Zucchini’s sunshiny cousin yellow squash is a welcome sign that summer has arrived. Mild in taste, grilled yellow squash is the perfect accompaniment to almost any seasonal dish, and it’s a delightful ingredient to add to a garden pasta primavera, a veggie quesadilla or lasagna, or a classic ratatouille.

Once you pick your yellow squash from the market or your garden, you’ll no doubt be on the hunt for even more ways to prepare them—especially if you grew up with this humble vegetable gracing your dinner table all summer long. 

“I was raised on yellow squash and Grandma made it best,” says Deb Paquette, chef and owner of the Etch and Etc. restaurants in Nashville. “As Southerners, we all need to give a huge tribute to our foremothers and their love for squash, because they rocked it out of the park and paved a road for us to travel on today.”

There are many types of yellow squash, including straightneck, lemon, scalloped, crookneck, golden, tinca, and zephyr that are just begging to be included in your next Sunday dinner.

“Put simply, squash is incredible,” Paquette continues. “Yellow squash works beautifully with many flavors and spice blends from around the world. I use many herbs and spices from Morocco when I am seasoning my yellow squash, as well as flavors from Turkey, Spain, Italy, Egypt, and the Caribbean. Plus, nothing beats a Cajun-fried squash!”

How To Prepare Yellow Squash For Cooking

“There is nothing better than a freshly picked squash—the flavor is heaven,” says Paquette. Before you start cooking, follow these three quick steps to properly prep your squash.

1. Wash it thoroughly. “First, I wash and pick out any bad spots,” Paquette says. Start by running the squash under cool water and using your fingers to rub away any dirt spots. Yellow squash does not need to be peeled because the skin is so tender and thin. If you do prefer to peel your squash, peel it just like you would a carrot or potato. 
2. Slice it in half, lengthwise. Next, Paquette says to cut the squash from top to bottom and inspect the seeds and the meat. After a few minutes, check how much moisture is beading up on the insides. Sometimes, you have to pat your squash dry, she says. It’s not necessary to scrape out the seeded center of yellow squash, as is customary for acorn, spaghetti, or butternut squash.
3. Decide if you want to cut the ends off. In general, you need to remove the “belly button” at the top of the squash and possibly the stem, or the narrower, less bulbous end of the produce. “However, if you are grilling or broiling, trim off the belly button and leave on the stem, which makes for a nice handle when turning on the grill or finger eating,” says Paquette. 

Grilled Yellow Squash

Go ahead and fire up that grill, because grilled vegetables are the summertime solution to avoiding heating up the whole house with the oven. However, you’ll need to keep a close eye on your squash to avoid overcooking and ruining the texture.

“‘Stand by your grill’ is my motto,” Paquette says. “If you are scared of overcooking your squash on the grill, leave it on just long enough to get a good grill mark, remove from heat and allow [it] to cool, and then reheat it briefly in the microwave when you are ready to eat.”

She also warns not to add salt too early, else the yellow squash will perspire—and the additional moisture will prevent nice, clean grill marks and charring. Finally, rub the squash with a little oil to help prevent sticking and further help create clean char marks. 

How To Grill Yellow Squash

1. Slice the yellow squash into 1/2-inch-thick rounds or on a diagonal so that they are easier to grab with your grill utensils.
2. Toss with your choice of olive oil and seasonings. 
3. Place on a preheated grill (between 375° and 450° F) for about five minutes, turning once halfway through. The slices should be slightly charred and tender.

Roasted Yellow Squash

If you don’t have access to a grill, just pop your squash into the oven. Like grilling, it’s crucial not to overcook your yellow squash when roasting it. Leave yourself something tender to bite into.

You can keep your flavorings simple when roasting, says Paquette, who often just reaches for salt, pepper, and garlic. Or, if you want, you can get a bit more creative with fresh herbs and even top the finished product with grated Parmesan and throw it under the broiler for another minute or two.

How To Roast Yellow Squash

1. Preheat your oven to 425°. 
2. Wash and dry your squash, removing the stems and belly buttons, then thinly slice into 1/4-inch coins. Thicker coins will take too long to cook, and you will be left with soggy pieces. 
3. Lay the coins in a single layer on a baking sheet. (For easier cleanup, you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper.) Brush or drizzle with olive oil and lightly season to taste. 
4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, checking every five minutes to be sure the squash is not overcooking and getting too mushy. Remove and top with any additional seasonings or flavors.  

Pickled Yellow Squash 

If you love all things pickled, then why not pickle your yellow squash? “Pickled yellow squash are fabulous on their own for a snack or work perfectly on a chicken sandwich, but the sky is the limit in this case,” Paquette says.

For prep, you can opt to slice the squash or leave it whole, depending on your preference and how you intend to use it once pickled.

“Pickles are personal—I get it—so only you will know the flavor style that you will enjoy the best,” she says. Squash works well with traditional cucumber pickling flavors, like sweet, dill, zesty, and garlicky. “Whichever route you go, I recommend a quick and easy ‘refrigerator pickles’ recipe that can live on the condiment shelf in your fridge for quite a while and maintain that crispness we love in a pickle.”

How To Pickle Yellow Squash

1. Choose a firmer squash, which holds up best in the brine, and slice to the desired shape and size. Place in a glass container that has a tight-fitting lid, like a mason jar.
2. For a basic pickle brine, mix 1 cup of water, 1 1/3 cups of white vinegar, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 
3. Remove the brine from heat and cool for 10 minutes, then pour over the squash, seal the jar with its lid, and chill in the fridge for two days.

Tempura Yellow Squash

If you subscribe to the “everything’s better fried” motto, then tempura squash is calling your name. You can purchase a tempura mix at the grocery store, or make a homemade version by combining all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and club soda instead. Either way, the crispy yellow squash will entice everyone to eat their veggies. 

How To Tempura Yellow Squash

1. Heat a sauté pan or a fryer with vegetable oil to approximately 350°.
2. Cut the squash into 1/4-inch- to 1/2-inch-thick slices. If your slices are too thick, they might not cook all the way through; if they are too thin, you won’t taste the squash. 
3. Coat your squash fully in the tempura mix, but don’t overcoat it—too much batter will cook crispy on the outside, but the squash will stay mushy on the inside. 
4. Slowly place the coated squash into the oil. Fry until the slices are nice and crispy, flipping them midway through.

Shredded Yellow Squash

You can use shredded raw yellow squash in salads or incorporate them into heartier dishes. And while you probably don’t think “dessert” when you see a squash, don’t knock this yellow squash Bundt cake (spoiler: Grated yellow squash is a key ingredient!) until you’ve tried it.

How To Shred Yellow Squash

1. Using clean, dry raw yellow squash, grate in a food processor or by hand. 
2. Release the excess moisture by wrapping the shredded squash in a thin cloth or paper towel and squeezing by hand. Squeeze firmly, but gently to release the moisture without mushing the squash too much. Repeat this step until all the moisture is gone. 
3. Once the moisture has been removed, you can use the shredded yellow squash in a variety of recipes, from fritters and patties to quiches and casseroles.

Saving Yellow Squash for Other Seasons

Hate to see the end of squash season every year? Save some for a rainy day. While squash typically lasts about three to four days in your refrigerator crisper before getting mushy or slimy, it can last around 10 months in your freezer. “Freezing squash at the end of the summer will make for some yummy soup in winter,” Paquette says. Here’s the freezing method she suggests: 

1. Clean and dry the squash. Then, chop it into cubes or slice it into coins. 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, lay the cubes or coins flat on the pan in a single layer, and freeze until solid, at least one hour. 
3. Transfer the frozen squash to a zip-top or vacuum-sealed freezer bag, and place in the freezer until ready to thaw and use. 
4. To defrost, transfer the bag to the fridge, and let thaw overnight.

Our Favorite Southern Squash Recipes

If you still have too much yellow squash in the pantry, consider these favorite recipes:

Cornbread ‘N’ Squash Dressing

Who says you can only have dressing at Thanksgiving? Stuff yourself with this cornbread-based side dish that’s mixed with veggies, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and more.

Stewed Squash

If you were a little over-zealous at the grocery store and bought too much yellow squash, have no fear. This stew is an easy and filling side for any meal. For extra color, toss in some zucchini, parsley, and basil.

Sheet Pan Squash Casserole

Perfect for summer, this light and crunchy casserole can feed the whole family. Most of the ingredients should already be in your pantry, like paprika, garlic powder, olive oil, and saltine crackers.

Baked Ziti With Summer Vegetables

Taking less than an hour to cook, this delicious pasta dish is the perfect way to show off your farmers’ market haul. Pro tip: Broil your squash and zucchini before baking so they don’t release too much moisture in the oven.

Sautéed Squash And Zucchini

After spending hours on your main dish, the last thing you want to do is make sides. Good news: this squash-and-zucchini combo takes less than 20 minutes to whip up on the stove. For extra flavor, add some Cajun seasoning.