Seasonal Eating
Whitney Danhof, Extension Agent
Summer Squash Abundance
August 2025
A common question this time of year is “I have a thousand summer squash coming in, what do I do?” There are many ways to cook and use summer squash for family meals. But if you just have too much, consider freezing it for winter and using it in a soup or casserole or freeze grated squash for making zucchini bread when it’s colder outside.
Summer squash are characterized by an edible skin, as opposed to winter squash where the skin is hard and inedible. Summer squashes include zucchini, yellow crookneck, yellow straight neck and pattypan, which look like little flying saucers. All of these are interchangeable in recipes and have a mild flavor that pairs well with many things. Small to medium squash are the best, but if you miss a few and they get bigger just grate them up for use in breads or casseroles. The larger ones tend to be tougher with a tougher skin and larger seeds. The other thing about summer squash is that they are prolific in the garden and one plant will produce many, many squash which means you need many, many recipes to use them up!
Extension and USDA do not have any tested methods for canning summer squash. The recommendations were withdrawn a few years ago as they could not be documented. So while older canning books may have a recipe, please don’t use it as it may be unsafe. If you want to preserve squash, try making a squash relish or squash pickles or else freeze them. You can find links on-line to these recipes at our Extension website www.bedford.tennessee.edu or search for the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
If using your squash fresh, try the easy recipe for squash casserole below. With its stuffing mix bottom and crunchy top, it is a great side dish to grilled meats or poultry. You can use either bread stuffing mix or a cornbread stuffing mix. It will make a big pan, perfect for summer potlucks.
For more information and recipes check out the Seasonal Eating page at bedford.tennessee.edu.
Squash Casserole with Stuffing
5-6 yellow squash, sliced into half moons
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup butter, melted
3 cups seasoned stuffing mix
Cook squash and onion in salted water, drain and lightly mash. Add soup, sour cream and pepper. Mix melted butter and stuffing mix, saving 3/4 cup for topping. Line a 9″x13″ pan with remaining stuffing mixture. Pour squash mixture over stuffing. Top with reserved 3/4 cup stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.
