Cajun Squash Casserole

Southerner’s love their vegetables, and this Cajun Squash Casserole has a flavorful “Louisiana spin” to it with the addition of The Holy Trinity and some Cajun spices.

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The beauty of this squash dish is that you can make it as mild or spicy as you like!

Ingredients

This recipe uses yellow squash but you can substitute it with other summer squash like zucchini, or use a combination of both! Here’s a list of the simple ingredients for this Louisiana squash recipe!

• Yellow squash – you’ll need about 1 ½ – 2 pounds of squash; note, the smaller, the more tender and flavorful
• Butter– I use unsalted butter because generally, the Cajun seasoning blend has enough salt:)
• The Holy Trinity – chopped green bell peppers, chopped onion and chopped celery
• Minced garlic– fresh or jarred; we’re just gonna use a smidgen
• 2 large eggs – lightly beaten
• Sour cream– full fat works best
• Pecorino-Romano cheese – grated; or substitute with Parmesan cheese
• Sharp cheddar cheese – shredded. Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese; it doesn’t melt well; buy block cheddar and shred it yourself
• Cajun seasoning blend – I use Tony Chachere’s, but you can use any good Louisiana seasoning blend like Slap Ya Mama or Zattarain’s
• Smoked paprika– there’s sweet and smoked paprika. You definitely want smoked paprika for that authentic Cajun flavor
• Cayenne pepper – some folks call it ground red pepper; just make sure it’s fresh
• Louisiana Hot Sauce – This is the brand I have at my grocery store. You can use other Louisiana brands like Slap Ya Mama or Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Ritz crackers – these work best for that crunchy, buttery topping.

How to make it

The best way to get this dish assembled and in the oven fast is to do the prep work first and set it all aside. This is an overview; see the recipe card below for details.

• Rinse squash and slice into ¼ round slices; do not peel it; just remove the ends
• Dice the green bell peppers, onions and celery; mince garlic if using fresh
• Lightly beat the eggs
• Shred and grate the cheeses; crush the Ritz crackers
• Preheat the oven to 350°F; butter a 4-quart baking dish

Once the prep work is done, it’s time to cook the squash, bell peppers, celery, onions and garlic.

• Get a large skillet and melt butter; add about 2 tablespoons of water and bring it to medium heat; add squash rounds in a single layer, flipping occasionally. Cook till tender; drain and transfer to big bowl
• Add reserved liquid from squash back to the skillet; add chopped vegetables and saute until tender; add garlic last; transfer vegetables to the big mixing bowl with the cooked squash
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cheeses, sour cream, beaten eggs and seasonings
• Fold this mixture into the cooked squash and vegetables; combine well; place in prepared baking dish; top with crushed crackers and bake uncovered on the middle rack until the top is light golden brown

More Cajun recipes

• Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
• Cajun Braised Cabbage
• Authentic Natchitoches Meat Pie
• Shrimp Pasta

Cajun Squash Casserole

Cheesy squash casserole with The Holy Trinity and a bit of heat from Cajun seasoning

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Cajun, Louisiana

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Yield: 8 side dishes

Author: Anecia Hero

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Equipment

• 4 quart baking dish

Ingredients 

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• 1½ pounds yellow squash, rinsed, sliced with skin on
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend see recipe notes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1-2 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce see recipe notes
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (16 crackers)

Instructions 

Prep

• Preheat oven to 350°F; rub a little butter in the baking dish; rinse squash and slice into ¼"inch rounds; dice vegetables; beat eggs; shred cheese; crush crackers. Set all this aside

Cook the squash and veggies

• In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter. Place squash in a single layer and add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the skillet. Sprinkle with salt.

  On medium heat, cook squash until it's almost fork tender (8-10 minutes) – (you may have to do this in batches); remove cooked squash, drain in a colander, and transfer to a big mixing bowl. Add any drained liquid from the squash back to the skillet.
  1½ pounds yellow squash, rinsed, sliced with skin on, 1 stick unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup water
• Add diced vegetables to the same skillet and saute 6-8 minutes, until tender. Add garlic last and saute for 1 minute; remove pan from heat; transfer to the big mixing bowl that contains the cooked squash.
  ½ cup chopped onion, ½ cup chopped green bell pepper, ½ cup chopped celery, 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Assemble and bake

• In a medium-to-large mixing bowl, combine cheeses, eggs, sour cream and seasonings; combine well; pour this mixture into the bowl with the squash and vegetables and gently fold together until well combined; transfer mixture to prepared baking dish
  2 large eggs, lightly beaten, ¾ cup sour cream, ½ cup shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1-2 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Top the casserole with finely crushed crackers; bake uncovered 20-30 minutes, until topping is a light golden brown; allow to rest for 8-10 minutes before serving
  1 sleeve Ritz crackers (16 crackers)

Notes

• Cajun seasoning blend: I used Tony Chachere’s Original Cajun Seasoning blend; you can use other Louisiana brands like Slap Ya Mama
• Hot Sauce: I used the brand “Louisiana Hot Sauce” but you can use other brands like Slap Ya Mama or Crystal hot sauce.

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1cupCalories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 12gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 488mgPotassium: 365mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1372IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 308mgIron: 1mg

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