32 Summer Squash Recipes

From Crookneck to Zucchini to Pattypan, Here's What to Do With Summer Squash

Written by

Laurel Randolph

Updated 09/24/20

Oven-Roasted Patty Pan Squash With Shallots and Herbs — The Spruce

Anyone who has grown summer squash knows that when it rains, it pours. A bounty of zucchini—yellow, pattypan, and everything in between—fill summertime garden beds, farmers' markets, and groceries. So what should you do with all of that squash?

Put it to good use by making pastas, breads, cakes, casseroles, and more. Note that when a recipe calls for yellow squash, crookneck or straightneck will do. Varieties of zucchini and yellow squash can often be interchanged in recipes, but zucchini make the best noodles and raw salads. If you're lucky enough to have access to squash or zucchini blossoms, there are a couple of recipes below, too.

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Baked Zucchini and Tomatoes With Cheese

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Fresh tomatoes and zucchini are sliced and topped with cheese before being baked until tender and melty. It's a summertime casserole that's especially good served with crusty bread or over pasta.
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Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash

The Spruce

A super simple side dish, grilled squash is peak summertime eats. Use any kind of zucchini or yellow squash as long as it is easy to cut into strips. Serve with a grilled fish or meat of your choice.
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Spiralized Summer Squash With Garlic and Basil

The Spruce

Pull out your spiralizer for this light and healthy dish. Cut into thin strips, summer squash plays the part of pasta pretty convincingly. It's fresh and easy and can be bulked up with extra veggies or shrimp.
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Baked Panko and Parmesan Zucchini Fries

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Coated in a mixture of crispy panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, these zucchini "fries" get nice and crispy in the oven. Serve with a dipping sauce like ranch or ketchup.

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Yellow Summer Squash Soufflé

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Yellow squash and onions are mixed with eggs, milk, butter, and cheese and baked for a decadent side dish. A topping of breadcrumbs crisps up nicely in the oven.
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Classic Zucchini Bread

The Spruce

It's easy to turn zucchini into a tender, sweet quick bread. Shred fresh zucchini with a grater or food processor and squeeze out the excess liquid. Baked with spices and nuts, it's a tasty snack or breakfast.
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Oven-Roasted Patty Pan Squash With Shallots and Herbs

The Spruce

Patty pan squash are a lesser-known summer squash variety that look like miniature UFOs. They come in yellow, green, and white, and are tender and sweet. A little oil, herbs, shallots, and a quick trip in the oven are all they need.
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Zucchini Patties With Quinoa

The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo

Zucchini patties with quinoa have a similar texture to potato pancakes, but with healthy ingredients like fresh squash and quinoa. Make the mixture ahead of time if you like, and fry the patties just before serving.

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Ratatouille

The Spruce

Ratatouille is a classic French stew made of summer produce. It's delicious in its simplicity, and comes together quickly. Swap out the chicken broth for veggie to make the dish vegetarian, and use zucchini, yellow squash, or a mix of the two.
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Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Low-carb and flavorful, zucchini boats are a nice party food. Stuffed with ground chicken, cheese, and wing sauce, these are sure to be a hit with the whole family.
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Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms With Rice

ingwervanille / Getty Images

Squash blossoms are often stuffed with cheese and fried, but this Greek version is lighter. A filling of rice, tomato, and spices create a nice texture. Any kind of squash blossoms will work for this recipe.
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Easy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Easy chocolate zucchini cake is the perfect way to hide some green veggies in dessert, leaving your family none the wiser. The zucchini makes the cake extra moist, making icing optional.

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Cheesy Zucchini Bread

The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer

Use zucchini to give cornbread an excellent new twist. This cheesy zucchini bread is an easy quick bread recipe that includes dehydrated and shredded zucchini, cornmeal, buttermilk, sharp cheddar cheese, garlic, and rosemary.
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Healthy Summer Veggies Crock Pot

Jennifer Meier

Yellow squash, bell pepper, and corn make a lovely summer vegetable medley and cook effortlessly in your slow cooker. Just add all of the ingredients to your pot, set it for two hours on high, and forget it.
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Puréed Zucchini Soup

The Spruce

If you've got an excess of zucchini on your hands, simply blend it up into a tasty soup. It's healthy and vegan, and even freezes well.
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Cold Five-Spice Zucchini Noodle Salad

Alice Martini

This Asian-spiced salad uses spiralized zucchini noodles as the base, making it a low-carb meal. While ground whole spices will add the most flavor, you can use a pre-mixed ground Chinese five spice blend instead.

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Yellow Summer Squash Custard Pie

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Yellow squash in a pie? You read that right! Pumpkin isn't the only squash that makes a good pie. Cooked and mashed squash is mixed with heavy cream, butter, eggs, and vanilla for a delicate pie that's sweet and creamy.
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Squash Fritters With Cheese

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Transform squash into a crispy fritters in less than 30 minutes and with just a few ingredients. They're especially good with the sriracha mayonnaise dipping sauce.
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Zucchini and Summer Squash Casserole

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

This easy baked squash casserole has all of the flavors you want without being heavy. Unlike many casseroles, it contains no milk or heavy cream. A simple topping of bread crumbs and parmesan add crispy texture.
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Easy One-Layer Zucchini Cake

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Lightly spiced and moist, this one-layer cake is a dessert version of zucchini bread. It comes together easily and is delicious all on its own or with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top.

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Sautéed Chayote Squash

Diana Rattray

Chayote squash is a summertime squash native to Mexico and popular in New Orleans cuisine. It's firmer texture makes it perfect for sautéing.
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Squash Pickles With Zucchini or Yellow Summer Squash

Westend61 / Getty Images

Turn your extra squash into tangy pickles that will keep for weeks. If you're a canning expert they'll keep for months or even years—a welcome treat on a cold winter day.
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Skillet Yellow Squash or Zucchini With Onions and Bacon

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

For a quick dinner side dish, sauté yellow or green squash with bacon and onions. Any kind of summer squash (or a mixture) will do for this recipe.
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Zucchini Gratin With Cheddar Cheese

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Sometimes you just need a cheesy, creamy casserole, and zucchini gratin with cheddar cheese will satisfy that need. Healthier than a potato casserole, it makes great use of the green vegetable.

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Oven-Fried Zucchini

The Spruce

Oven-fried zucchini is a delicious and tasty snack or a side for sandwiches or burgers. Coated in breadcrumbs and parmesan, they are baked until crispy, making them a nice alternative to fries.
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Squash Blossom and Mushroom Quesadillas

The Spruce / Laurel Randolph

Squash blossoms aren't just for stuffing. Chopped and sautéed, they make a tasty filling for a quesadilla. This vegetarian filling also makes good cheesy tacos. Serve with salsa verde.
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Tomato, Corn, and Goat Cheese Spiralized Zucchini Pasta

Stephanie Kirkos

Fresh tomatoes, corn, and zucchini come together to make an ideal summertime "pasta" dish. Light but not light on flavor, a little goat cheese adds a bit of cheesiness. Leave it out if you're vegan.
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Grilled Veggie Panini

Jim Scherer / Getty Images

Veggie sandwiches don't have to be boring. Grilled squash, zucchini, and pepper join melted provolone cheese, fresh basil, and mayonnaise on crispy bread for a tasty meal.

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Zucchini Muffins With Shredded Carrot

Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images

These moist and fluffy zucchini muffins have some added veggie nutrition from shredded carrots. Add nuts like toasted pecans if desired.
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Patty Pan Squash With Rice Stuffing

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Patty pan squash's unique saucer shape makes them good for stuffing and baking. A simple rice, spinach, and cheese filling make the squash a nice side dish or a vegetarian main dish.
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Yellow Squash Pancakes

Alan Richardson / StockFood Creative / Getty Images

Crispy squash pancakes are delicious all on their own or with a wide range of toppings: sour cream and applesauce (like latkes), salsa, yogurt and fresh fruit, and more.
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Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Kristina Vanni

How can you make zucchini bread even better? Add chocolate chips. It turns this easy quick bread into a delicious dessert or sweet snack.