Life's simplest pleasures are the best. That definitely applies to this classic recipe too so let me show you this how to cook sautéed yellow squash on the stove recipe!
This is absolutely the best yellow squash recipe. You can make it with either grocery store or garden fresh yellow squash.
Simply add a few fresh herbs. It's really that easy!
This simple side dish will quickly become one of your favorite recipes! It's an easy side dish made with simple ingredients and is perfect any time of year.
Pick up these fresh vegetables at the farmers market or grocery store and you'l be eating sauteed yellow squash cooked your favorite way in minutes!
When you use these squash in your next squash casserole, you'll need to know How to Freeze Yellow Squash Casserole (Easy Best Way)!
Since you are trying out squash recipes, here's my favorite one! Best Southern Yellow Squash Casserole Recipe
Here's What You'll Need for Sautéed Squash
- Squash from the store or your own garden or the farmer's market
- A little butter or oil
- A little bit of salt and pepper
- Some fresh herbs (I recommend Thyme)
Here's What You Do
- Wash the squash.
- Remove the stem and blossom end.
- There's no need to remove the skin or seeds.
- Cut into ½" disks and then halve or quarter to make bite sized.
- Saute in oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then add seasonings.
(Pick a fresh yellow squash like this and then give it a good bath in the kitchen sink!)
Get Extra Flavor from Your Sautéed Squash
- Use a sprinkle of parmesan cheese
- Check for freshness by looking for soft spots
- Use a squeeze of lemon juice to keep from browning and to add some acid
- Cook in a cast iron skillet.
- Cook in bacon grease over medium heat!
- Flavor with a pinch of fresh thyme, sweet onions, bacon fat or black pepper
- Caramelize the onions in the pan first by adding a bit of sugar and cook them low and slow before heating up the pan to quickly cook the squash.
Expert Tips for how to cook sautéed yellow squash on the stove recipe
Yellow Squash is a Summer Squash. These yellow crookneck squash and all yellow summer squash have a mild flavor and are a delicious summer side dish.
- While yellow squash usually have a mild flavor, you'll sometimes find that they are a bit bitter. To address any bitter flavors, add salt!
- Squash have a lot of water! They are absolutely full of it. You can’t see it, but it’s there. So, as you cook them, the water comes out. Just ignore it is my motto.
- Squash have a natural sweetness and you can make the most of this as well as give a golden brown color by adding a pinch of sugar!
- To store leftover squash, place in an airtight container once they are cooled!
- Choose smaller squash for your sautéed squash recipe, they have the best and freshest flavor.
- You'll have the most success if you cut the squash into ½" coins and quarters.
- Allow the iron skillet to become VERY HOT before adding the squash. This allows for a nice crust to develop on the outside of the squash.
(Cut your squash into disks [coins] like this, make sure they are bite size. If they are still too big once cut into coins, then quarter them to be bite sized)
Tips and Tricks for Sautéed Squash
- If you want to make more servings then cook more squash - ½ - 1 squash per person is usually enough, it depends on how much your family likes squash.
- If you like your onions cooked a little more, you can put them in the pan before the squash. Same goes for the garlic. I put mine in together - but really, it is up to you.
- Someone asked, so I'm adding it here, yes, please cook your squash in a little bit of oil/butter - it is in the recipe, but just want you to know.
- The recipe is at the end of the post.
- Squash in peak season are the freshest and taste the best.
- If your squash taste too bitter when you are done, add salt.
- If you finish cooking and there is too much water left in the pan either cook the squash more to evaporate the water (this will make the squash more mushy) or use a slotted spoon to scoop them out of the pan.
- When choosing your squash, pick the smaller squash. The smaller ones have a lighter taste.
- Figure one small squash per person or if the squash is larger then one squash per two people.
- If you like for your onions to be more done, then put those in before you put the squash in the pan.
- Make sure to cut your squash into bite sized pieces. Sometimes that is a disk shape and sometimes you must half for quarter the disk
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, once they are cooked, you can freeze these squash, but they won't have the same consistency when you thaw them. They will be more mushy. It's best to just eat them fresh.
Once cooked, this dish will keep in the fridge for about 5 days if kept covered.
Yes, you can, spray with a bit of cooking spray and airfry at 400 for 3 minutes.
Watch Me Make This Dish
Ya'll Help Me Out, OK?
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Easy Yellow Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium-size yellow squash
- 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon unsalted sweet cream butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the squash into disks that are about ½ inch thick. If the disks are larger than mouth size, then cut them into quarters.
- Give the onion a rough chop.
- Heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large skillet on medium heat on the stovetop until the butter is melted and the oil/butter starts to glisten.
- Add the squash, onion, garlic to the oil and cook until the squash becomes soft enough for your tastes (for me - that is about 5-6 minutes).
- Add salt and pepper to taste and then sprinkle with the fresh thyme- serve hot and with salt and pepper offered on the table.
Notes
- If your squash taste too bitter when you are done, add salt.
- If you finish cooking and there is too much water left in the pan either cook the squash more to evaporate the water (this will make the squash more mushy) or use a slotted spoon to scoop them out of the pan.
- When choosing your squash, pick the smaller squash. The smaller ones have a lighter taste.
- Figure one small squash per person or if the squash is larger then one squash per two people.
- If you like for your onions to be more done, then put those in before you put the squash in the pan.
- Make sure to cut your squash into bite sized pieces. Sometimes that is a disk shape and sometimes you must half for quarter the disk.
Nutrition
This recipe originally appeared on these pages on April 20, 2018 and has been updated with new photos, new sections, more tips and tricks, expert tips, nutrition information, equipment information, video and more!
As I consider the things I'm thankful for today, I'm thankful for polite people. Thank you Lord.
Luke 6:31
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Mary Strange says
Thanks for the simplicity, I'm cooking it now and can't wait to eat! God Bless
Wendi Spraker says
Simple dishes are just the best, aren't they?
Dixie says
Thank you for this simple healthy yellow squash recipe. I also grew up eating this often but they would boil in salted water or fried after coated lightly in cornmeal.
Wendi Spraker says
Thanks Dixie, Just proof that our moms were out there doing their level best to give us something good to eat. 🙂
Peter says
Thanks. Just sautéed some squash, no onions, no salt (just the butter and oil) and tasted great. Thanks for sharing you recipe.
Wendi Spraker says
Glad you enjoyed it!
John Compton says
I like what you've done with the place!
Wendi Spraker says
Glad you like it!
Leo says
Thank You.... Simple yellow squash information. I am mainly a meat and cheese eater so I was a little apprehensive of going alone on this. As it turned out I would have done exactly as you instructed. Maybe you can clarify what "medium" heat is. I have several kitchen top appliances that I use with various temperature ranges... max: 350, 375, 400, 450 which equates to a range of averages (ie medium) of 175, 200, 225 which makes a swing of 50 degrees. This is not a knock on you or your site, it is prevalent on all cooking sites I have been to. My background is in precise information or a specific range to adhere to thanks to my customer base dealing with Ford, GM, Chrysler as well as numerous technology companies so I have never been exposed to approximate and definitely not "close enough" I like food and hate to waste food so trial and error to find what works best would lead to food that may be edible but could have been better. LEO
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Leo,
I can completely understand your concern and your desire for precision and respect and admire it. My husband is an aerospace engineer who also requires specific precise information for things so I hear things like your comment a lot at home. It's close to my heart, so to speak. Sometimes my more free spirit "little of this and little of that" ways are just too much for him! lol. Which reminds me of something that happened once when he and I were repairing the pasture fence. I've been a country girl my whole life and he has been a city boy who never did something like repair a pasture fence. When working together on it, he became very frustrated with my repair work as it "wasn't right" and was "imprecise". My response was, "I've been doing this way my entire life and I haven't had a significant fail rate in that whole time". He finally said out loud in exasperation, "Well, I guess this IS farm work and not engineering, cows and horses don't care about what I care about, they just have to be kept in and safe". lol. I tell you all of that to say this, when you are cooking squash on the stovetop it is more like farm work than engineering. Now, if we were baking a cake, THAT would be more like engineering requiring precise measurements and such. But sautéing in a pan (like you do for squash) has a bit of "Play it by ear". Medium heat is somewhere near the range of 350 degrees and should equate to a number dial on your stove of either "medium" or if numeral, 5 or 6 (supposing you are in the U.S - I have seen some European stoves with different systems for heat). Anyway, the main idea is that you want to be able to hear the squash start to sizzle a little when they hit the hot pan. If you see that you are having to flip the squash a lot and they are darkening very quickly, then cut the stove down a notch. If it seems that they are languishing in the pan, increase the heat a little. It may take a tiny bit of practice (like trying this dish 2-3 times before you really get the hang of it), but it's totally worth it to enjoy fresh summer squash cooked just to perfection and the way you like. I hope this helps. Feel free to write me or comment on the site at any time and I'll be tickled to help you. Thanks Leo for the comment and the stars and we are going to have you cooking like a pro in no time flat! Cheers!
😁 says
I am 12 yrs old and I love to cook I hope you enjoyed this like I did
Wendi Spraker says
OH! That does my heart such good! I have two grandchildren about your age and I am so impressed that you love cooking! I hope you'll cruise around and find some other stuff you might like to make (My grandchildren your age LOVE my macaroni and cheese and request it every time they visit - maybe you would like it too?).
JayDee says
As a first-time gardener, I was so happy to find your simple, fancy-free recipe for yellow squash. I am also new to home-cooking and the Notes section on this recipe was an extra helpful treat -- family members asked for seconds! Your writings are a joy to read; thank you.
Wendi Spraker says
JayDee, that is just wonderful! I'm so glad you are having garden AND cooking success! Maybe you could come here and teach me a few things about gardening! Have a great week!
Wendi
Kevin says
Fabulous! Just the way my mom used to make it!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Kevin, Thanks for leaving me a comment! I'm so glad it was just what you were looking for!
MJ Cline says
Fixed just like receipe says and it turned out great. Everyone really liked it.
Wendi Spraker says
GREAT! I'm so glad to hear that you loved it! Thanks for leaving me a comment!
Lena says
Wonderful recipe !helped a lot !
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Lena! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Marian says
Going to cook some squash tonight.
Wendi Spraker says
I hope you loved them! Hugs! Wendi
C Davis says
I tried this recipe with tonight's supper, It was simple, yes, but also delicious! And thank you for the salt tip.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi! Thanks for leaving me a comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Tabitha Wright says
I was the same way growing up & now I absolutely adore squash & zucchini. I couldn't remember how my mom always made it. I tried your recipe & it was delicious! Thank you for your help....
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Tabitha! Thanks for leaving me a comment! I'm so glad that you were able to get your mama's recipe back on your plate! 🙂 .
Anne says
Cooking this now. thanks!
Wendi Spraker says
Thanks Anne! I hope it's everything you love and want!
Jerry Catherine says
It worked out perfect thanks
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Jerry! Thanks for letting me know! I appreciate the comment! Glad you enjoyed!