Squash Alabama Recipe (Brenda Gantt's Squash Casserole)
A Southern squash alabama recipe with tender yellow squash, sharp cheddar, and a crisp buttery Ritz cracker topping — Brenda Gantt's squash casserole method, tested for a top that stays crunchy every time.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 285kcal
Ingredients
For the squash base:
- 2 lb yellow squash, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
- 6 tablespoon butter, melted (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for boiling water
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the topping:
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 35 crackers), crushed to coarse crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the sliced squash and chopped onion; boil for 8–10 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Drain the squash and onion in a colander and let sit for 5 minutes, pressing gently with a spoon partway through to release excess water.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, 3 tablespoons of melted butter, half the shredded cheddar, salt, and pepper.
- Fold the drained squash and onion into the egg mixture until evenly coated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar evenly over the top.
- Crush the Ritz crackers into coarse crumbs and toss with the remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter. Scatter evenly over the cheese layer.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the custard is set (no jiggle in the center).
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Draining the boiled squash for the full 5 minutes is the single most important step — skipping it is the most common cause of a watery casserole.
- Crush the crackers coarse (pea-sized pieces), not fine, for the crispest topping that holds up over several days of leftovers.
- This casserole can be assembled up to a day ahead without the cracker topping; add the buttered crumbs fresh right before baking.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat well at 325°F, uncovered for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the top.
- To freeze, bake and cool the casserole completely, freeze without the topping for up to 2 months, and add fresh crumbs before reheating from thawed.
- Shredding your own block cheddar instead of using pre-shredded bagged cheese gives a smoother melt in the custard.
- A pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce in the custard adds subtle heat without changing the classic flavor profile.
- Zucchini can replace up to half the yellow squash if needed, though the texture will be slightly firmer.