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Home » Side Dishes

Sautéed Yellow Squash and Onions

Published: Jul 29, 2021 · Last Modified: Jun 22, 2022 by Anecia

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You'll love this quick and easy Sautéed Yellow Squash and Onions recipe! 

Tender summer squash, nestled in butter and sautéed with sweet onions, this is the perfect side dish any time of year!

Yellow squash, also known as "crookneck" or "summer squash" takes less than 15-minutes to make and is a great side dish with fried catfish, meatloaf, purple hull peas , cornbread or pot roast.

Sauteed squash in white bowl.

In the South, summertime calls for fresh vegetables out of the garden! Now this recipe is not "highfalutin" or gourmet by any means. There's no added herbs, fancy spices or parmesan cheese...just good ole' Southern country food. Sometimes the "KISS" method is the best! 

Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe!
  • Here's what you'll need
  • How to make it
  • When is yellow squash in season?
  • How to select yellow squash
  • How to store raw squash in the refrigerator
  • Storage and reheating
  • More Southern recipes
  • 📋 Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe!

  • Simple ingredients - all-natural ingredients with no additives, preservatives or yucky stuff
  • Healthy and low-calorie - naturally high in vitamin C and B6 and keto-friendly
  • Ready in minutes - ready in 8-10 minutes

This easy squash recipe is your Grandma's simple squash recipe! There's a zillion different names for this recipe - "simmered squash,"  "stewed squash," or "boiled squash" but no matter what you call it, it's a flavorful, healthy Southern side dish and its quick and easy...oh, and inexpensive, too!

Here's what you'll need

I'm a firm believer of keeping things simple, especially when you're dealing with fresh vegetables. With minimal seasonings, this sauteed yellow squash and onions recipe really allows the sweet flavor of the squash to shine! 

Ingredients labeled.

How to make it

Summer squash cooks pretty quickly due to the thin skins, so it's not necessary to use a slow cooker, crockpot or Instant Pot. Just grab a big flat skillet, some yellow squash, a big yellow onion (I like sweet yellow onions, but you can use any type of yellow or white onion), butter, salt, pepper and a little chicken broth. 

Melt butter in a large skillet on low to medium heat; add sliced onions and saute until slightly transluscent. Add sliced yellow squash, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar (optional)

Add in chicken broth, chicken stock or water then cover with lid, reduce heat to low and cook until squash are nice and tender - usually about 10 minutes total time!

Six simple steps and it's done!

Six steps for how to make sauteed squash.

When is yellow squash in season?

The best, freshest yellow squash is available June through late August and sometimes early September.

You'll find summer squash in the grocery store year-round, but they are best when harvested and eaten in the summer and purchased from a farmer's market or local farmer.

There are a few varieties of summer squash: Yellow, Zucchini and Zephyr just to name a few. 

How to select yellow squash

When you're selecting squash, bigger is not better. You want to choose small to medium sized yellow squash with a firm, unblemished, shiny skin.

The smaller the squash, the more flavorful and they have less seeds than larger ones.

Three sizes of squash on a table.

How to store raw squash in the refrigerator

Fresh yellow squash does not have a long shelf life. So, if  you buy squash in advance, you can store it in the refrigerator loose for about up to 3 days. After 3 days, it may begin to turn brown and get soft; it will still taste fine, but it won't look at vibrant.

Do Not Rinse it before storing. If you rinse it, that removes some of the protective skin and it will turn brown quickly. Rinse it right before you slice it. 

Storage and reheating

You can store cooked squash and onions in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended because the texture of the squash changes.

Reheat sautéed yellow squash and onions on the stovetop or in the microwave. You might need to add a little water before reheating.

I like to serve sauteed yellow squash and onions with purple hull peas, a sliced tomato and Southern skillet cornbread! 

More Southern recipes

  • Smothered Okra and Tomatoes
  • Beef Tips with Brown Gravy
  • Cream Style Corn
  • Southern Macaroni and Cheese
  • Cabbage Rolls
  • Chicken Fried Steak
  • No Bake Lemon Icebox Pie

If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!

📋 Recipe

Sauteed yellow squash and onions in white bowl.

Sautéed Yellow Squash and Onions

Homemade Sauteed Yellow Squash and Onions
5 from 3 votes
Print Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Total Yield: 8 ½ cup servings
Author: Anecia Hero
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Ingredients 

  • 2 lbs yellow squash
  • 1 cup yellow onion , sweet, sliced; (medium to large onion)
  • 6 tablespoons butter , unsalted
  • 1 cup chicken broth , low-sodium
  • 1 teaspoon salt , table
  • 2 teaspoons pepper , black
  • 2 teaspoons sugar , granulated

Instructions 

Prep

  • Rinse and dry squash
    2 lbs yellow squash
  • Cut into ¼ inch slices; do not remove the skin; set aside
  • Slice one medium - large onion; set aside
    1 cup yellow onion

Cook the squash

  • Melt butter in skillet on medium heat
    6 tablespoons butter
  • Add sliced onion; cook for 2-3 minutes
    1 cup yellow onion
  • Add sliced squash and broth; combine
    2 lbs yellow squash, 1 cup chicken broth
  • Season with salt, pepper and sugar; cover and cook for 8-12 minutes or until it's semi-tender
    1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, 2 teaspoons sugar
  • Serve with slotted spoon

Notes

Do not remove skin ; just cut off the ends and slice into ¼" rounds
Add more salt if you prefer
Yield:
2 lbs. of small to medium squash yields about 4 cups of cooked squash and onions. 
You will get about 8 ½-cup servings out of this recipe. 

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1cupCalories: 108kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 476mgPotassium: 359mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 493IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg
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Anecia Hero, Food Blogger

About SmartyPantsKitchen

I'm Anecia, a native Texan, author, cook and photographer for SmartyPantsKitchen where I'm sharing Traditional and Contemporary Southern recipes for cooks of all levels. There's nothing fancy or gourmet about my recipes-just easy, simple, delicious and memorable! Take a tour and check out delicious recipes! 

Learn more about me →

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