Squash casserole is an immensely popular Southern side dish. Made mostly of cheese, milk, eggs and butter with a tad of long-cooked, meltingly soft squash thrown in for honesty, it’s old-fashioned country cooking.
There are many variations of this Southern-comfort staple: church lady recipes that use canned soup and crushed saltines, Junior League mayonnaise-cream cheese combinations topped with buttery shards of broken Ritz crackers, and “cheffed-up” versions with herb-infused heavy cream and toasted breadcrumbs.
A gratin is a close cousin to a casserole. Both are baked in the oven, but a gratin gets a browned top. This squash gratin recipe highlights the squash, not the binder. The squash is par-cooked until just tender, not falling apart. And I’ve lightened it up with a bechamel sauce made from low-fat milk and reduced-fat cheddar cheese.
More “squash with cheese” than “cheese with squash,” it’s a quick, fresh, light dish that’s perfect for summer.
Quick Summer Squash Gratin
Chickpea flour can work well as a thickener for starch-based sauces. It’s more nutritionally dense than wheat flour, as it’s lower in carbs and calories yet contains more protein and fiber. For savory cooking, chickpea flour can be used tablespoon for tablespoon in place of all-purpose flour, also making the dish gluten-free.
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