Side dishes always seem to take second place at the dinner table, but we’ve definitely got a shiner for you! This Calico Squash Bake is a bright, wonderful sidekick to just about any meal. It’s loaded with spectacular summer squash, plentiful zucchini, crunchy water chestnuts, and sweet carrots all tossed with a creamy sauce and melted sharp cheddar cheese! And did we mention it’s based and topped with a buttery, crispy cracker crust?! Wow, that is a lot of good stuff! Let your side dish light shine every time you make this Calico Squash Bake. Move over your “main-ness,” these delicious veggies are the new mealtime favorite. Anyone want seconds?
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow summer squash, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
- 1 cup zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 cups butter-flavored crackers, crushed
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained, sliced
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 (2-ounce) jar pimientos, drained and diced
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
Step 3 –In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the squash, the zucchini, the onion, the green onions, the water, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, cover, and cook until the squash is tender, about 6 minutes.
Step 4 –Drain the squash mixture well.
Step 5 –In a medium bowl, add the crushed crackers and the melted butter and stir to combine.
Step 6 –Evenly sprinkle 1/2 of the cracker crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Step 7 –In a large bowl, add the cream of chicken soup, the water chestnuts, the carrot, the mayonnaise, the pimientos, the rubbed sage, the white pepper, and the remaining salt and stir to combine.
Step 8 –Add the squash mixture to the cream of chicken soup mixture and stir to combine.
Step 9 –Pour the squash mixture over the top of the cracker crumb mixture.
Step 10 –Evenly sprinkle the cheese over the top of the squash mixture.
Step 11 –Evenly sprinkle the remaining cracker crumb mixture over the top of the cheese.
Step 12 –Bake the squash mixture, uncovered, until lightly brown, about 30 minutes.
Step 13 –Plate and serve.
