Squash and Cornbread Casserole
Take one little box of cornbread mix and transform it into a savory, delicious Squash and Cornbread Casserole! Cornbread mix, yellow squash, eggs, and sour cream come together in this delicious side dish for all your weeknight dinners.
Pair this Squash and Cornbread Casserole with your favorite barbeque sides, soups, stews, and more. Or serve it with some fried chicken, butterbeans, and sliced red, ripe tomatoes.
We’re really fortunate that squash of every kind is available to us throughout the year at our local grocery stores. One of my favorites is the beautiful, brightly colored yellow squash. I like them every way you can think of – sauteed, fried, or steamed with onions.
BeeBop, on the other hand, is not a fan. I’ve never understood that since he does like zucchini. But not so much the yellow version. The only exception – this Squash and Cornbread Casserole.
This is an old recipe that has been in my files for years and years. It’s sort of a cross between a casserole and cornbread, more like an old fashioned southern spoonbread or savory pudding, and makes a great side dish with a ham steak, pork chops, or fried chicken and some field peas, broccoli casserole, or okra.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses a cornbread mix for a shortcut!
- It’s a great side dish for almost any summer meal.
- An interesting cross between bread and a veggie side dish.
- Helps you get your daily quota of vegetables.
🛒 Ingredient Notes
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- Cornbread Mix – (I recommend Jiffy brand for this recipe.)
- Sour Cream – (I’ve tried this recipe with both regular and low fat sour cream and either works fine.)
- Yellow Squash – (You’ll see them sometimes called crookneck or summer squash.)
- Dried Thyme Leaves – (The thyme isn’t absolutely necessary, but I like the herbal flavor it infuses into the casserole. If you use it, be sure it’s thyme leaves and not ground thyme.)
You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
🔪 How to Make Squash and Cornbread Casserole
- Set your oven to preheat to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8×8 square baking dish and set it aside.
- Finely chop a medium onion.
- Using the large holes on a box grater (or your food processor if you’d rather), grate the squash. Every little bit of it is usable except the very tip top and, honestly, that might be just fine grated in there, too.
I know a lot of people would use the food processor, but I’d just as soon take 3 extra minutes to do it by hand than to clean up the food processor. I’m really old-fashioned that way :-)
👉 PRO TIP: You’ll need about 1 1/2 to 2 medium yellow squash to make three cups grated.
- In a large bowl, add the cornbread mix, sour cream, and egg.
- Stir together until just combined.
- Add the grated squash and the remaining ingredients except the butter. Stir gently to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Dot the top with butter.
- Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
❗Recipe Tips
- You’ll need 1 1/2 to 2 medium-sized yellow squash to make three cups grated.
- Best served warm but can be left at room temperature for several hours before serving.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a low (200-degree) oven.
🔀 Variations
- Stir 1 cup of grated sharp Cheddar cheese into the batter for an extra depth of flavor.
- A finely diced jalapeno is a great addition.
❓ Questions About Squash Cornbread Casserole
Yes, this recipe doubles very easily. For a double recipe, use a 9×13 pan in place of the square pan.
Of course you can. Just make up your favorite cornbread recipe, then add the squash and other ingredients. You may need to adjust the baking time to fit with your cornbread recipe.
Although it’s best served hot and fresh from the oven, you can freeze it if you insist. I’d suggest leaving it in the pan or dish you cooked it in. Wrap the entire thing well in plastic wrap with a layer of foil on the outside. Store in the freezer for no more than 4 weeks.
🧾 More Casserole Recipes You’ll Like
More Questions? I’m happy to help!
If you have more questions about the recipe, or if you’ve made it and would like to leave a comment, scroll down to leave your thoughts, questions, and/or rating!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
📖 Recipe
Squash and Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients
- 8.5 ounces cornbread mix recommend: Jiffy brand
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 3 cups grated yellow squash
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Generously grease an 8×8 square baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the cornbread mix, sour cream, and egg. Stir until just combined.
- Add the remaining ingredients except butter. Stir gently to combine.
- Pour into prepared dish. Dot the top with butter.
- Bake 1 hour or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
Notes
- You’ll need about 1 1/2 large or 2 medium yellow squash to make 3 cups of grated squash for the recipe.
- Best served hot and fresh from the oven, but may be frozen. To freeze, leave the casserole in the pan you cooked it in. Wrap well in plastic wrap with a layer of foil on the outside. Store in the freezer for no more than 4 weeks.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a low (200 degree) oven.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on September 5, 2014. It has been updated with additional information.
LOVE this cornbread!!!!!! I added a little milk to combine those dry ingredients.
So glad you liked it! We do, too. Great way to use some of the delicious summer squash this time of year.
can zucchini be substituted?
I haven’t tried it, but I would think so.
If you didn’t have the Boxed cornbread mix, How many cups of Cornmeal would you use?
Hi Karla. Thanks for asking. To make a substitute for the cornbread mix, combine 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
I made this tonight and loved it. This is better than my favorite squash casserole recipe I’ve been cooking for over 35 years now. Wouldn’t change anything in this recipe.
I’m so glad you liked it, Angela. It’s a favorite of mine as well.
Just made this the other day and I’m making it again today! Great recipe for the summer time, so delicious! This is a keeper. Thank you!
So glad you liked it!
Can you make this with already cooked and drained yellow squash? Thank you.
Hi Denise. I’ve never tested it using cooked squash so I can’t really give you a definite answer. I would think it would work but can’t guarantee it.
Awesome recipe!!! I would take this to any cookout…Thank you!
This sounds so tempting. Do you think I could prepare in muffin tin? Is the finished texture like cornbread?
Hi Linda – yes, it’s kind of like a soft cornbread. I think it would probably work in muffin tins. You’d need to adjust the cooking time.
I just made this and it is delicious. We are gluten-free and dairy-free so I substituted the sour cream with goat yogurt (tolerated better than cow products) and used a g/f cornbread mix. I am also new to casseroles. Question: the final result was almost pudding like on the inside. Is that about right? I cooked it a bit longer because I wasn’t sure. The top is golden and inside is moist.
Hi Karyl. Sounds like the inside was a little wet?? Probably had to do with the substitutions you made.
Hi, I have some squash I sauteed, if I drain it do you think I can just chop and use?
I think it would probably work if it is well drained.
I made this last night in our travel trailer while on a camping trip. It was easy to make and my husband said it is now one of his favorite meals. I used fresh thyme from my herb garden. Another use for my abundant supply of thyme.
Our house calls this organically good.
I think tarragon would bee a great replacement for the thyme.
Delicious! I have a similar recipe that was given to me by a friend years ago, so I don’t know the origin either! Mine used slices of squash, but grating it makes for an overall better result. I did not have Jiffy mix on hand, so I used a copycat recipe. My suggestions: mix the thyme, salt (I used 1/4 tsp) and pepper with the cornbread mix since 1) they are dry ingredients and 2) are easily distributed then with less mixing of the full batter later. Because I like to use the oven as little as possible during the heat of summer, I used a 9×13 pan and baked it for 30 minutes or so. Thanks for sharing!
Did you let the squash drain for awhile before adding it to everything else?
Cristi – no, I don’t drain the grated squash.
i just put this in the oven, can’t wait to try it.
I love this recipe! I need to make this in a 13×9 dish. Will you give me the ingredient amounts for this size baking dish? Thank You
Kristie – I really don’t know for sure. You might try multiplying everything by 1.5 and see if that works. Although it’s a little difficult to measure a half an egg :-)
This was delicious, thanks!
Can I make this the night before? If so do I leave it out or refrigerate it???
I would not make it up in advance. The cornbread mix will absorb too much moisture and dry out if you let it sit very long.
this looks awesome! Do you think it would freeze well? Thinking on making a couple with our squash abundance!
Carlie – I really don’t know how well this would freeze. I’ve never tried that. But my intuition tells me that it wouldn’t be a good idea.
That is both sneaky and clever! I like it!