I have to admit that I don’t hate summer squash (yellow squash), but it is not a veggie that I order if we are dining out. Nor have I sought this vegetable out at the grocery store.
So many restaurants seem to serve it undercooked and with no flavor. Maybe that is a thing, but it doesn’t appeal to me.
I do like squash casserole and Aunt E made a sort of stewed squash with cheese on top that was good. So this summer, I have decided to experiment. I made a baked squash with parmesan cheese recipe that I found online (find it here) that was really good. Then I decided to go it alone and try my own thing. We liked it, so I thought I would share.
Squash, bell pepper and onions:
1 yellow squash, washed and cut into 1/4″ quarters (cut squash in half lengthwise and then cut those two pieces in half lengthwise again).
1/2 cup of onion
1/2 cup of bell pepper (we have used orange and red, but use your favorite)
Olive oil
Butter
Seasoning salt
Fresh ground pepper
I clove garlic, minced
In a medium sized non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil (just eyeball it). Once it is hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper, to taste. I would start with about 1/4 teaspoon of each.
Stir occasionally. After about 5 minutes, add the squash. Stir so that the squash gets coated in the olive oil. Add a lid to the pan. Stir every 3 or 4 minutes. Once the vegetables are getting tender (about 8-10 minutes), add the garlic and 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Stir. When the butter is melted, it is ready to serve.
This is nothing fancy, but it does have flavor and tastes pretty good. This quantity will serve 3-4 people, but add more onion or bell pepper or more squash if you are feeding more people. Leftovers are great too!
What are your favorite ways to serve yellow squash?
We slice yellow squash in 3/4″ slices lengthwise, brush the slices with olive oil, s&p, and grill with slices of poblanto peppers, eggplant, and onions. Depending on what the main dish is, we sprinkle the vegetables with fresh herbs from our herb garden.
We also steam the following in their own juices in the microwave: shredded carrot, finely chopped celery, chunks of zucchini and yellow squash topped with 1 tablespoon butter. When very tender, DO NOT DRAIN, but add 1/2 cup sour cream and a box of stuffing mix until blended but chunky. I bake in a sprayed 8×8″ pan until it browns on top.
A lot of people boil all the flavor out of vegetables, drain away the juice, and try to flavor it all with something else. Vegetables are tasty and healthy for us, with little preparation. It’s fine to flavor them, or add them to other traditional dishes, but a simple steaming in their own juices in the microwave helps retain flavor, color appeal, and nutrients.