21 Summer Squash Recipes for Easy Dinners
Squash is a great addition to any summer recipe. This light, bright vegetable is versatile, nutritious, and easy to cook. These delicious recipes include a grilled summer squash casserole, crispy pancakes, and a savory pie. This sunny squash will make you smile every time.
Summer Squash Gratin
Recipe developer Laura Rege puts abundant summer squash and zucchini to good use in this beautiful and very simple gratin, which gets fantastic flavor from white wine, leeks, and Gruyère cheese.
Grilled Summer Squash Casserole
Traditionally called malaiwala, "the one with cream," this casserole is a Punjabi twist on a ratatouille-style summer side. Chef Cheetie Kumar suggests making this a main dish by adding cubed paneer, a firm Indian cheese.
Crispy Summer Squash Pancakes
Recipe developer Kay Chun makes her delicate, lightly spicy latkes with grated summer squash instead of potatoes.
Summer Squash Carpaccio
Take a trip to the local farmers market and grab some yellow squash. Sweet dates, fresh mint, and toasted pepitas spiced with Tajín seasoning take this thinly sliced summer squash dish to the next level.
Roasted Vegetable Tarts
© Carol Han
Match the earthy tastes of eggplant, portobello mushrooms, shallots, red bell pepper, and zucchini here with an herbal Australian Cabernet Sauvignon.
Summer Squash with Poblano, Queso Fresco, and Epazote
Epazote is a leafy herb with a pungent, bright flavor, with notes of citrus, mint, and oregano. It lends a savory depth to the summer squash and pairs particularly well with dairy. Leaving the queso fresco in larger chunks allows it to soften slightly, but not completely melt into the dish.
Grilled Summer Squash with Blue Cheese and Pecans
This gorgeous summer squash salad is tossed with a bright, lemony dressing.
Summer Squash and Shrimp Fricassee
"Once the summer starts, there are inevitably big baskets of zucchini and yellow squash that we just don't know what to do with," says Oxford, Mississippi-based chef Vishwesh Bhatt. "This fricassee is a terrific place to use them. It's really light, it's really quick, and it's really easy to cook a big batch of it, making it an ideal centerpiece for summer gatherings."
Summer Squash Pizza with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
Zucchini and yellow squash can both be mild in flavor, but nothing about this tangy, herby pizza is bland. The summer squash is sliced into slender coins, then roasted in a hot oven until it's lightly caramelized, bringing out its sweetness.
Grilled Vegetable Flatbread with Smoked Almond Muhammara
In addition to turning heads at your cookouts, this vegetarian wonder is packed with make-ahead options and smart shortcuts. Make the Smoked Almond Muhammara up to three days in advance and stash it in the fridge; skip a step and substitute jarred roasted peppers for the grilled bell peppers.
Spicy Sausage Pasta with Tomatoes and Squash
Added just minutes before serving, thinly sliced squash melts into the pasta without losing its shape and texture. Use a mandoline to achieve wafer-thin slices.
Grilled Squash, Corn, and Kale Salad with Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette
The creamy sunflower seed dressing for this hearty summer salad is flavored with za’atar, the classic Middle Eastern spice mix that often includes thyme, oregano or marjoram, sesame seeds, tangy sumac, and salt.
Grilled Squash Ribbons and Prosciutto with Mint Dressing
Grilling zucchini and summer squash ribbons on skewers is terrific because the edges become wonderfully charred and crisp, while the insides stay tender and juicy.
Socca with Zucchini and Olives
Socca, also called farinata in Liguria, is a tender pancake made from chickpea flour. Unlike the versions in Nice, which are cooked in copper pans, this one is baked in a cast-iron skillet before it's topped with a summery marinated squash salad.
Spinach Fettuccine with Tangy Grilled Summer Squash
This simple vegan recipe features squash that's pickled and then grilled, plus freshly sautéed squash. Try it alongside a bright, citrusy white ale.
Squash Casserole with Potato Chip Crust
Gooey cheese and a crisp potato chip topping are key in this Eastern Carolina dish; if you're worried that you're cooking down the vegetables too much — you're not. Gloriously caramelized mush is the goal and when done just right, this casserole can be filed under "looks like hell, tastes like heaven."
Soba and Zucchini Noodle Salad
Tender buckwheat noodles and crispy strands of zucchini "noodles" soak up a pleasantly piquant dressing laced with both gochugaru and gochujang for a double hit of spicy Korean peppers mellowed by a touch of brown sugar.
Yellow Squash all'Amatriciana with Pancetta and Spicy Tomato Sauce
All'Amatriciana, a spicy Italian pasta sauce, is traditionally made with guanciale, salt-cured pork jowl. Pancetta is much easier to find and is a fantastic substitute, while thinly sliced yellow squash is a wonderful gluten-free alternative to semolina noodles.
Grilled Summer Squash with Bagna Cauda and Fried Capers
Bagna cauda, the simple Italian sauce of olive oil, anchovies, and garlic, flavors strips of grilled zucchini and yellow squash. The excellent topping: crispy fried capers.
Ratatouille Slab Pie
A crisp and sturdy crust transforms the French classic into a grab-and-go hero. Preheating the baking stone is essential to this recipe; it ensures the bottom of the slab pie is crispy and retains its texture for several hours after baking. A beautiful lattice top encases vibrant summer squash, eggplant, tomatoes, and fresh herbs in this vegetarian showstopper.
Sheet-Pan Chicken with Zucchini and Garlicky Tomato Relish
This all-in-one dinner starts out minimalist — just chicken pieces and zucchini and shallot chunks, tossed with the usual suspects (olive oil, salt, and pepper) before roasting. But as the chicken and vegetables brown beautifully in the oven, you make the most of your time, prepping an herb-packed, garlic-spiked cherry tomato relish.
