Squash and Zucchini Casserole

This Pumpkin Zucchini Casserole is an absolute crowd favorite! A cozy summer side dish with crunchy breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

Squash and zucchini go hand in hand in summer. And what could be more intimate than a Zucchini casserole and zucchini? It has the ambiance of Sunday lunches and summer evenings when the sun spreads late into the evening. This one is full of flavor and we quickly lost it. A light Parmesan sauce coats the tender squash and is topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. It’s a convenient casserole that’s not too rich and heavy. To be honest, we couldn’t help it but shovel bites. Here’s what you need to know!

Want more from this duo? Try roasted zucchini and squash or grilled zucchini and squash.

Ingredients for the zucchini and the zucchini casserole

This zucchini squash casserole has a short list of ingredients! There is only one special ingredient with a few notes. Here’s what you need:

• Zucchini and Summer Zucchini: Measure the amount to use the right amount for seasoning. Zucchini and medium-sized squash can vary greatly in weight.
• Spices: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Salt
• olive oil or butter
• parmesan cheese
• 2% milk
• Plain Flour
• Spiced Italian Panko: It’s the breadcrumb mixture that has spices and salt in it! You should be available to find it at your local grocery store. Otherwise see notes below.

Do you like yellow pumpkin? Try these yellow squash recipes!

Use Italian panko or breadcrumbs, or these substitutes

This casserole is made with Italian panko or breadcrumbs. What are you? Italian breadcrumbs contain spices and added salt. This makes it easy to sprinkle over a casserole as it already has a lot of flavor and spice. Italian breadcrumbs and panko are easy to find at most grocery stores. If you can’t find it, here’s a replacement:

• Use regular panko or make homemade breadcrumbs.
• To 1 cup regular panko or breadcrumbs add: ¼ tsp dried basil, ¼ tsp dried oregano, ⅛ tsp garlic powder, and ⅛ tsp dried thyme and ⅛ tsp kosher salt.
• Use ½ cup in the recipe below and save the rest for future recipes.

How to Make Pumpkin Zucchini Casserole (Basic Steps)

The basic steps to making this zucchini zucchini casserole! There are a few techniques to keep in mind, so read them through before proceeding with the recipe below:

• Slice the squash and zucchini and season. Three pounds might seem like a lot of squash and zucchini at first, but it condenses in a small casserole dish. Cut into rounds and season first in a bowl for an even coating.
• Cook the squash and zucchini: You need your biggest pan for this! The easiest way to cook anything is to cover each one for a few minutes. A lot of moisture is released. Only cook until tender and crispy: this takes about 6 minutes.
• Add sauce: In the same pan, add milk, flour with a little milk (as a thickener), and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2 minutes: it will thicken a little, but not too much.
• Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake! Finally, put everything in a small casserole dish, cover with breadcrumbs and cook for 10 minutes.

Here’s Why You Should Rest After Cooking!

If you’re done cooking this Pumpkin Zucchini Casserole, here’s the thing. It is best to let it sit for at least 10 minutes after cooking. Why? Two reasons:

• The rest will allow the sauce to thicken in the pan. When the casserole is just cooked, the sauce will be quite runny. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
• It also cools and fixes the pumpkin. The squash and zucchini will be very hot when they come out of the oven. The standing time will help them warm up and set the texture.

Variation: Gluten-free casserole

Do you eat gluten free? Here are some options for making this a gluten-free pumpkin and zucchini casserole:

• Panko Bread Crumbs: Gluten-free Italian breadcrumbs and panko are easily available online these days. You can sometimes find them at your local grocery store as well. (If all you can find is basic and non-Italian, check out the section above for ways to spice up yours.)
• Plain Flour: Instead of flour, you can also use gluten-free flour or cornstarch.

Ways to serve squash and zucchini casserole

This zucchini zucchini casserole is easy to make! For us it’s more of a side dish for entertainment or a special meal, but you can serve it on a weekday if you’re an organized cook. Here are some ways to serve it:

This Pumpkin Zucchini Casserole is…

Vegetarian. For gluten free see section above.

More zucchini recipes

Do you have a lot of zucchini? Here are some other zucchini recipes you might like: