion, optional, especially if onion opinions are strong in your house
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, sharp cheddar is my favorite
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed—not pulverized into dust, just good crumbs
- 1 stick butter, melted
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a casserole dish to prevent sticking.
Wash the yellow squash and slice it into little medallions, or dice it into small pieces if the squash is large. Dice the big ones because thick rounds can feel a little clunky in a casserole. Put all the squash in a large mixing bowl. Three pounds is a lot once it is cut up.
In another bowl, stir together the condensed soup, mayonnaise, egg, shredded cheddar, diced Vidalia onion if using, salt, and black pepper. It will look thick and creamy and not especially glamorous. Don’t worry. This is not a glamorous dish before it goes in the oven.
Pour that mixture over the squash and stir until the squash is well coated. Take a minute here and make sure the filling gets down through the bowl instead of sitting in one big blob at the top. Rushing this step can leave a few bites mostly squash and a few bites basically mayonnaise soup. Not ideal.
Spoon the squash mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out fairly evenly. No need to press it down hard. Let it be a casserole, not a paving project.
Leave the Ritz crackers in their sleeves and crush them with a rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or another sturdy object. A clean dish towel around the sleeves helps keep cracker crumbs contained.
Put the crushed crackers in a bowl. Melt the butter in the microwave, then stir it into the cracker crumbs until they are evenly moistened. The goal is buttery crumbs, not a bowl of cracker paste. Sprinkle or drizzle the topping evenly over the casserole. For a heavier topping, more can certainly be added, but two sleeves make a nice thick layer.
Cover the casserole with foil and bake it at 350°F for 30 minutes. Covering it first is important—it lets the squash get tender and the creamy filling heat through without scorching those lovely crackers. Foil can be annoying, but use it.
Remove the foil after 30 minutes and bake the casserole for another 20 minutes, until it is bubbly around the edges and golden brown on top. The total baking time is about 45 to 50 minutes, depending on the dish and the oven. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving because it comes out molten.
Variations
For a fuller meal, stir in 1 cup of chopped cooked chicken or turkey before baking. Cream of chicken soup makes particular sense for that version, though cream of mushroom still works beautifully.
Add 2 cups of cooked rice to the squash mixture. That makes it heartier and stretches it farther.
Garlic powder, a little cayenne, or paprika can be added, but this simple version is hard to beat.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days, covered well. The cracker topping softens some overnight, naturally, but it still tastes wonderful. Sometimes better, honestly, after everything has had a chance to settle together. Though crispy Ritz crumbs are one of life’s small pleasures.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave until hot. It won’t bring back the crisp topping, but it is fast. For a larger amount, warm it in a 350°F oven, loosely covered with foil at first so it doesn’t brown too much, then uncover near the end if a firmer top is desired.
Freezing is not ideal for this casserole. It can be done, but squash has a lot of water and the texture gets softer after thawing. Not tragic—just softer. Leftovers are best kept in the fridge and enjoyed over the next few days. Add a little chicken or some sliced tomatoes for a complete plate.
Final Notes
This is the kind of dish that feels right with summer gardens, crowded counters, and the ceiling fan running while squash is sliced.
Make it with onion or without. Dice the squash or slice it. Add chicken, add turkey, add rice if dinner needs to stretch. Just cover those crackers for the first part of baking, for heaven’s sake.
Southern Squash Casserole
Ingredients Â
- 3 pounds yellow squash sliced into small medallions or diced; smaller squash preferred when possible
- 1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion optional
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup 10.5 ounces
- 1 cup mayonnaise real, full-fat mayonnaise preferred
- 1 egg
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese sharp cheddar preferred
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers crushed into crumbs, not pulverized
- 1 stick butter melted
InstructionsÂ
- Heat the oven to 350°F and butter or spray a casserole dish to prevent sticking.
- Wash the yellow squash and slice it into small medallions, or dice it into small pieces if the squash is large, then place all of the squash in a large mixing bowl.
- In another bowl, stir together the condensed soup, mayonnaise, egg, shredded cheddar, diced Vidalia onion if using, salt, and black pepper until thick and creamy.
- Pour the creamy mixture over the squash and stir well until the squash is evenly coated and the filling is distributed throughout the bowl.
- Spoon the squash mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out fairly evenly without pressing it down hard.
- Leave the Ritz crackers in their sleeves and crush them with a rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or another sturdy object, using a clean dish towel around the sleeves to help contain crumbs if desired.
- Place the crushed crackers in a bowl, melt the butter in the microwave, and stir the melted butter into the cracker crumbs until they are evenly moistened, then sprinkle the topping evenly over the casserole.
- Cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes so the squash becomes tender and the creamy filling heats through without scorching the crackers.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly around the edges and golden brown on top, then let it sit for a few minutes before serving.