Southern Squash Casserole

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
3 lbs. yellow squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick (from 5 medium squash)
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 sleeves of Ritz crackers, coarsely crushed
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 11- x 7-inch (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
Melt three tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash, onion, and one teaspoon of the salt; Cook, while stirring often, until the center of the squash is just tender and the liquid has evaporated. When sautéing, stir the squash often to release steam and prevent browning. This should take about 10 minutes. Don’t overcook it. To keep the squash tender yet not mushy, avoid overcooking it during the initial sauté. It is better to slightly undercook it in the initial sauté so that it doesn’t turn soupy during baking.
Transfer mixture to a colander set over a bowl. Drain for at least 5 minutes; discard any liquid. Straining the squash helps to remove excess water that leaches out of the cooked squash, and it cools the squash before it is added to the casserole.
Stir together the eggs, sour cream, Cheddar and Swiss cheeses, mayonnaise, thyme, pepper, and the remaining one teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Gently fold in the squash mixture, being careful not to mash or break it into small pieces.
Spoon into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch (2-quart) baking dish.
To make the topping. Microwave the remaining three tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized microwavable bowl on HIGH until melted, about 20 seconds. Toss together crackers, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter until combined.
Sprinkle topping over casserole.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Yellow Squash Casserole

Ingredients

Directions