When we lived in Charleston, South Carolina, summer squash casserole was served as a staple side dish. This is a winter version from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt & Ted Lee. We ate it as a vegetarian entree with sautéed broccoli rabe (with garlic and red pepper flakes) on the side. The sweet, cheesy casserole had a nice balance with the salty, bitter greens. The cookbook authors suggest adding 1 pound of cut, seared, hot Italian sausage (with 2 1/2 pounds of squash) in step 3 to turn this dish into an entree.
- 3 1/2 pounds winter squash, such as butternut, kabocha, or acorn, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch slices (about 6 cups)
- 5 T unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, trimmed, peeled, and chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup whole or low-fat buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably homemade, toasted
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or pecans, toasted
- 2 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or a 4-quart casserole.
- Place 3 quarts water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the squash to the water, return to a boil, and cook for 6 minutes. The squash will turn a deeper orange. Drain it and set it aside.
- Melt the butter in the stockpot and add the oil. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent and limp, about 8 minutes, stirring to prevent browning. Add the warm squash and the buttermilk, eggs, thyme, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds, and 1 1/3 cups cheese. Blend with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients are well combined.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds and 2/3 cup cheese over the casserole. Bake for 15 minutes more, or until the pumpkin seeds have turned chestnut brown and the cheese is bubbling and gently browning.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
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