5 Yellow Squash Recipes (Super Quick and Easy)

Last Updated on October 18, 2023

5 yellow squash recipes that are simple and quick to cook – 15 minutes max. Enjoy! 

  

Is your garden overrun by yellow squash this time of the year, and you find yourself wondering  what to do with all that bountiful harvest?

You go online and search for yellow squash recipes, and all you can see are squash casseroles, stuffed squash, or squash fritters which sound great, yet are so time-consuming.

But all that you really want  – is something quick and easy to make with that squash.

Keep reading,  because I will provide you exactly with that:  5 yellow squash recipes that are:

• simple
• require just a few ingredients
• quick & easy to prepare – 15 minutes max from start to finish.

In all the presented recipes, yellow squash can be easily swapped with zucchini.

1. FRIED YELLOW SQUASH

Servings	2
Prep Time	3 min
Cooking Time	3 min
Use As	Side Dish

Ingredients

• 2 young yellow squashes (up to 6” long), cut into ¼ ‘’ thick round slices
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 thyme sprig (fresh lemon or German thyme)
• 1 sprig of dill, parsley and chives, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high.
2. Place squash rounds on the frying pan. Do not overcrowd.
3. Fry on each side for 1 -1.5 minutes.
4. In the last 30 seconds of frying – add smashed garlic and thyme. Stir it with squash in the pan to combine.
5. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Transfer squash onto the platter. Garnish with chopped dill, parsley, and chives. You can also top the squash with sliced cherry tomatoes and olives.
7. Serve at once.

Variation. If you wish, you can dredge squash slices in white or whole wheat flour mixed with salt and pepper before frying to develop a crust. Be sure to shake off the excess flour before placing squash on the pan.

2. YELLOW SQUASH SALAD

Servings	2
Total time	12min
Use As	Side Dish

The base of this salad is fried squash (see recipe 1), but the squash should be cut in half rounds. You can cut the squash in half circle pieces before or after frying – choose what suits you best.

Ingredients

• 2 fried squashes (see recipe 1)
• ¼ cup of raw cashews (you can use peanuts or sliced almonds)
• 2 scallions, sliced
• Salt to taste
• 6 halved cherry tomatoes (optional)

For the Dressing:

version 1

• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tablespoon of grated ginger root (I use microplane for grating ginger)
• ½ teaspoon of liquid honey
• ½ teaspoon of mustard
• 1 clove of garlic smashed (optional)
• ground pepper

Version 2

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine and whisk all dressing ingredients.
2. Combine and mix the dressing with fried squash, and cashews. and scallions.

3. SAUTEED YELLOW SQUASH

Servings	2
Prep Time	6min
Cooking Time	6min
Use As	Side Dish

Ingredients

• 2 squashes medium size, diced
• a wedge of large  white onion (or one whole young onion bulb from your garden)
• ¼ of large bell pepper, diced
• 1 carrot, grated (use largest holes of the box grater)
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes (grated, without skin) or 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce (you also can use tomato sauce or tomato juice)
• 1 tablespoon of sour cream
• few sprigs of parsley and dill, chopped
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. In a large saute pan heat oil on medium high.
2. Add grated carrot, diced pepper, and onion and sauté for 1 minute, stirring.
3. Add squash. Mix with ingredients in the pan, sauté for 3 minutes more.
4. Add garlic and herbs. Continue to saute 1 minute.
5. Add grated tomatoes (you can use 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce instead) and sour cream, stir in the dish and sauté 1 minute more. Turn the heat off.

Your dish is ready!

This sauteed squash dish goes well with young boiled or mashed potatoes, you can use it as a topping on rice or just eat it with a piece of fresh bread.

Few young boiled potatoes, sauteed squash and 1 boiled ear of young corn will make a perfect vegetarian dinner.

4. YELLOW SQUASH & COUSCOUS SALAD

Servings	2
Total Time	15min
Use As	Main vegetarian dish

To make this simple salad, you need to combine cooked couscous with sauteed yellow squash (recipe 3). If you are short on time – use chopped fried squash (recipe 1 ) instead.

In order to save time – prepare squash (sauteed or fried), while couscous is cooking.

Ingredients

For couscous:

• 1 cup of couscous
• 1 ¼ cup of water
• 1 teaspoon of organic vegetable (or chicken) bullion base
• 1 tablespoon of butter (or olive oil)

Additional ingredients for salad:

• Sauteed squash (recipe 3) or chopped fried squash (recipe 1)
• 15 pitted black olives, chopped
• 1 medium tomato or 10 cherry tomatoes, diced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 sprig of dill, chopped
• 6 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped (or used whole for the garnish)

Step-by -Step Instructions

1. Cook couscous according to instructions on the package.

Usually, it goes like this: bring to a boil 1 ¼ cup of water with 1 tablespoon of butter (or olive oil) and 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable base, add 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley (optional) and 1 cup of couscous, mix.

Cover, turn off the heat and let couscous stand for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes passed –  fluff couscous with a fork.

              2. While couscous is resting for 5 minutes – prepare sauteed squash (recipe 3).

              3. Combine cooked couscous, sauteed squash, black olives, tomatoes, green onions and mix together. Taste it. If salad feels too dry – add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.

5. GRILLED YELLOW SQUASH

Servings	3
Prep Time	3min
Cooking Time	6min
Use As	Side Dish

Ingredients

• 2 yellow squashes (up to 8” long), sliced 1/2 ‘’ thick 
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme and rosemary leaves, chopped
• a few sprigs of dill, parsley, and chives, finely chopped (for garnish)
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed (optional)
• salt and pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Combine and wisk olive oil with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary leaves, and garlic. 
2. Brush squash with olive oil dressing.
3. Grill on indoor grill pan for 2-3 minutes per side to get nice char marks.
4. Garnish with herbs.

If you grill squash outdoors – it is better to slice squash lenthwise (see picture above),  so pieces will not fall through grill grates. Alternatively,  you can thread squash rounds onto skewers for grilling outside.

You can use chopped grilled squash for the salad recipes (recipe 2 and 4) instead of fried and sauteed squash.

And there you have it –  quick & easy, delicious & nutritious yellow squash recipes: fried, sauteed, and grilled yellow squash and 2 squash salads. So, pick some squashes from the garden and start cooking!😉

Bon appétit!

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What is your “go-to” yellow squash recipe?  Share in the comments.