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Cooked Yellow Summer Squash

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My paternal grandmother and one of her sisters both laid claim to the ownership of the family’s cooked summer squash recipe. In fact, I know that her children still believe that it was my great aunt’s recipe. My grandmother used to contend that her sister first got the recipe from her …

My best guess is that neither of them came up with the idea on their own…it was probably something that their mother or another family member made that they tweaked. However, that is pure speculation on my part.

As the risk of re-sparking a long forgotten debate is very slight (the most invested parties have long since passed), I have decided to share this family recipe.

It is essentially yellow squash mashed very similarly to potatoes. The squash and a little added sugar gives a little sweetness that is balances with black pepper.

My grandmother always called it cooked squash…although the name could mean anything except raw squash…I kept the name out of respect to her and my aunt.

 

: Cooked Summer Squash

  1. 5 med. yellow squash
  2. 2 Tbsp. butter
  3. 1/4 c. half-and-half or evaporated milk
  4. 1 Tbsp. sugar
  5. salt, to taste
  6. black pepper, to taste

  1. Cut squash into thick slices/chunks, then into 2 to 4 pieces.
  2. Place in pan with 2-3 inches of water. Boil until very tender. (Covering pan with lid and steam/boiling them will speed the process).
  3. Drain off water.
  4. Mash squash with a potato masher or submersion blender until squash is mashed but still has some small pieces.
  5. Add butter, cream and seasonings, to taste.
  6. Return to a lower heat and cook until liquid is well incorporated.
  7. Serve warm.

Taste the squash before adding any sugar!
Amount of sugar should vary with the freshness/variety of squash. The fresher the squash is the less sugar it needs. If it is not from the garden or a farmer’s market, it may need more than 1 Tbsp. sugar.

Comments

  1. This squash dish reminds me of my great-aunt Verna … she made a dish like this when we would visit her in the late summer. I think she also sprinkled a bit of nutmeg into the mash too. Either way, that creamy squash was so delicious with her warm potato salad, fresh green beans, and fried chicken! Thanks for helping me to remember this dish, Paula!

  2. I want to make a huge pot of this and freeze…..will that be okay?? I have so much yellow squash, and I really do not like freezing slices, they get mushy! So I thought I would make a batch of this, allow to cool completely, then portion up and freeze. Thanks Joy Adams

    • Joy, I have never tried to freeze the finished recipe. In fact, I usually do not have any leftovers to put in the refrigerator even. I agree with you about the mushiness of the frozen squash, but I have used it to make this cooked, mashed dish. The texture should not be a problem in freezing the completed dish, but I really do not have any idea if it would freeze well. My gut feeling is that it should, but I have no first hand knowledge. Please let me know how it turns out if you do freeze it. I would love to do the same!

      • Joy, I prepare mine like the above recipe, When finished cooking I let it cook and then put in freezer bags. I will say that they aren’t as good as fresh but I use in casseroles.

  3. Hi Paula, I ust picked fresh squash from my garden and needed a recipe. I made this and it is my new favorite squash recipe. Yummo. Thanks for sharing, grandma’s know best 🙂 Kelly

  4. OK, stupid question, do you peel the squash and if you do when do you do it before or after boiling? Can’t wait to try this, it sounds yummy!!! Thanks in advance!

    • Yellow summer squash usually has a soft exterior and does not require being peeled. Most of the yellow coloring of the cooked squash comes from the skin of the squash.

      It is my favorite way to eat yellow squash. I hope you enjoy it as well.