3 Favorite Southern Squash Recipes to Try This Season
Squash season in the South always seems to sneak up on you, and before long you’re looking for more Southern squash recipes to put all that fresh produce to good use. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with yellow squash, you’re not alone—it’s one of those vegetables that shows up in abundance this time of year. From classic casseroles to simple fried favorites, these easy squash recipes are the ones I come back to again and again. If you’re cooking with garden-fresh squash, these summer squash recipes are a great place to start.
My Mother’s Southern Squash Casserole
One of my all-time favorite Southern squash recipes has to be my mother’s squash casserole. It’s one of those dishes that shows up at just about every family gathering, and it never lasts long. The slightly unexpected ingredient? Mayonnaise. It gives the casserole a richness you don’t quite expect, but it works so well. And thanks to a dear friend who insisted I try Duke’s, we made the switch from our longtime favorite brand—and she was right. It really does have a tangier flavor that takes this classic yellow squash recipe to the next level.
Classic Fried Squash (With a Twist)
One of the most common Southern squash recipes is simply slicing it, battering it, and frying it. It’s hard to beat, especially when you toss in some sliced onion and fry it right along with the squash—such a simple combination but so good. If you’re looking for easy squash recipes, this is usually the first one people think of.
That said, I’ve found that traditional squash rounds can sometimes get a little soggy in the center. So I started cutting the squash into chunks instead. It gives you more of that firmer texture to fry, and the result is a crispier bite overall. It’s a small change, but it makes a big difference in this classic summer squash recipe.
French Fried Yellow Squash
My most recent experiment with yellow squash recipes has been slicing it up like French fries and deep frying it. I’ll be honest—I had stayed away from deep frying for several years as part of trying to eat a little better. But as we get older, I started thinking… what the heck 😄
So I bought a new, small deep fryer and have been enjoying it more than I probably should. I even bought a brand new French fry cutter from Amazon—something I’ve owned before, along with just about all my friends… and we’ve all thrown them away at some point! Funny how things come back around.
French Fry Cutter (Amazon) (Just a heads up, the ad says it will slice sweet potatoes. It won’t! Not Vardaman sweet potatoes anyway.😂
Cutting the squash into fry-style strips gives it a completely different texture—crispy on the outside with just enough tenderness inside. If you’re looking for something a little different from the usual easy squash recipes, this one is definitely worth trying.
Simple Stewed Yellow Squash
One old standby in our house—especially for my husband—is simple stewed yellow squash. It doesn’t get much easier than this. Just cook the squash until it’s fork tender, then season with a little salt, pepper, and butter. It’s about as basic as easy squash recipes get, and sometimes that’s all you need.
Now, I’ll be honest—it’s not really my favorite. But he loves it, and it’s one of those simple summer squash recipes that’s been around forever and never goes out of style.
And now that I’ve been talking about all this yellow squash… I’m thinking I might need to make a trip to the farmer’s market 😄
