25 Summer Squash Recipes

Summer brings a ton of gorgeous seasonal produce, including lots of summer squash. Even if you don’t grow it in your garden, chances are you have at least a few in the crisper drawer that you bought at the farmers market or grocery store.

These summer zucchini recipes are designed to put all that sweet squash to good use, from classics like a zucchini casserole to baked goods like our homemade zucchini bread. Whether you have too many pattypan squash or just a surplus of yellow squash, these tasty recipes will help you use up summer squash in the most delicious ways.

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox


This simple dish is made with just a few ingredients, including butter, but we like to make it with bacon grease when we have it on hand (and many Southerners still do).

Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Props Stylist: Christina Brockman


The key to getting these crispy fritters is making sure to squeeze all the water out of the zucchini before shaping them, so make sure you have a clean kitchen towel handy.

Antonis Achilleos; Props Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

We often see zucchini in baked goods (including many recipes in this post), but yellow squash also works wonderfully in baked goods, including this Bundt cake.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen


This simple side dish is ready in less than 20 minutes, making it perfect for those hot summer days when you barely feel like cooking.

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox


This cake is worth making for the cream cheese frosting alone. It also happens to be one of the easiest ways to eat up extra zucchini.

Greg Dupree; Accessories Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray


When it’s too hot to cook, reach for this no-cook salad made with thin ribbons of summer squash, fresh corn and herbs.

Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Props Stylist: Christina Brockman


You can never go wrong with an old-fashioned squash casserole. With over 40 reviews averaging 4.8 out of 5 stars, we think our recipe is a sure hit.

Will Dickey

Caramelized in butter alongside leeks, zucchini shines as the star of this simple summer tart.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Props Stylist: Christina Daley


This gorgeous summer galette is even easier to make than a pie, but it’s just as packed with flavor. We layer zucchini, squash, and corn on top of a creamy pimento cheese spread for the ultimate vegetarian main dish that doubles as a tasty side.

Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Yellow squash are perfect for stuffing like a pepper. Here we use ground beef, rice, and spinach for a hearty filling.

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, buttery crackers, sour cream and mayonnaise make this simple casserole ultra creamy and rich.

Caitlin Bensel


Crispy zucchini chips make a wonderful substitute for French fries or potato chips, alongside burgers and hot dogs in the summer.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Accessories Stylist: Lydia Pursell


This take on the classic casserole uses a baking sheet to maximize surface area, which means a crunchier topping and less soupy filling.

Antonis Achilleos; Accessories Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos


Three types of cheese are used to give this vegetarian version of a classic lasagna lots of depth and flavor.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Packed with zucchini and yellow squash, plus shredded onions and carrots for sweetness, we don’t think there’s a more delicious way to enjoy your veggies.

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey


Crispy on the outside and soft in the center, these fries may not contain any potato, but we’re not complaining at all.

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins


The great thing about this zucchini recipe is that the grated squash doesn’t even need to be drained before mixing into the batter.

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Use up leftover pulled pork in these adorable zucchini “boats.” A quick, tangy red cabbage slaw on top adds freshness and crunch to every bite.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster


If you’re new to halloumi, this recipe is a great place to start when learning how to cook this delicious cheese. It holds its shape when cooked (including when grilled), making it perfect for skewers like these loaded with fresh summer zucchini.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Props Stylist: Christina Daley


Just like banana bread is a great way to use up extra bananas, zucchini bread is a delicious way to use up any extra squash you might have lying around in the kitchen.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Props Stylist: Christina Daley


This simple summer salad has it all: corn, peppers, and, yes, lots of squash.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Accessories Stylist: Shell Royster


Underneath all the cheesy goodness of this pizza are ribbons of summer zucchini along with plenty of other fresh vegetables like tomatoes and corn.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


The only thing that could make regular zucchini bread even better is chocolate, so we included plenty of it in this recipe.

Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Accessories Stylist: Shell Royster


Okra and summer squash combine with smoked sausage in this recipe to create ultra-flavorful kabobs the whole family will enjoy.

PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; ACCESSORY STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE; CULINARY STYLING: TORIE COX


“This cake is so delicious and easy to make. I made it into 8 mini loaves so my baking time was 30 minutes. The ladies at work said it was like tasting a bite of heaven,” one wrote. Life in the South reader of this recipe.

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *