Yellow Squash Souffle Recipe for When You Need “Easy”
Sneak Peek: This Squash Souffle Recipe is a lightened-up version of a simple but delicious side dish served at one of my favorite restaurants. Combine fresh yellow or other summer squash with various colors of bell peppers, onions, eggs, seasoning, and bread crumbs.
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A few years ago, I watched my mother-in-law cook fresh yellow squash. She boiled, mashed, and drained, then added salt and pepper.
What I saw next was an “aha moment.” She added a pinch of sugar. Not much–just enough to bring out the naturally sweet flavor inherent in summer squash.
My mother-in-law was on to something.
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Yes. I’ve seen it before.
The “pinch-of-sugar-to-bring-out-the-flavor” trick, that is. My sister does it with salad greens. Grandma used to do it with green beans. Some do it with pie crust. Even gravy! No wonder many of us are addicted to sugar. Good grief!
One of my favorite squash recipes comes from Helen Corbitt’s Cookbook. I’ve updated this souffle a bit–and just like my mother-in-law, added a pinch of sugar.
To my readers in the North Texas area: This dish reminds me of the yellow squash casserole served at the Black-Eyed Pea restaurant.
Ingredients and common substitutions:
- Onion: White or yellow onions with a mild flavor work best. If you don’t like to chop fresh onions, use frozen onions.
- Bell Peppers: I love to use red and orange bell peppers. Green bell peppers are fine if you like the slightly bitter flavor. Yellow peppers don’t show up well next to yellow squash which is OK, but more color makes a more appetizing dish.
- Butter: Any kind of butter or margarine will suffice. I haven’t tried vegetable oil in place of butter, but I suspect it would also work.
- Yellow Squash: Look for small to medium-sized squash. When they get too large, squash is not as tender or flavorful. I’ve tried this recipe with a combination of zucchini, yellow squash, and red peppers. It’s gorgeous and tasty. Crookneck squash and pattypans are also good substitutes for yellow squash.
- Eggs: The recipe is designed for large eggs.
- Bread Crumbs: Use Panko or dried bread crumbs. I prefer to make my own bread crumbs so they will be as fresh as possible. Bread crumbs take the place of flour like you would use when making a traditional souffle.
- Salt: Any kind of salt is acceptable.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is my secret trick with this recipe. Optional!
- Pepper: Use freshly ground pepper, if possible. This souffle recipe is mild in general so the pepper brings it to life.
📌Kitchen secrets📌:
- Although you can make this without a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, it saves time and your arm if you don’t have to do it by hand. Even so, a potato masher works sufficiently well.
- Drain cooked squash completely. Otherwise, the casserole will need to be baked longer than expected so it won’t be mushy.
- Although this is not a traditional souffle with a cream sauce and whipped egg whites, the eggs in this recipe will cause this casserole to rise up like a standard souffle when it’s cooked through…and fall like one, too. Expect it as the casserole cools.
How to assemble Yellow Squash Souffle:
FAQ about Squash Souffle:
First, make sure the squash is completely cooked so it will release as much moisture as possible. Second, make sure you drain it well. Mash it to squeeze out as much water as possible, the same as you might do with spinach.
Yellow squash has a thin and tender skin. There is no need to peel it unless your squash has sustained an injury that you want to remove.
Testing a souffle should be done carefully with a small paring knife. After you push the knife into the middle, it should come out clean.
According to Kitchn.com, “The term summer squash encompasses many varieties of fresh squash harvested mostly in the summer months. These summer squash varieties include zucchini, many types of yellow summer squash, and pattypans.”
Yellow squash is my favorite of all the different types of summer squash so I have a collection of recipes for it. These Simple Squash Patties are so fun to eat and dip. If you prefer roasted veggies, check out this Roasted Yellow Squash with Parmesan. Those crispy slices are hard to quit eating!
Over to you: What food (that is not dessert) do you add a pinch of sugar to bring out the natural flavors?
If you have questions or suggestions, email me privately to Paula at saladinajar.com. Hope to see you again soon! Paula
Baked Yellow Squash Soufflé
Ingredients
- ½ cup frozen chopped onion
- ⅓ cup frozen chopped red bell pepper - I buy fresh peppers, chop, and freeze
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds yellow squash - cut in large chunks
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup panko or dried fresh bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon table or sea salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
- Place onion, peppers, and butter in the bottom of a 2-quart glass batter bowl or similar size microwave-safe dish. Microwave on HIGH for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes until veggies are softened
- Layer yellow squash on top of onion and red bell pepper. Cover and cook on HIGH in a microwave for 10 minutes or until veggies are completely cooked.
- Drain off as much liquid as possible. Mash and press on the cooked vegetables to extract more water, then drain again.
- Pour cooked vegetables into a food processor, or use a potato masher or an immersion blender. Pulse about 5 times, rearranging squash with a spoon if necessary to get an even chop. The mixture should not be smooth–just slightly chunky.
- Thoroughly mix eggs with a fork, whisk, or immersion blender. Add to squash along with bread crumbs, salt, sugar, and pepper. Fold ingredients together and pour into a well-greased 1-quart oven-safe dish or individual dishes as pictured.
- Bake at 350˚ F. for 30 minutes.
Paula Rhodes, author
I’m a retired home economist, wife, mother, grandmother, and creator of Saladinajar.com. I believe you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Here you’ll find time-saving tips, troubleshooting advice, and confidence-inspiring recipes to make life in the kitchen more fun, appetizing, and satisfying.