Zucchini Gratin with Yellow Squash is a luscious creamy cheesy medley of zucchini, yellow squash, onions and garlic. It is quick and easy to prepare. It will make a summer squash lover out of you!
Summer is in full force here and with it comes lots of fresh zucchini and yellow squash. Even if you don’t grow it the season brings such an abundance that the market price drops on it consequently making this dish even more desirable. This delectable Zucchini Gratin takes about 15 minutes of your devoted time and then it is in the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes making it very doable for a weeknight meal. This recipe will bring out a passion for zucchini and squash that you never knew you had!
What is zucchini?
Zucchini is a summer squash. It is native to central America and Mexico but it is grown throughout the United States during the warm summer months. While you may think of zucchini as a vegetable it is actually a fruit. Zucchini and yellow squash are low in calories with a low glycemic index. Both squashes are a good source of vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium and they make a great zucchini gratin.
How do you make zucchini gratin?
This delectable recipe could not be any easier! Using an ovenproof skillet melt the butter and add the onion. Saute until the onion is slightly soft and browned on the edges. Add the garlic and cook one more minute. Add cream and simmer until bubbly and slightly thickened. Slowly stir in Parmesan then add zucchini and yellow squash and cook for a few more minutes. Sprinkle with Gouda and bake for 15-20 minutes.
So easy and so delicious. It is amazing what happens to a veggie after you bake it in a bath of cream and cheese. Oh yeah don’t forget to give credit to the garlic! As if that isn’t enough there is a blanket of smoked gouda on the top to create the most delectable squash dish ever!
MORE ZUCCHINI RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE!
- Triple Cheese & Sausage Zucchini Boats
- Easy Lush Zucchini Bread
- Skillet Garlic-Parmesan Zucchini Squash and Tomatoes
- Zucchini Gouda Fritters
- Reese’s Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
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This post was originally published September 7, 2015 and was republished July 16, 2018.
PrintZucchini and Yellow Squash Au Gratin
Tender pieces of zucchini and yellow squash in a mouthwatering creamy cheese sauce. This delectable easy skillet vegetable will quickly become one of your family favorites.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop and Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 onion thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini sliced in rounds 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (please see notes)
- 1 small yellow squash sliced in rounds 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (please see notes)
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup shredded smoked gouda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Melt butter in oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until the edges start to brown approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for additional 1 minute. Add cream and simmer until bubbly and starting to thicken. Slowly stir in parmesan. Add zucchini and yellow squash and cook an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with smoked gouda and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.
Notes
The zucchini that I used were on the smaller side. Some of the late summer zucchini I see coming in are much larger. For those I would double the cream and the Parmesan. The large zucchini are sometimes a little tougher and may require additional simmering and/or baking time.
Keywords: squash recipe, squash au gratin, summer squash recipe, zucchini recipe, zucchini au gratin, zucchini au gratin recipe, zucchini gratin zucchini gratin recipe
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
you never mention in directions when to add garlic??
Thanks for the heads up! I appreciate it! It has been corrected! Happy cooking!
Just after sautéing onions.
It says to cook onions for 5min. Then add garlic and cook another one min.
Thanks for the recipe! I had just purchased some yellow squash & zucchini on Sunday, and I am excited to try this! I’ll let you know how it turns out! I am pairing it with meatballs & a spinach/romaine salad for my family this evening.
Take care!
Trish
Great ideas. Thanks for sharing! 🙂 Love for people to post back again~
Do you have the nutrition info for this?
I am sorry Carrie I have not added nutritional information yet. Maybe I can get that taken care of soon.
Have made squash augratin and it’s so savory and flavorful the smoked Gouda is so good in this casserole making again today
★★★★★
Thanks so much Suzy! So glad that you like it!
No onions listed in the veggies…
I just looked. Second ingredient listed – 1/2 onion thinly sliced.
I am going to try this tomorrow, don’t have time to go to the grocery store to get gouda cheese, I will try it with cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese and see how that turns out. This is a simple recipe and I will probably make it all summer long! Thanks for sharing this!
You are most welcome. Let us know how the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese turns out!!!
Relish !!!!
well, this is delicious! thanks for the recipe!
You are most welcome! 🙂
I had the leftovers for breakfast! 🙂
Sounds like a great breakfast! LOL 🙂
I make a dish very similar to this but it has sliced tomatoes on top of the squash/zucchini. If you like tomatoes, it’s delicious! Especially home grown tomatoes in the summer!
Sounds delicious. Home grown tomatoes are the best!!
Yes, that sounds so good! ? on top and I have fresh from the stands, someone garden! Yummy and Thank you for the idea. ???
You are most welcome.
This was delicious!! We paired it with salmon and it was a winning combo. I will definitely make this again and again over the summer! I didn’t have gouda (though omg, this would be phenomenal with smoked gouda!) so I used fresh parmesan–I actually DID have it on hand–and topped it with sharp cheddar. There were NO leftovers! Thanks so much for a winning recipe!
You are so very welcome. I am so glad that you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice complement!
Shoot! You’re so welcome! I have to put this out there too: I’m not opposed to spending an hour cooking (I cook most things from scratch), but I have to say that this recipe was SO EASY and quick to put together! The thing that took the longest was browning the onion, but that time was SO WORTH it for the flavor the caramelized onions added to the dish. I didn’t cook the squash and zucchini in the skillet (not to save time, just because I didn’t want mush). I put half of them in the skillet to coat them with the sauce, and poured that on the rest that I’d already layered in my casserole dish and cooked for 20 minutes. It came out perfect to our tastes. And like I said, NO LEFTOVERS–always a good indication of a GREAT recipe!
THis sounds great. Fixing it tonight
Thanks so much!!
This was the best casserole I have ever made!! New staple at all our holiday get togethers!
Oh thank you so much! Long day! I needed this sweet comment this afternoon.
Hard to find Gouda cheese here so I used parmesan and asiago. Great recipe.
Great choice of substitutions. So glad that you enjoyed it. Thank you!
I am going to try this tomorrow, way too hot today to have my oven on 450 degrees. I don’t have smoked gouda either, so 1. The store or 2. I will use any other cheese I have on hand. I will revisit this after but wanted to say this Looks like a fun recipe to try. I get my zucchini and summer squash at Costco, never mind what’s growing in my gardens, they’re just about ready now. Another fun recipe I make is the zucchini nacho recipe I found on the internet. The spicy one with roundscut half inch wide. I have been doing Low Carb since Feb. So I am always looking for new recipes. Thank You.
You are most welcome. I will have to check around for the zucchini nacho recipe. It sounds delicious. Thanks for the heads up!!
Hi. If you have minced garlic in a jar, how much would you use? Thanks.
Same amount.
If garlic is minced in jar how can you use the same amount
Yes you can.
I think Patricia means that it is difficult to measure garlic in cloves when it is already minced, and an amount in tablespoons/etc would be more straightforward for that. I used 1 and a half tablespoons of minced garlic from the jar and it worked fine!
Such a great recipe. I’m always looking for new ways to Cook squash and this is definitely a keeper. and Iran keto friendly. Win win. THanks for sharing!
Sorry spell check. Meant to say And it’s keto friendly
You are most welcome!!
This sounds absolutely amazing! The only way I can get my kids to eat Zucchini or Yellow Squash is to cover it in cheese. I love addition of smoked gouda. That just sends it over the top! Yum!
Thanks so much. I love this dish! Glad that kids like it too!!
I refer to myself as s food snob. This dish was incredible!! I bought a high quality smoked Gouda which I think is very important. I made this dish for a ladies group pot luck. I thought they were going to lick the casserole clean!! Thank you so very much for elevating a basic, easy to make recipe and making it something truly special!
I am so glad that they liked it. Thanks so much for writing such a sweet complement. It has made my morning!! I consider myself a little bit of a food snob too…just a little bit!!
Made this tonight in my new iron skillet but with half-and-half and cheddar (all I had on hand) and it was delicious! So simple, not mushy, perfect balance of vege and cheese. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for a long time. Thank you! By the way, I posted it on Insta but wasn’t sure your handle to give you credit (so I used your website).
Thanks so much Carolyn. Your kind actions and words mean so much to me! So glad that you liked it!
This recipe sounds fabulous. I have a question – can I assemble it tonight and bake it tomorrow? Will it make it too mushy? Thank you in advance.
Yes I think it might affect it although I have not tried that. If you try that please let use know how it turned out!
I am so excited to make this tonight only I am adding fresh mushrooms, and tomatoes/bacon bits on top. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds delicious! You are most welcome. I am going to try bacon bits on it the next time I cook it! Yummy!!
Want to make this tonight,but don’t have heavy cream right now,have regular milk and canned cream, would one work you think? Or just hold off til grocery day..thank you.
Sorry but I would hold off till grocery day.
Made this today with a couple of changes. Didn’t have cream or gouda cheese. Used sour cream and a three cheese blend, turned out delicious.
Awesome! Glad it turned out and that you like it!
Linda mentions a mixture of Sour Cream and a three-cheese-blend, but what proportions would be appropriate? Hope not a dumb question, ha ha!!? Sounds like a fantastic, easy, not time-consuming recipe, Beth Pierce; I typically write most of my own recipes; thanks mucho for sharing this beauty!!!!!???
You are most welcome Roxanne. I am hoping Linda responds. I will try to check back a bit later and see if she did.
Hi and thank you, Beth. I’m just starting out, and heading to the supermarket after doing some research.
I’m working on potion control and live on my own.
Would you say this recipe provides 2 portions assuming a palm-sized protein and maybe salad paired with it?
Thanks, Sharon (novice;-)
Yes I would say that. Please use small zucchini and squash. Some of the summer garden zucchini can grow really big and I need to make some notes on the recipe for these adjustments.
I made this for dinner tonight and the flavor is really good. I don’t think the ingredients are enough for two squash. I had to double the cream and parm and it still didn’t cover the squash. And I cooked them according to the time and the squash was still hard. I would probably boil the squash first and triple or quadruple the cream mixture or cut down on the amount of squash the recipe calls for. I will def be making it again but with my own measurements. Thanks.
Hey Robin thanks for the heads up. I am going to make some notes on that recipe this morning as there is a vast difference in the size of zucchini and the ones I used were small. My neighbor bought me some yesterday that were twice that size.
I made this tonight, I only had yellow squash, but it is delicious. I saw an earlier comment, about caramelizing, the onions. I am going to try that, and I also used some fresh jalapeños, for a little kick. It was really good
Thanks so much Diane. Caramelized onions and jalapenos sound delicious!!
Going to try this tonight with baked chicken and arugula salad, can’t wait. Thanks for the recipe
Awesome! Thank you!!
Can I use 2% milk instead of cream? Do not have it on hand and want to make it tonight.
Sorry Debbie but for this one you really need cream.
I have tried using can evaporated milk when out of cream and I had no problem for the same amount
Required. I am 72 years old and an experienced cook.
Thanks for the tip Lynne!
What a great dish for summer! So creamy and delicious!
★★★★★
This is one of my favorite summer side dishes! Can’t wait to make it this weekend!
I am sure my family will love this! Looks SO good!
★★★★★
I will be having an abundance of squash and zucchini very soon! This is the perfect way to use both of them up.
★★★★★
The perfect dish for the Sunday dinner! Looks so creamy and delicious!
★★★★★
What a fantastic side dish!
★★★★★
I know for sure this would be a huge hit in my house!
★★★★★
What a delicious dish! Squash & zucchini are some of my favorites! I could eat this daily!
★★★★★
Love that bubbly cheese on top! Great way to use summer squash!
★★★★★
We made this with all of our zucchini and squash that my friend gave me from her garden! It was so delicious! We served it with grilled chicken, YUM!
★★★★★
Everyone at my house loved it! So delicious!
★★★★★
This is awesome! I can eat this everyday!
★★★★★
Can I use frozen sliced squash I have in freezer?
Yes but I would pat dry and remove any moisture.
I’ve made this a couple of times and it was outstanding!! I’ve had to give the recipe out a few times!!! My question… I’m making it to take to my daughters house! Do you think I could put it together the day before and cook it off at her house the next day!!
Thank you!!
Joni
Sorry about the delayed response. I have been trying to get my newly designed site up so I am way behind. I am not sure because I have never tried it. Did you try it? How did it work out?
Made it , loved it will be regular every summer with squash from the garden. Thanks !! Great recipe and easy
Thanks so much Kathy! So glad that you liked it!!
This was delicious!! Thank you! I grow a lot of squash, so new recipes are so needed?
★★★★★
Thanks Vicki! I am glad that you enjoyed this!!
Don’t have a skillet that I can bake in. Can I not do the same thing and transfer to a baking dish before baking? Lease respond to my email with the answer and any adjustments.
Yes you most certainly can.
I just made this today. OMG it was amazing. My grocery store does not have smoked Gouda so I used grated Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. I didn’t cook squash fully and it only took 15 minutes to cook in the oven. I absolutely loved it. Will definitely make this over and over. Thank you for this recipe.
That is awesome. So glad to hear that you liked it!
Made this last night, we really liked it. Like so many of the other comments I didn’t have any smoked gouda on hand so I used shredded cheddar. I am anxious to try it next time with the gouda cheese. Delicious!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Susan. So glad that you liked it!!
Had some extra squash from the garden and made this! So so good!!! We love it.
Perfect way to enjoy zucchini! My whole family loves this au gratin!
This was an awesome side for dinner, we paired it with a beef roast we had and it was so creamy and delicious. My grandmother grows her own zucchini so I am always looking for new ways to use it and this recipe was perfect. Thank you.
★★★★★
My family inhaled this zucchini and squash casserole, giving it rave reviews! Even I, who never eats any summer squash, have to admit it was very tasty. If one follows the recipe exactly, the squash does not end up mushy, but retains its’ form and texture and comes out fork tender and intact. This recipe is a keeper….not the healthiest squash casserole, but definitely the most delicious! And makes a very pretty presentation. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
The pleasure is all mine Carole! So glad that you liked it. I do love this easy dish!
I didn’t have heavy cream or Gouda, so I used plain yogurt and sharp shredded cheese instead. Came out great! Will be making this again.
Thanks for the tip Judy! So glad that you made it work!
My stomach started growling as I was scrolling this post so it’s safe to say I’ll be making this ASAP!
★★★★★
This is amazing! I’ve been trying all sorts of recipes for my garden veggies and this one is a winner!
★★★★★
Do I have to share this with my family? I really want to hog this all to myself! So good. So very, very good!!
★★★★★
Restaurant quality dish. Turned out just as pictured. Big hit! Will be making this again!
Thanks Laurie! So glad that you liked it!
I had no zucchini, but used yellow squash. Dee-lish! Like another commentor, the onions did take the longest. I, too, had no gouda, so combined sharp white, sharp and medium yellow cheddar. Still so good, but will make again with the gouda. I was done the dishes before the dish was done! Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
You are most welcome Angela! So glad that you like it.
Oh my gosh this is amazing, we’ve had a bounty of squash this year and I needed something new. My husband is a Alfredo nut so this was just up his alley. I will be making this again. Very indulgent tasting.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Bobbie! You made my evening! So glad that you and your hubby loved it!
OMG – this was sooo good! I made it for Thanksgiving dinner last night and it was the star of the show! I didn’t have any heavy cream on hand so I used 1/2 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of corn starch. I also didn’t have smoked gouda but used a five cheese Italian blend and some provolone. It was awesome!! Will definitely be making again. Thank you for sharing the recipe, Beth!
You are most welcome Eileen! So glad that you and your guests liked it. I hope you had a marvelous Thanksgiving!!
You as well. Happy holidays and stay safe. Thanks again for sharing the recipe. I’m making it again tonight.
Hi! This dish looks great and cant wait to make it tonight!! However, I dont have cream, can I use coconut cream instead?
No I do not think that is going to work. Sorry about the delay I was at the store!!